Penguins Notebook: Forget Staal-Kennedy-Cooke reunion for now
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Tyler Kennedy: Will miss 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain
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Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has not divulged his plans for line combinations once center Jordan Staal returns, but one thing is clear:
Staal, who could return as early as a home game Saturday afternoon against Winnipeg, will not be part of a reunion party with wingers Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke anytime soon. Those three frequently have formed what has been called the top third line in the NHL.
It is possible Cooke will find himself on Staal's left, but Kennedy will not be on the ice with Staal or anyone else for a while.
Bylsma announced after practice Thursday that Kennedy has a high ankle sprain and will miss the next four to six weeks, although he added that "probably after a week, we'll have a better idea of a time frame, what that exactly looks like, as it calms down and he rehabs."
Kennedy left late in a game Sunday at New Jersey, barely putting any weight on his left skate. He missed a game Tuesday at Montreal.
He had been struggling offensively with 6 goals, 22 points in 42 games and had no goals in his past 10.
Earlier this season, he was out for a month because of a concussion.
Center and captain Sidney Crosby skated again. As promised by him, it was separate from practice.
He worked out hard before the team for about an hour with conditioning coach Mike Kadar.
While the Penguins were on the road earlier this week, Crosby skated with his teammates twice, but cautioned at the time that it was not an indication he had been cleared for contact or had a timetable for returning to the lineup. He said he still had some symptoms as he recovers from a concussion and a neck injury.
Some of the time Thursday, Crosby was joined by winger Arron Asham, who skated for the first time since sustaining a concussion.
First Published February 10, 2012 12:00 am
