Pittsburgh Penguins: Justin Schultz injury will test defensive depth
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz will miss about four months after suffering a broken leg on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. They are hoping they can replace him internally.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been great at turning rejected defensemen into gold. Justin Schultz is a great example of this. They got him for a third-round pick in 2016 and he wound up helping them win back-to-back Stanley Cups. When Kris Letang went down in 2017, Schultz replaced him.
Despite this, the Penguins defensive depth was a bit sketchy going into the season. Now their depth will be tested, as Schultz will miss about four months with a fractured leg. He suffered the injury during Saturday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens. In four games this season, Schultz has four assists.
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Assuming there are no complications, the Penguins should be getting him back in February, right around their outdoor game against the Philadelphia Flyers. This is an unfortunate injury for the Pens, as Schultz has been one of their more reliable defensemen. He’s been a solid backup option for Letang and helped run their second power-play unit. And, when given time on the first unit, Schultz was very dominant.
Replacing Schultz
Without Schultz, this likely means Jamie Oleksiak and Juuso Riikola will both draw into the lineup. It appears the Penguins will initially go with Jack Johnson and the former as their second pairing while the latter will be with Olli Maatta on the third pairing.
The Pens have high hopes for Riikola, who is adjusting to North America after an impressive career overseas in Finland. But for now, they’re going to ease him in. The Penguins are hoping either Riikola or Oleksiak will grab that second pairing spot. Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang are a reliable top pairing, which should help ease the burden.
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Due to salary cap constraints, the Penguins almost have to replace Schultz internally, at least to start. But if neither Riikola or Oleksiak can handle that second pairing role, don’t be surprised if the Pens started calling around, looking for a trade partner.