ANAHEIM, Calif. — Harrison Brunicke is a healthy scratch Tuesday when the Pittsburgh Penguins face the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.
However, the 19-year-old rookie’s scratch is not a punishment but part of a preplanned effort to keep Brunicke fresh.
“Kyle (Dubas), along with Rick Rotenberg, has experience with this, coming from their time in Toronto. There’s been a lot of discussions with them and with the rest of the staff in terms of what’s going to be best for these younger players–guys that are in their teens coming into this league,” Muse said. “And so there’s a plan in place for them that we’re going with, and the purpose for this plan is to ensure that they continue to get stronger, they continue to grow … They’re in a different situation just because of their age.”
Rotenberg is the Penguins’ director of performance. The Penguins hired him after he left the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in July.
In three NHL games, Brunicke scored his first NHL goal and is a plus-1.
Muse also indicated that fellow rookie Ben Kindel will also be scratched occasionally. However, just as Muse referenced the scratches being a season-long plan, he quickly restated to specify the plan was for early in the season.
“We’ll bring in the same thing could be said and will be said for Kindel. You know, these are young players. We’re looking at what’s best for them now, but also, for them to continue to grow throughout the course of the season,” said Muse. “And so there will be times throughout the year–or throughout the start–where they’re coming out of the lineup and this is all part of a plan for them.”
The team can return both Brunicke and Kindel to their junior clubs if they have played nine or fewer games without burning the first year of their entry-level contracts.
Tuesday, Kindel is slated to play his fourth game.
Lineup Changes
As Brunicke sits for a game, both Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba will draw into the lineup.
Muse also indicated that defenseman Kris Letang was indeed a game-time decision. Letang will take the warmup, then a decision will be made.
UPDATE: Letang will play.
Caleb Jones will be a scratch if Letang is healthy, but he is on standby. If Letang cannot play, then Jones will remain in the lineup. Per Muse, Jones will also take the warmup.
Among the forwards crew, Muse is also making a swap, putting Philip Tomasino into the lineup in place of fourth-line winger Noel Acciari.
Tomasino was a scratch in the last two Penguins games, first he was scratched for rookie Filip Hallander, then for Bryan Rust’s return on Thursday.
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