Penguins’ Blake Lizotte Skates Ahead of Playoffs, Injury Update Looks Promising

The Penguins received encouraging news regarding Blake Lizotte just as the regular season nears its conclusion. Footage aired by Sportsnet Pittsburgh showed Lizotte, who has been out since March 14 due to an upper-body injury, skating and taking shots ahead of Sunday morning’s practice.

“He’s continuing to progress,” Penguins coach Dan Muse shared with reporters before the team’s victory over the Florida Panthers. “He has been on the ice some, so he’s progressing.” When questioned about the possibility of Lizotte returning by the end of the regular season, Muse remained optimistic, stating, “There’s always hope. He’s progressing. It’s been moving along, in a good place, but I’m not in a position right now to have an exact date. But he’s making good progress.”

This optimism from Muse is significant, as it suggests Lizotte could return sooner than initially anticipated. The Penguins had announced on March 17 that Lizotte would be re-evaluated in four weeks, which is just three days after the regular season concludes on April 14.

Meanwhile, the addition of Elmer Söderblom, who has netted three goals in his last five games, has somewhat mitigated the impact of Lizotte’s absence from the fourth line. However, Lizotte’s role on the penalty kill has been sorely missed. Before his injury, the Penguins ranked second in the NHL with an 84.2 percent success rate on the penalty kill. Since then, they have plummeted to 30th place with a 67.6 percent success rate.

The potential return of Lizotte raises questions about the lineup, particularly who might be sidelined if both he and Söderblom are included. Players like Justin Brazeau or Tommy Novak could find themselves on the outside looking in as the Penguins evaluate their options.

Regardless, the team is hopeful that Lizotte’s return to the ice signals a chance for him to contribute in the postseason. First, however, the Penguins must secure their playoff berth, which could be achieved as early as Thursday with a road victory against the New Jersey Devils.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.