The Pittsburgh Penguins just got slammed with some tough news early Monday morning, announcing tenacious fourth-line center Blake Lizotte suffered an upper-body injury. He’s out week-to-week, and trust me, that’s not what the team wanted to hear this early. This means they are gonna need to dig into that forward depth way sooner than anyone thought.
Lizotte’s Absence Stings Hard
Losing Lizotte is a real blow for their fourth line. This guy, only 28, really locked down that role last season, skating with Connor Dewar and Noel Acciari. He was so good he earned a fresh three-year contract, carrying a $2.25 million salary cap hit. We’re talking about a center who put up 7 goals and 19 points last season. That kind of consistent grit is hard to replace, especially when he’s out for weeks.
Okuliar’s Injury Adds to the Headache
And if Lizotte’s news wasn’t enough, Oliver Okuliar also got sidelined week-to-week, this time with a lower-body injury. He took the hit during Saturday’s practice, favoring his right foot or ankle as he left. Remember, the Penguins just grabbed Okuliar from Florida in the offseason, trading Emil Pieniniemi for him. Plus, he played for Team Slovakia at the Olympics, so he is not just some rookie. Now he’s out before he can even really get started.
What’s next for Pittsburgh is a serious test of their forward group. They need to find guys who can step up and fill these gaps, and fast. It’s gonna be a scramble.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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