Ryan Whitney pulled up at the right point to let loose a shot that was supposed to be deflected in front of the net by a forward. Instead, he shanked it, and the puck rolled meekly toward the slot, interrupting the drill at Penguins practice yesterday at Southpointe.

Whitney rolled his eyes and smiled. He wasn't going to be too hard on himself. Not yet.

"There's plenty of rust. Handling the puck, that's tough to do after you haven't done it for five, six months," the 6-foot-4, 219-pound defenseman said.

Whitney had not been on the ice with his teammates since the Penguins were in the Stanley Cup final in early June -- and then the lineup had several different faces.

Whitney had been skating on his own for a few weeks before he got the OK to resume practicing with the Penguins, a little more than three months after he had surgery on his left foot to repair an alignment problem he was born with.

"He looked pretty good for the first day. I was impressed," coach Michel Therrien said.

Whitney will be back on the shelf today when the Penguins play the Vancouver Canucks, but there is every reason to believe he will continue to be a regular at practice.

He could play his first game of the season next month.

"The whole time, I've kind of had Christmas in my mind, right around then, but I don't want to get my hopes up and have it be after that," Whitney said. "I've just got to stay with it. You've got to have solid practices and feel real solid in practices before you even think about playing."

The surgery -- and a recovery time initially set at three to five months -- became mandatory after other options were exhausted and his performance level dipped while his pain level rose.

After getting 14 goals, 59 points in 2006-07, his first full NHL season, Whitney tailed off to 12 goals, 40 points with a plus-minus rating of minus-2 last season and had one goal, six points in 20 playoff games.

"I couldn't keep going like it was before," said Whitney, 25, a first-round draft pick in 2002.

There is a pin holding a bone in place, and a tendon was repaired. His left foot sits flush in his skate boot instead of being somewhat tilted. Everything from the way he stands to his gait has changed.

Rehabilitation has focused on strengthening the foot and working other parts of his body, particularly his hips, to help compensate for the new alignment.

"It's a little different," Whitney said. "My foot sits in a different spot now. You're walking a little different.

"It's already stronger than it was last year. I feel improvement. It's nice to see. But this is one of those things where you don't feel the complete difference until up to maybe a year."

Whitney's surgery, as well as preseason shoulder surgery for Sergei Gonchar will keep him out until late in the regular season, left the Penguins without their top two-way defensemen and dependent on two young fill-ins, second-year player Kris Letang and rookie Alex Goligoski.

Those two have played extensively, including on the power play, and have earned praise from Therrien and their teammates.

Whitney's return could produce a glut of defensemen.

Seven are on the active roster, including Mark Eaton, who is becoming nearly a regular healthy scratch. Inactivity spurred Darryl Sydor to ask for a trade that the Penguins granted last weekend, bringing in Philippe Boucher from Dallas.

The other regulars are Brooks Orpik, who through yesterday led the NHL with 72 hits; Rob Scuderi, a solid, stay-at-home type; and veteran Hal Gill, who adds size and reach.

Whitney was a fixture on the power-play point on the first or second unit. When he's physically ready, he isn't taking his spot for granted.

"I just want to get in the lineup," he said. "It's going to be tough. We're playing well, and there's no reason for anyone to be out right now. So it's going to take me practicing well and waiting if that's the case."

Yesterday was a chance for Whitney to practice with the team's six new players.

"It's tough to be with new guys you haven't gotten to know yet, but it's good to meet them and skate with them for the first time," he said. "I've been watching them, so I kind of know how they play, but it's not the same for them with me."

And then there were the old friends.

"I was getting grief from guys, which is normal," Whitney said. "It's nice to be in the team atmosphere"

Matchup: Penguins vs. Vancouver Canucks, 2:08 p.m., Mellon Arena.

TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WXDX-FM (105.9).

Probable goaltenders: Dany Sabourin for Penguins. Roberto Luongo for Canucks.

Penguins: Have earned 15 of possible 16 points over past 8 games. ... Among NHL's best penalty-killers at home (87.8 percent). Evgeni Malkin led NHL in points (31), assists (24), power-play points (15) through yesterday.

Canucks: Are 6-0-2 in past 8 games. ... Are among NHL's worst penalty-killers on road (75 percent). ... Luongo leads NHL with 5 shutouts.

Hidden stat: The Penguins have outshot opponents in 6 of 8 games during 7-0-1 streak.

PG blog | Empty Netters: The PG's Seth Rorabaugh will liveblog the game along with your comments