Penguins forward Jason Zucker is close to a potential return (again)

Penguins forward Jeff Carter was demoted Wednesday.

And he was happy about it.

That’s because second-line winger Jason Zucker was back on the ice in practice.

The oft-injured Zucker participated in full-contact fashion during Wednesday’s session at the team’s facility in Cranberry, primarily skating on the left wing of a line with Evgeni Malkin at center and Rickard Rakell on the right wing.

His status for Thursday’s vital road game against the rival New York Rangers is far from official, but many signs point toward Zucker being back in the lineup roughly a week after he was hobbled because of an awkward fall into the boards during a 4-3 road win against the Minnesota Wild on March 31.

Carter, who was promoted to the second line in Zucker’s absence for two games, was enthusiastic about that possibility.

“It was great to have him back,” said Carter, typically the team’s third-line center. “(Zucker), he seems to have a high pain tolerance. We’re all lucky that it wasn’t as serious as we first thought. It’s great to have him back. He brings a lot to our lineup. Whenever he can get back in there, he’ll be a big boost to us.”

That boost seemed evident during the win in Minnesota.

Returning to the lineup after missing 37 of the previous 38 games because of a core muscle injury that required surgery in late January, Zucker helped set up a goal by Rakell only 1 minute, 6 seconds into regulation. Gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, Zucker banked a pass off the right wall to the near point for Penguins defenseman John Marino, who chucked a wrister toward the cage. Rakell established position in front of the crease and re-directed the puck into Minnesota’s net.

“I’m excited to get some practice (repetitions) with (Rakell and Malkin) and kind of gain some chemistry with them,” Zucker said. “They’re both very dynamic players with crazy skill. They make some unbelievable plays. So I’m excited to kind of get back. (Rakell) was very good in that Minnesota game, and it was fun to be out there with him for that little while there.”

Zucker’s return in Minnesota lasted only a little while because his former teammate, Wild forward Kevin Fiala, gave Zucker a shove — nothing violent but definitely firm — from behind midway through the second period. As a result, Zucker lost his balance, fell into the boards and essentially performed a split that would have impressed Margot Fonteyn.

Zucker left the game, holding the inside of his right thigh and required assistance from teammates to depart the ice.

Hardly an ideal predicament for someone who underwent surgery on a part of the body that involves groin muscles and underwent months of rehabilitation to get back into playing shape.

“That was probably the one thing that I didn’t prepare for in my rehab for on ice,” Zucker said. “That’s something you really can’t prepare for. … That was one of the very few things that could have probably re-injured it. That was the toughest part of it.”

As for Fiala’s role in the matter, Zucker curtly declined to comment about his ex-teammate Wednesday.

Zucker was far more expansive about just being healthy enough to potentially contribute in a meaningful way. He hasn’t enjoyed that luxury with frequent abundance throughout his mostly underwhelming tenure with the Penguins over the past two years.

“This is the first time I’ve been healthy for a long time,” Zucker said. “I’m excited for that. For me, it’s about just going out and playing hockey and just kind of enjoying that and enjoying the feeling of being healthy. I’m just excited to be back in the lineup and playing, whenever that is. Towards the end of this season, just being back and playing is enough for me. I don’t want to put any excess pressure there. It’s just about playing well, playing my game and helping if I can.”

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