Penguins have long planned for Mike Sullivan's absence

During the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice Friday in Cranberry, assistant coach Todd Reirden filled in as the team’s temporary head coach while Mike Sullivan continued to rest at home after testing positive for covid-19.

It marked the second consecutive day Reirden served in that capacity after Sullivan began to experience symptoms Thursday morning.

By Thursday evening, Reirden had directed the Penguins to a 3-2 overtime victory at PPG Paints Arena.

And he had some help in accomplishing that goal.

From Mike Sullivan.

Throughout the contest, Reirden and the Penguins’ other coaches consulted with Sullivan remotely.

“During the game, we’re able to (have video conferences),” Reirden said. “Fortunately, he was feeling better as the day went on (Thursday) and was able to talk to us in between periods. So we were able to have some communication there. Then (Friday) morning, planning practice, planning some roster decisions, we were bouncing some ideas off of him and getting his input on things and what he had seen. The more he continues to improve health-wise and feels up to it, I anxiously await his phone calls whenever he can make them. There’s been a good communication flow through everybody right now.”

Previously an assistant coach with the Penguins under former head coach Dan Bylsma from 2010 until 2014, Reirden rejoined the team in the summer of 2020 after a six-season stint with the Washington Capitals, including two campaigns as their head coach.

At the time of his return, the NHL was still in the early stages of trying to figure out how to operate under the stark realities of a global pandemic.

The Penguins were no different and began crafting a contingency plan for how to maintain functionality in the event Sullivan or any other staffer was absent for any reason, including covid-19.

“(Sullivan) probably had probably the best quote to prepare us for this,” Reirden said. “It was, ‘Expect the unexpected.’ We just didn’t have any idea, going back to when I (rejoined) the Penguins, what direction we were going to go. … You prepare yourself for any opportunity that’s in front of you, just like a player does.”

In addition to Sullivan, four players — defensemen Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson, Chad Ruhwedel and forward Sidney Crosby — were placed in isolation this past week after testing positive for covid-19.

“For us, at this point, it’s almost laughable,” forward Jason Zucker said. “It seems like every day, it’s somebody else and something else going on. For us, we’re just trying to take it in stride and (have) a next-man-up mentality. … Whether it players or coaches or management, whoever it is, it’s making sure that we can fill those voids as best we can. … You’re doing your best to fill those roles and have the next guy step up and do their part.”

Riikola gets a chance

The Penguins’ blue line has been hit particularly hard by covid-19. That has created a rare opportunity for reserve defenseman Juuso Riikola.

Initially recalled Oct. 23, he has dressed in each of the past two games. Primarily deployed on the third pairing, Riikola has averaged 14 minutes, 39 seconds of ice time and recorded one assist.

That represents a considerable improvement over his 2020-21 campaign which was limited, because of injury, to two games, 11:26 of average ice time and no points.

“We’ve been able to see him play consecutive games,” Reirden said. “We’ll plan to see him again (Saturday). To be able to have him string together a number of games is probably the best way to evaluate a player. Last (season), he finally did get in then he gets hurt after just a few games. … I’m looking for a little bit more of a body of work. But certainly, there’s a lot of attributes there that certainly open your eyes to things that can be accomplished and how he can help us play the way we want to play with our defensemen. And that’s playing rushes aggressively, that’s going back for pucks and executing breakouts and being able to add to the offensive end of things as well.

“As he gets more comfortable playing different situations, different minutes, I think that his game will continue to grow. He’s been off to a good start this year in terms of getting his opportunity.”

On the ice

• During Friday’s practice, the Penguins’ lines and pairings were:

59 Jake Guentzel – 77 Jeff Carter – 17 Bryan Rust

16 Jason Zucker – 9 Evan Rodrigues – 42 Kasperi Kapanen

12 Zach Aston-Reese – 53 Teddy Blueger – 23 Brock McGinn

10 Drew O’Connor – 11 Brian Boyle – 43 Danton Heinen

5 Mike Matheson – 58 Kris Letang

73 P.O Joseph – 6 John Marino

50 Juuso Riikola – 52 Mark Friedman

• The top power-play unit involved Carter, Guentzel, Letang, Rodrigues and Rust. The second power-play group included Heinen, Kapanen, O’Connor, Riikola and Zucker.

• Forwards Sam Lafferty, Dominik Simon and defenseman Taylor Fedun skated as reserves.

• Forward Evgeni Malkin, still recuperating from offseason surgery on his right knee, worked out on the ice prior to practice.

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