What prompted the Penguins to swap Radim Zohorna for Valtteri Puustinen in the lineup?

Mike Sullivan was beaming Friday.

Sure, the Pittsburgh Penguins coach was happy his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at home, 5-2, that evening. But what really invigorated Sullivan was the NHL debut of rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen.

Primarily deployed on the third line, the diminutive Puustinen (5-foot-9, 183 pounds) recorded an assist and made a big impression on his coach.

“He played a real solid game,” Sullivan gushed Friday. “His enthusiasm is contagious. He was so excited to play his first NHL game. Just to see that raw emotion, for me, it’s so great.”

Less than 24 hours later, Puustinen was in a car driving across Pennsylvania after being assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League while another rookie forward, the larger Radim Zohorna (6-6, 220 pounds), was on the same route, albeit in reverse, after being recalled.

During Sunday’s 4-2 home win against the Carolina Hurricanes, Zohorna appeared in his first NHL game since Feb. 10. Manning the left wing of the third line — in place of injured forward Brock McGinn — Zohorna logged a quiet 9 minutes, 41 seconds on 16 shifts.

What promoted the flip, especially after Puustinen’s mostly satisfactory debut?

“A lot of discussion went into that decision,” Sullivan explained Monday. “Some of it had to do with our opponent. We felt like size and a little bit of mobility and a little bit of maturity was an important element. Part of it was the way the line combinations were going to play out and what we thought was a better look for us as far as balance and being hard to play against.

“And (Zohorna) has played extremely well also. He’s just a little bit more of a mature player. He’s a little bit older. We felt that was more beneficial for us against Carolina. That was part of the reason why we made that decision.

“We all felt (Puustinen) had a real solid game for us. We’re really excited about where his game is going to go moving forward. He has great offensive instincts. He’s a great kid. He loves to play, and his energy is really contagious.”

A second-year professional who still qualifies as a rookie, Zohorna has appeared in only nine NHL games this season and scored two points (one goal, one assist). So he knows remaining in the lineup is hardly a guarantee.

“It’s tough for me,” Zohorna said. “I don’t know if I will be playing the next game. I’m just trying to do my best and hopefully, I can stay here a little bit longer.”

Given that McGinn is expected to be sidelined on a week-to-week basis because of a suspected right arm or hand injury, there would appear to be quite an opportunity for Zohorna to get an extended opportunity on the third line. On Sunday, he skated alongside veteran center Jeff Carter for most of the contest.

“Every game when I’m playing with him, he’s like a superstar,” Zohorna said of the 37-year-old veteran. “He’s old, and he can still play amazing. He’s an amazing person. I want to do my best for him, and I hope he’s good with me.”

Some minor injuries and a bout with covid-19 have staggered Zohorna this season, but he now appears to be in a better place in that regard. Still, there is room for further refinement.

“It’s improved, but it’s certainly an area where we’re trying to help (Zohorna),” Sullivan said. “He’s a good player. He has good offensive instincts. He’s a big, strong guy. He has the ability to play with pace. That’s something that I think he’s really developed over the last season and half since he’s been a Pittsburgh Penguin. We’re trying to help him sustain that pace shift in and shift out.

“He’s working extremely hard at it. He’s getting better at it, but I just think it’s a process.”

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