Maybe Rickard Rakell was destined to play in Pittsburgh.

How about the name of the 1-year-old dog the Penguins’ newest wing adopted while in California? Heinz.

As in, yes, dubbed so in honor of the home of the Steelers.

“His name was already ‘Heinz,’ ” Rakell explained Wednesday, “so I did ask (the breeder) how he got that name, and she said it was from Heinz Field. So it’s a pretty funny story how I ended up here.”

As of Wednesday’s practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Rakell had been “here” — with the Penguins — for nine days since joining the team via a red-eye flight the morning of a March 23 victory. And while it’s doubtful Rakell has visited Heinz Field or, say, researched an opinion about whom the Steelers should draft next month, he has made himself feel right at home in Pittsburgh.

“The whole organization was very welcoming,” said Rakell, who arrived via a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, “in just letting the transition be easy for me because it felt weird at first because I had only been in Anaheim for 10-plus years, and that was the only place I knew.

“But it’s been awesome. The hockey here is at such a high level, and teammates are great. Everyone working for the team is great, so it’s been great.”

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 30, 2022

Rakell has a goal and two assists (all coming in Sunday’s 11-2 rout of Detroit) and has had better-than-average puck-possession metrics during his five games with the Penguins. While he hasn’t been overly dynamic, the challenge of joining a new team, making his debut on little sleep and playing three games in four days allows a little room to grade on a curve.

Before Wednesday, he had only two practices among the stretch of five games. That doesn’t make assimilating into a new system any easier.

“I think he’s done a great job,” wing Evan Rodrigues said. “He came in in a tough situation, playing three (games) in four (days) off the bat. (But) I think you can see his skill and his poise with the puck when he gets in the offensive zone, and I think he’s going to get more and more comfortable and continue to make plays.”

Wednesday offered another adjustment, of sorts, for the 28-year-old Rakell. After spending his first five games with the Penguins as a left wing, during Wednesday’s practice he skated on the right side of Evgeni Malkin. The move facilitated the likely return to the lineup of Jason Zucker, a natural left wing.

“I don’t think it matters to me which side I am on,” Rakell said. “This system that we are playing, it’s that you line up on either side while on the faceoffs, but then you pretty much are reading off each other and just playing the game.”

A two-time 30-goal scorer who has 17 goals in 56 games this season, Rakell emerging as a solid second-line complement to Malkin (and Zucker) figures to make the Penguins a formidable and deep matchup problem come playoffs time.

A little more than a week into being immersed into the Penguins’ system, Rakell said it is “pretty different” from the tighter style played in Anaheim. But he said it “fits my game really well.”

“There are so many good players on this team,” Rakell said. “I am just trying to kind of learn their patterns and work on getting as much chemistry as possible and fit in.”

A right-handed shot, Rakell has extensive NHL experience on both wings (at center, too). His acquisition in addition to the return of Zucker, who has played just once since Christmas because of a core muscle injury, should make the Penguins a more dangerous offensive team.

“We are starting to get healthy, (so) we are going to have some decisions to make on what our line combinations look like,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We are always looking for the balance so that we are harder to play against. Looking for complementary skillsets and things of that nature.

“I think Rax’s versatility really helps us with the ability to play both sides.”

Keep up with the Pittsburgh Penguins all season long.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)