Penguins' Noel Acciari out week-to-week with injury; Alex Nedeljkovic to start vs. Carolina

Noel Acciari’s season is likely over.

After leaving Sunday’s contest against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury, the 32-year-old winger in his first year with the Pittsburgh Penguins was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) Tuesday morning in advance of his club’s home game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes.

Per NHL rules, designation on LTIR requires a player to miss both 10 games and 24 days before returning to action.

The Penguins have 12 remaining regular-season games.

To meet the 24-day absence requirement, Acciari would be ineligible to suit up until April 18, a day after the Penguins’ final game.

In other words, the Penguins (30-30-10), who are nine points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot, would have to make a push into the playoffs for Acciari to see game action again this year.

Acciari has played primarily a fourth-line role this season, earning praise from teammates and coach Mike Sullivan for his physicality.

Acciari’s 2 minutes, 17 seconds of shorthanded ice time per game are second-most among the Penguins’ forwards.

He’s scored four goals and three assists in 55 games played.

“I know he doesn’t jump out on the scoring sheet every night, but he’s one of those guys — we call him a ‘glue guy’ — for me that’s just a real solid team guy that plays the game the right way and is hard to play against,” Sullivan said.

“He helps you win with the things that he brings to the table. … When he’s not in our lineup, it’s hard to replace him because of the elements that he brings.”

Acciari is in the first season of a three-year deal worth $2 million annually.

Injuries, including a concussion in February, have kept him off the ice for 15 games so far this year.

Notes:

• The Penguins are expected to start Alex Nedeljkovic in net Tuesday evening against Carolina.

Nedeljkovic, 28, has gone 10-6-5 in 21 starts this year with a 2.99 goals against average and .902 save percentage.

Carolina is scheduled to start Pyotr Kochetkov (19-12-4), who has produced a 2.46 goals against average and .909 save percentage through 35 starts on the year.

• The Penguins recalled winger Sam Poulin from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League Tuesday morning.

Poulin, 23, has scored 13 goals with 14 assists in 36 games at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year, primarily as the Penguins’ first- or second-line center.

The Penguins’ first-round (No. 21 overall) selection in the 2019 draft, Poulin joins the club for the second time after making his NHL debut and playing a handful of games at the start of last season.

Poulin has navigated through several injuries at the AHL level this year and notably took a leave of absence from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to prioritize his mental health from December of 2022 through March 2023.

“Sam deserves a lot of credit for everything that he’s gone through, with just his persistence and his perseverance in trying to continue to grow and develop as a player and person,” Sullivan said. “… He’s been one of the better players in Wilkes this year and has gained some traction there.

“… He gets the call-up late in the season like this, but I think certainly, it’s a reward for his efforts, his persistence and continuing to push to improve and get better both on the ice and off the ice. He deserves a lot of credit.”

The 6-foot-2 Poulin adds a left-handed option to the Penguins’ lineup.

• Winger Jeff Carter, absent for the past three games due to an undisclosed injury, was listed by Sullivan as a game-time decision for Tuesday. Carter, 39, has nine goals and two assists through 61 games played this year. He’s been deployed primarily on the fourth line and is averaging 12:26 of nightly ice time.

• Defenseman Ryan Graves, who’s not played the past two games due to personal reasons, is available Tuesday, per Sullivan. Graves has three goals and eight assists in 68 games this year, playing 18:37 on average per night. Brought in this past offseason on a six-year, $27 million deal, Graves’ inconsistent play has relegated him to the club’s third defensive pairing for much of the year.

• On Tuesday, the Penguins host their fourth annual Pride Night at PPG Paints Arena, in support and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Details on the club’s Pride Night can be found here.