Injuries on defense have tested the Penguins’ depth. Three of their top four defensemen missed Saturday’s Stadium Series game. Two of those four will be out until at least the end of March.
Desperate times occasionally call for desperate measures, but that’s not how general manager Jim Rutherford views his current situation.
Even though he plans to “stay in the mix” when it comes to adding another defenseman, Rutherford isn’t letting a rash of injuries to key players — their three highest-paid defensemen, a total of $14.6 million in yearly cap hits — affect his thinking.
“Nothing has changed,” Rutherford said of his previously stated desire to stand pat on his two current goaltenders and keep Marc-Andre Fleury through Wednesday’s NHL trade deadline.