CALGARY — The highly paid right side of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ defense is suddenly banged up and absent.
Erik Karlsson has missed the last few games with a lower-body injury. Now, Kris Letang is out with an upper-body injury. Coach Dan Muse confirmed only that Letang is out day-to-day.
Letang did not practce Tuesday. However, Karlsson did practice and might be pressed into duty on Wednesday when the Penguins visit the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“I feel good. I wasn’t allowed to take any reps on the power play. That kind of pissed me off,” Karlsson said through laughter. “Everything happens for a reason, but it feels good. It’s nice to be able to skate fairly normally, and hoping it won’t be much longer.”
The Penguins’ top defenseman capped off a jovial day inside the dressing room. Ben Kindel is returning to his junior home (Calgary Hitmen) for the first time, and the team had a resounding win on Monday.
Though lighthearted about the situation, Karlsson did note the Penguins’ recent success–even earning points while losing– took the pressure off him to return too soon.
“It could be a lot worse. I don’t feel that bad, you know. I feel like everything is going according to what they told me when it first occurred. It’s something I haven’t dealt with before, but nothing major, so it’s not something that I expect to linger once I do come back,” Karlsson said. “But yeah, it’s not been the most fun. It’s been a while since I was hurt … but the boys have been doing a great job picking up points in every game, pretty much.
“So that keeps me happy and keeps me less itching to come back.”
In fact, Karlsson had more jokes, and he and Penguins color analyst Colby Armstrong went back and forth, too. Karlsson noted that while he might not play on Wednesday, he’s not on the trip to be a mascot, even the highest-paid mascot in the league.
Though he didn’t exactly close the door on playing on Wednesday, either.
“You know, it’s too early, but it’s nice to be able to be back in the swing of things here, and I’m on the road trip not to be a mascot,” Karlsson said. “But, you know, I’m hoping that I get to come back and play here soon.”
In Karlsson’s absence, defenseman Brett Kulak, who has shown a surprising aptitude for quarterbacking the power play, would take the top unit.
Lingering about the hallway was defenseman Jack St. Ivany, who was a healthy scratch Monday. St. Ivany and Muse had a conversation post practice.
The Penguins defenseman admittedly was “mediocre” in his prior couple of games, but the team may need to rely upon him for at least the Alberta games, Wednesday in Calgary and Thursday in Edmonton.
Ben Kindel
The Penguins’ 18-year-old rookie is returning to his junior home. Kindel played his junior hockey for the Calgary Hitmen, who also play in the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Kindel didn’t have big plans, but his former teammates checked out practice Tuesday. After all, it’s not every day your former teammate is skating with Sidney Crosby.
“It’ll be great. It’s another fun stop along the way, one that my family’s had circled for a while,” said Kindel. “So it’ll be fun to play in front of a lot of home fans.”
Last season for the Hitmen, Kindel had 99 points, including 35 goals. The Penguins selected him 11th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.
It’s like a homecoming.
“It’s kind of like your first NHL game. It’s a bit intimidating,” Kindel said. “I remember playing my first game here a few years ago, so yeah, just got to adjust the same way that you have to adjust to the NHL.”
Kindel got see his buddies Monday night after the Penguins arrived from Seattle. Tuesday night will be dinner and time with his billet family.
Just another first of many for Kindel.
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