2015 NHL Draft
SHARE
Share with your Friends


Penguins' Kessel to start camp playing with Crosby

Tuesday, 08.25.2015 / 1:41 PM / News

NHL.com

Share with your Friends


Penguins' Kessel to start camp playing with Crosby
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will get the first chance to play center on a line with right wing Phil Kessel when training camp opens next month, coach Mike Johnston said Tuesday

Right wing Phil Kessel will start his first Pittsburgh Penguins training camp with Sidney Crosby as his center, coach Mike Johnston said Tuesday.

The Penguins acquired Kessel, a five-time 30-goal scorer, in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1. The subject of who Kessel would play with to start the season, Crosby or center Evgeni Malkin, has been a topic of debate and conversation.

"You'd probably find him starting on the right side with Sid to begin with," Johnston told the Penguins website.

Johnston said Patric Hornqvist will start training camp, which begins next month, at right wing on a line with Malkin. Johnston said he is unsure who will play left wing on each of the top two lines; the leading candidates are David Perron, Beau Bennett, Chris Kunitz and rookie Sergei Plotnikov.

Johnston left open the possibility he would use Kessel with Malkin and Hornqvist with Crosby.

"We have eight exhibition games, so with the games we want to try combinations together so we're ready for the beginning of the season," Johnston said. "We want to give guys a chance to play together, but we also want to take a look at some different looks in practice. So don't get enamored if some practice there are some different combinations. We need to take a look at it as we head in and approach the beginning of the season."

Johnston said he has received positive medical updates on Malkin, right wing Pascal Dupuis and defensemen Kris Letang and Olli Maatta.

Dupuis (blood clot in lung) missed 66 games last season and didn't play after Nov. 15. Maatta (shoulder) played in 20 games, none after Dec. 6. Letang (concussion) did not play after March 29. Malkin played on a sprained ankle in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"[Malkin] was injured before the playoffs last year; he's in skating already," Johnston said. "Kris Letang said he's had a great summer. Pascal Dupuis seems like he's doing really well. He was champing at the bit to play if we had extended the playoff series last year. Then you've got Olli Maatta. With those guys, with that type of energy, guys that had long-term injuries, especially Dupuis and Maatta, coming back, it's going to be exciting for the group."

NHL.TV™

NHL GameCenter LIVE™ is now NHL.TV™.
Watch out-of-market games and replays with an all new redesigned media player, mobile and connected device apps.

LEARN MORE

NHL Mobile App

Introducing the new official NHL App, available for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones and tablets. A host of new features and improved functionality are available across all platforms, including a redesigned league-wide scoreboard, expanded news coverage, searchable video highlights, individual team experiences* and more. The new NHL App on your tablet also introduces new offerings such as 60fps video, Multitasking** and Picture-in-Picture.

*Available only for smartphones
** Available only for suported iPads