Penguins’ Rickard Rakell out 6-8 weeks with hand injury
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to go without one of their most productive forwards to this point in the year for well over a month.
The team announced on Sunday that veteran winger Rickard Rakell underwent a successful hand surgery that will keep him out of the lineup for the next six to eight weeks. The surgery was performed at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh by Dr. John Fowler.
Forward Rickard Rakell underwent successful surgery on his left hand today.
The procedure was performed by Dr. John Fowler in collaboration with head team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas at UPMC Mercy Hospital.
The expected recovery time is six to eight weeks. pic.twitter.com/Ljp9dzjgDX
Rakell had been a crucial element of Pittsburgh’s surprising early season success to this point. The Penguins own a record of 6-2-1 and sit second place in the Metropolitan Division under first-year head coach Dan Muse. Rakell has racked up three goals and five assists for eight points in his nine games prior to the injury.
The Swede was a minus-2 without a point before being forced out of Saturday night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with the ailment. Rakell played a season-low 14:58 before his departure.
In a corresponding roster move, the Penguins called up rookie winger Ville Koivunen from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scronton. Koivunen made the Opening Night roster and skated in the team’s first two regular season games before being sent down to the AHL.
The native of Finland got a shot in the team’s top six after impressing in limited action at the NHL level a year ago and dominating at a young age in the AHL to the tune of 56 points in 63 games.
In his stint in the AHL this year, he continued to perform at a level that suggests he needs to develop in the NHL, as Koivunen put up 11 points in 6 games since his demotion.
The Penguins dropped Saturday night’s thriller against Columbus in a shootout, and they’ll get the chance to jump back into the win column on Monday night when they host St. Louis.