Penguins activate Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, others from covid-19 protocol

Penguins forward Sidney Crosby as well as defensemen Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel were all removed from the NHL’s list for covid-19 protocol Sunday afternoon.

All four players and head coach Mike Sullivan will be available for Sunday’s road game against the Washington Capitals. Sullivan was also just recently released from protocol for the virus after missing the previous five games.

Crosby and Dumoulin were both placed into protocol Nov. 3 and missed the past five games as a result. Both players resumed skating Saturday.

Limited to one game, Crosby has no points this season. After missing the first seven games of the season, he played in a 4-2 home loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 30, then was placed into the NHL’s protocol.

Dumoulin has appeared in eight games and has one assist.

Sullivan, who was initially placed into protocol for covid-19 on Nov. 4, indicated his bout with the virus was challening.

“It was a tough few days, I’ll tell you that,” Sullivan said to reporters in Washington’s Capital One Arena. “But I’m feeling a lot better now. It’s taken a little while to get over it. It affects everybody differently. We’ve had this conversation, it seems like, a lot with all the different guys that have gotten it here and our experience this year within our own locker room. So it’s affected different people in different ways. For me, those first four or five days were difficult. Fortunately, I was able to overcome some of the more severe symptoms. Now, it’s just a matter of just getting the energy level back. But I’m grateful that I’m back and I’m excited about doing what I love to do.”

Pettersson and Ruhwedel each entered the protocol Oct. 31 and were activated Thursday for a 3-2 home shootout win against the Florida Panthers. They re-entered the protocol Friday due to laws in Canada that forbid individuals who have tested positive for the virus within the past 14 days from entering the country. As a result, both players did not play in Saturday’s 6-3 road loss to the Ottawa Senators.

Pettersson left Thursday’s game during the first period due to an undisclosed injury and a status for him with regards to that ailment has not been provided. In nine games this season, Pettersson has four points (one goal, three assists).

In nine games this season, Ruhwedel has no points.

Sullivan and all four players, as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry — who was did not travel to Ottawa in order to rest for Sunday’s game — each traveled to Washington separately from the rest of the team.

Jarry is expected to appear in his 11th game of the season. In his first 10 contests, Jarry has a 5-2-3 record along with 2.23 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.

To make room on the roster for Crosby, Dumoulin, Pettersson and Ruhwedel, the Penguins assigned defensemen P.O Joseph and Juuso Riikola, goaltender Louis Domingue and forward Drew O’Connor to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Joseph and Riikola have each been recalled to the NHL roster on two separate occasions this season. In five NHL games, Riikola has one assist while Joseph has no points in four NHL games.

O’Connor, a rookie, was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the first time since the season opened. In 12 games, he has five points (three goals, two assists) but has failed to record any offense in his past eight games.

Domingue was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday to serve as a backup to Casey DeSmith in Ottawa. In five AHL games this season, Domingue has a 1-2-1 record along with a 2.43 goals against average and .921 save percentage.

In a corresponding transaction, goaltending prospect Alex D’Orio was assigned from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s roster to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. D’Orio, in the final year of a three-year entry-level contract, has appeared in three ECHL games this season and has a 2-0-0 record as well as a 3.66 goals against average and an .867 save percentage.

Notes:

• Sullivan indicated he does not believe he will be eligible to coach the Penguins’ upcoming road game against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday due to Canada’s laws regarding covid-19. He was unsure if Crosby or Dumoulin would be eligible to play.

• The Capitals are expected to start goaltender Vitek Vanecek on Sunday. In nine games this season, Vanecek has a 3-2-3 record along with a 2.51 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.

Follow the Penguins all season long.