Earlier this offseason, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said coach Mike Sullivan “could make it work” if the team opened the season without trading for a third-line center.
It’s looking more and more likely that Sullivan might actually be put to that test.
And that’s fine with him. Speaking at the Penguins’ “Summer Sticks” golf outing Tuesday morning, Sullivan said he believes in the group the Penguins will bring to training camp this week, even if there’s no clear-cut replacement for Nick Bonino on the third line.
“Regardless of where it all goes, we’ve got a really competitive hockey team,” Sullivan said.