A first-line left wing when healthy, Guentzel could return for the Penguins in their next game, scheduled at home against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. Pittsburgh was scheduled to play at the Ottawa Senators on Friday, but game, along with nine others, was postponed by the NHL on Tuesday due to COVID-19 concerns.
The 27-year-old skated with his regular linemates, center Sidney Crosby and right wing Bryan Rust, during practice Tuesday and also took part in a post-practice scrimmage. Guentzel did not practice Monday because of a non-COVID illness; he had returned to practice in a no-contact jersey Dec. 20.
"I feel a lot better," Guentzel said Tuesday. "Just kind of a one-night sickness. But glad that's done with and over with, and I can get back with the team. Just being around the guys again, I think it's exciting. You miss practice and being around them. So for me, it's pretty exciting to be back out there."
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said he liked what he saw from Guentzel on the ice.
"I thought he looked really good in practice today," Sullivan said. "He feels a lot better. His status is day to day right now. We'll make a decision when the time comes, but certainly we were encouraged by what we saw out there today."
Despite missing five games, Guentzel leads Pittsburgh in scoring with 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games. When he left a 6-1 win at the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 6, he had 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) in a 13-game point streak.
Guentzel said he was injured against the Kraken when a shot caught him on the knuckle.
"Just a little fracture," he said. "But I think, for now, I think I'm ready to get back into games and see how these next couple of games go. So not really for sure yet on when the next game is, or if I'm ready, but we'll see how these next couple games go."
On Monday, Rust and
Evgeni Malkin
took full contact at practice for the first time since each was injured.
Rust could also return for the Penguins' next game after being out since Nov. 24 with a lower-body injury. Malkin, a second-line center, is not expected to be ready by then, Sullivan said. He has not played this season after having knee surgery June 4.
"I think that Rust] is certainly a reasonable expectation," Sullivan said Monday. "I think there's a chance. I don't think 'Geno' would be ready that soon. But certainly, they're both making significant progress. The fact that they participated in practice in a full capacity today suggests so.
"There's a reasonable chance that we would get [Rust
, Teddy Blueger and Dominik Simon, and defensemen Mike Matheson and John Marino, were added to NHL COVID-19 protocol Monday. Rodrigues had been first-line left wing in Guentzel's place.
Forward Jason Zucker did not practice. He is week to week with a nagging lower-body injury, Sullivan said.
