Covid infections were peaking, Ben Roethlisberger was still an active NFL player and Evgeni Malkin was appearing in just his second home game of the season.

A lot has happened since Jan. 23. One thing that hasn’t, though, is a goal by Kasperi Kapanen.

It’s appearing the Pittsburgh Penguins, perhaps, are running out of patience with their talented and capricious right wing.

Kapanen was rotating in as a part-time fourth-line wing during Thursday’s practice at PPG Paints Arena. That would indicate — at best — a demotion from his usual spot alongside No. 2 center Malkin, or — at worst — Kapanen could be watching Friday’s game as a healthy scratch.

Coach Mike Sullivan is loathe to comment on lineup composition before games, so nothing is official about Kapanen’s status for Friday’s home game against Vegas. But Sullivan after Thursday’s practice did speak in more general terms about his relationship with Kapanen and about methods for helping to jumpstart struggling players.

“The decisions we’re trying to make as a coaching staff isn’t about whether we like somebody or we don’t like somebody or we’re mad at somebody or not mad at somebody,” Sullivan said. “That, for me, doesn’t even enter into the equation. We are trying to make decisions that give us the best chance to win, and we’re trying to help all our players maximize their potential.

“As far as what our expectation is and how ‘Kappy’ can help himself moving forward — and ‘Kappy’ and I have had a number of conversations about this — is trying to play the game the right way and just immersing himself in staying in the moment and playing the game the right way.”

Kapanen’s 17-game goal drought is the longest of his career. He has only two assists in that time since a third-period goal Jan. 23 in a victory against Winnipeg.

Kapanen has been held without a goal in 50 of the 57 games he has played this season. He has not posted a point in 38 of those 57 games.

The advanced metrics paint a slightly less-damning picture: Kapanen ranks right in the middle of the 15 Penguins forwards who have played at least 100 minutes at 5-on-5 this season in percentage of goals for vs. against when he’s on the ice (54.0%).

He’s 10th among those 15 in shots on goal percentage and seventh in attempted shots percentage.

“He has so many abilities that make him so dangerous, and I’m sure that as somebody that cares as much as he does, it’s frustrating to be going through a scoring difficulties like he is,” defenseman Mike Matheson said.

“But you watch him backchecking and forechecking and using his speed in different ways, you can tell that even though that area of his game isn’t going as well as he’d like it to, he’s trying to find ways to have an impact on the game and knows that the rest will come. He’s such a good player that he’s bound to at some point.”

That’s surely part of the reason Sullivan continually has re-inserted Kapanen on the second line despite myriad demotions down the lineup and/or benching. The latest was Tuesday, when Sullivan deployed Kapanen for just two third-period shifts during a loss to Florida.

Will Kapanen play at all against Vegas?

Thursday, Zach Aston-Reese took the first rep at right wing in line rushes with the fourth unit that also included Teddy Blueger and Brian Boyle.

Kapanen took Aston-Reese’s place at times, but Aston-Reese took more rushes. In the past, when 13 forwards were healthy, it was Boyle who typically was scratched.

It’s enough circumstantial evidence pointing to Kapanen as the odd man out Friday. Sullivan, of course, wouldn’t commit to that. He did, though, say that among the most rewarding-yet-difficult aspects of coaching is finding the best way to reach a struggling player.

“I think it just boils down to relationships that you build with your players over the course of time,” Sullivan said. “You’re trying to help players through some of the ups and downs. Sometimes players need words of encouragement. Sometimes tough love is helpful to a player. As a coach. We’re trying to do our very best to help these guys and give them what we think they need at a particular time.

“At the same time, performance matters in all these instances. So we are trying to make decisions with respect to lines and combinations and things of that nature that gives the team the best chance to win. We are trying to balance those things.”

Keep up with the Pittsburgh Penguins all season long.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)