WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A day after missing practice with a maintenance day, red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins winger Justin Brazeau will not play Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre.

According to coach Dan Muse, Brazeau is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

After 12 games, no offseason acquisition had more goals or points than Brazeau’s six goals and 12 points.

Philip Tomasino will take Brazeau’s spot in the lineup. Tomasino, 24, has no points in four games.

Harrison Brunicke

Did Muse tip the Penguins’ current thinking toward rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke?

Brunicke, 19, will also draw into the lineup Saturday after a two-game absence, and four of the last five due to healthy scratches.

The D-man has played seven NHL games, and the Penguins must soon decide on his immediate future. Once he plays 10 games, the first year of his entry-level contract kicks in. So, the team will be faced with the decision to keep him or send him back to junior hockey.

“You’ve seen (wth Brunicke) exactly what you’re supposed to see with a young defenseman in the league. And I think it’s worth noting, too, for a defenseman coming in–a young defenseman–the situation is a little bit different, just the defensive responsibilities and things come up,” Muse said. “And so we’ve had some days now to be able to work on some things on the ice. We’ve had some days now to look at different types of video with him.

And so I’m excited for him coming back in and just to continue to take steps in his game.”

Fellow rookie Ben Kindel played his 10th game Thursday in Minnesota.

As fans anticipate the coming decision, coach Dan Muse’s tone seemed to indicate the Penguins have a longer plan in place for Brunicke.

“I think for him, we want him to play. What is also something, especially in this league, that you don’t want to happen, is (the player) goes out there and starts to overthink. He’s got to go out there and play,” Muse said. “He skates so well. He can take away time and space. He can use a stick defensively to end plays.

“He’s obviously got the ability to go up in the play when he’s got an opportunity to join. And now it’s also recognizing when those times are. And yeah, I’m excited for him to be back in there tonight.”

Muse’s tenor and tone seemed to look past the coming deadline and into Brunicke’s development with a good dose of patience for Brunicke’s game, which has been intermittently fraught with mistakes. Infer what you will.

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