Penguins defenseman John Marino tan, rested, ready for NHL to return
John Marino’s face looked different Tuesday.
It was tan.
Typically, people in Western Pennsylvania (or Marino’s native Massachusetts, for that matter) don’t get to enjoy much in the way of Vitamin D in the early portion of spring.
But with the NHL on pause because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Marino and his family are spending time in the temperate environment of Hilton Head, S.C.
There was another cosmetic difference immediately apparent when Marino held an interview session with media via video.
It wasn’t bruised.
Way back in the carefree days that were February of 2020, a bygone era when “social” and “distancing” weren’t terms typically butted up against one another, the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman saw his marvelous rookie season come to a halt thanks to a puck that struck the left side of his head.
On Feb. 7, Lightning forward Steven Stamkos, blessed with one of the NHL’s more furious one-timers, had a shot glance off of Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese’s stick and deflect into Marino’s face.
(Video courtesy NHL)
Marino suffered a handful of broken bones and displayed some unsightly black and blue marks for several weeks afterward.
Undergoing surgery Feb. 10, Marino missed 11 games and returned to the lineup March 3 with a full shield to protect his face. Nine days later, the NHL shut things down league-wide because of the coronavirus.
“This (down) time has given me a lot of time to heal and recover,” said Marino, 22. “If we start playing again soon, I don’t think I’ll have to wear the full face mask. You can kind of take advantage of that. At least it gave me some time to heal up.”
Before the pandemic and even prior to his facial injuries, the biggest question about Marino’s physical well being was about his endurance.
As a first-year professional, he was experiencing the rigors of an NHL season without the benefit of development in the AHL or another minor league.
During his three-year NCAA career at Harvard, Marino had never played more than 35 games in a season. This season, before the NHL halted play, he had appeared in 56 games and scored a tidy 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) while averaging a stout 20 minutes, 15 seconds of ice time.
He admitted there was some significant wear and tear beyond the zygomatic damage he suffered in February.
“Definitely bumps and bruises here and there,” Marino said. “There were definitely some, I wouldn’t say injuries, but some nagging stuff that you don’t really experience until you play the full NHL season. You play that many (more) games. … In college, you’re only playing on the weekends and you have the whole week to rest up your body whereas there isn’t as much rest time in the NHL.
“It’s all about preparation and nutrition and doing all those little things. Staying in contact with the athletic trainers and letting them know, communicating with them to make sure you’re going to be as close to healthy as you can for the games. It’s definitely a little more of a challenge but you have to take it at a professional level and make sure you know what’s going on.”
The off-ice requirements of being a professional have offered an education of sorts for the former Ivy Leaguer. College-aged males aren’t exactly notorious for engaging in proper diet or sleep patterns, especially at a level fitting of an NHL-er.
“It sounds a little cliched, but it’s all true,” Marino said. “Nutrition, stretching before and after games, working out, too, on the side. All those things add up. It’s big for injury prevention, too. With how many games we’re playing and how high the (competition) level is every game … you just want to do everything you can in your power to help yourself avoid (injury) and prepare for everything.”
For now, Marino is trying to prepare for his next game — whenever that might be — in sunny South Carolina.
“I’ve been in contact with the trainers,” Marino said. “We sent them (a listing of) the equipment that we have here, and they come up with your own workout plan. Being here, you at least get to be outdoors, whether it’s going on a run or a bike ride or playing some tennis. Just being as active as possible. We might not all have a full gym set up, but you make the most of it.
“It’s all about commitment and discipline.”
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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