Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said the decision to remove winger Carl Hagelin from the lineup for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday night was a coach’s decision and not injury-related.
A lower-body injury sidelined Hagelin for the final month of the regular season, as well as the entire first round of the playoffs.
He returned for Game 2 of the second round against Washington and played the next five games. But he was once again scratched for Game 7 against the Capitals, as well as Game 1 against Ottawa. At the time, Sullivan said Hagelin was dealing with a lingering lower-body injury.