Penguins hit with injuries as Jason Zucker and Teddy Blueger out
The Daily Goal Horn
|
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker had surgery Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury, the team said.
The Penguins said Zucker will be sidelined week to week and that they will have a more accurate timeframe for his recovery in the coming days.
“He’s dealing with the same lower-body injury that held him out for a month,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “So that’s his case.”
Jason Zucker week to week
The 30-year-old was placed on injured reserve Jan. 20. He has six goals, 13 points and a plus-1 rating in 31 games this season.
Zucker missed six practices in December with what were called “maintenance days,” then was listed as week to week with a lower-body injury. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 17 for the Penguins’ road game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Zucker skated on Evgeni Malkin’s left wing that night and scored two goals, but he has not played since.
He was placed on injured reserve three days later and designated as week-to-week with what coach Mike Sullivan said was the same lower-body injury.
Zucker’s surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers of the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.
Teddy Blueger out with fractured jaw
The Penguins also lost forward Teddy Blueger this week after he had surgery on his fractured jaw.
He underwent surgery to repair a fractured jaw Monday, general manager Ron Hextall announced. Blueger is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
Blueger suffered the injury during the first period of Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg defenseman Brenden Dillon hit Blueger into the boards, causing his nose to bleed in addition to breaking his jaw.
In his fourth NHL season (all with Pittsburgh), Blueger has tallied 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 40 games. He has centered the Penguins’ third line behind franchise legends Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Pittsburgh re-signed Blueger last July to a two-year deal with an annual average value of $2.2 million.
–Field Level Media