Penguins notes: Kasperi Kapanen demoted to 4th line, Brian Dumoulin practices on off side
Kasperi Kapanen took rushes on a fourth line during Pittsburgh Penguins practice Monday, and afterward coach Mike Sullivan’s assessment of Kapanen’s game this season was “inconsistent.”
A former first-round pick of the Penguins who was traded, in part, for Phil Kessel and re-acquired, in part, for a first-round pick last year, Kapanen typically has skated in a top-six role over his 15-month NHL tenure with the Penguins. That includes this season, when Kapanen has no goals and four assists through eight games.
“I think Kappy’s game has just been inconsistent,” Sullivan said from UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “I think there have been some games where he’s played really well and I think he has an impact, you notice him, his speed is noticeable, he’s a threat when he’s on the ice, he makes good decisions with the puck.
“(But) he’s had other moments when he hasn’t, and he’s gotten away from it. We are trying to find ways to help him through this process.”
One of those ways, apparently, is some tough love in the way of a move to skating alongside linemates Drew O’Connor and Brian Boyle. Those two have the least average ice time (11 minutes, 1 second, and 10:05) of any player who has played at least six games for the Penguins this season.
Kapanen ranks fourth among Penguins forwards in average ice time (17:46) and second in power-play ice time this season.
Those figures could stop dropping.
“He’s obviously an important player for us, and certainly he’s a guy that we have high expectations for,” Sullivan said. “So we will continue to work with him through this process to try to help him capture his best game.”
Dumoulin to right side
Stapled to the left side of the Penguins’ top defense pairing for more than a half decade, Brian Dumoulin found himself in a position that’s just a little unfamiliar.
The 30-year-old, left-handed shot was playing the right side during line rushes at practice Monday. Mike Matheson was on the left.
“There a few benefits and negatives to it,” Dumoulin said of playing his “off” side, explaining that zone entries and wall play are more difficult, but creating offense in the opponents’ zone is easier.
Dumoulin said skating hundreds of games paired with the right-handed, offensive-minded Kris Letang has taught him to get used to playing on his off side because part of Dumoulin’s responsibilities are to cover for Letang when the latter freelances.
Letang, though, could return to game action soon after a stint on the covid-19 list, so it’s possible Dumoulin never ends up skating a full game on his off side. The absences of Letang, Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson during Monday’s practice necessitated some shuffling among the defense pairings.
“We are trying to find combinations that give us some balance,” Sullivan said. “Obviously when Kris comes back into the equation here it’s going to change the dynamic, but in the meantime, like today for example it was an opportunity for us to just explore a different option.”
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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