The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed defenseman Jack St. Ivany on a conditioning loan to their AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Although he remains on injured reserve, St. Ivany is eligible to play in the minors for up to two weeks as part of his recovery and preparation for an NHL return. This move follows a recent injury, with the team aiming to ease him back into game action.
Injuries Hampered St. Ivany’s Season Progress and Lineup Role
At 26 years old, St. Ivany fractured his left hand during a game against the Vancouver Canucks on January 25. Prior to this, he missed over two months early in the season due to a lower-body injury. After returning from injured reserve, he appeared in 17 games primarily alongside Ryan Shea, showing promise in solidifying himself as the Penguins’ third right-handed defender behind key players Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. In this stretch, St. Ivany contributed seven assists, maintained a positive plus-minus rating of +7, and averaged nearly 16 minutes of ice time per game. He also saw limited minutes on the penalty kill and recorded an average of 2.35 hits per game. However, some underlying possession metrics and a 106.1 PDO indicate that his 5-on-5 performance may face challenges moving forward.
Defense Lineup Fluctuations Amid Persistent Injuries
St. Ivany’s injuries have compounded an already unsettled defensive corps for Pittsburgh this season. The most consistent members in the lineup have been Kris Letang, Ryan Shea, and the top pairing of Erik Karlsson with Parker Wotherspoon. Brett Kulak contributed as a second-pair defender alongside Letang before being traded to Colorado in exchange for Samuel Girard. Girard, now established on the left side with Wotherspoon and Shea, has struggled to make an immediate impact, posting no points and a minus-two rating in seven games. The Penguins have rotated through several other defensemen, including Mathew Dumba, Harrison Brunicke, Ryan Graves, Connor Clifton, and Ilya Solovyov, each appearing in at least five contests.
Competition for Playing Time on the Right Side Intensifies
With Girard securing a reliable spot on the left, the right-shot defenseman role has primarily fallen to Connor Clifton, supplemented occasionally by left-shot players like Solovyov and Graves playing offside. Clifton’s strong play over the past month raises questions about whether St. Ivany will reclaim his position when recovered. Clifton offers more trust on the penalty kill and exhibits better possession results at 5-on-5, including an impressive 54.5% expected goals share. Additionally, Clifton leads the team significantly in physicality, averaging 4.03 hits per game compared to St. Ivany’s numbers.
Impact of St. Ivany’s Status on Penguins’ Defensive Stability
The continuation of St. Ivany’s recovery through a conditioning loan underscores the challenges the Penguins face in stabilizing their defensive lineup. Given the competitive defensive depth and recent trades, his return could influence the right-side depth chart profoundly. How he performs after reassignment to the minors and subsequent reintegration into the NHL roster will likely shape Pittsburgh’s defensive strategies for the rest of the season.
