Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson remains sidelined

Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenseman Erik Karlsson remained off the ice on Monday due to an undisclosed injury that has prevented him from participating in any of the team’s practices during its ongoing training camp.

Originally designated as “day-to-day” by the team when camp opened Sept. 18, Karlsson has been recuperating from his ailment in the 12 days since the team gathered in Cranberry.

Beyond a nugatory “upper-body” description, the team has offered few specifics as to the precise nature or origin of Karlsson’s malady. He has skated prior to practices or morning skates a handful of times but not since Sept. 24.

Speaking with media in Cranberry on Monday, coach Mike Sullivan addressed Karlsson’s ordeal in nondescript terms.

“He’s going through the process,” Sullivan said. “Some of it is going to entail on ice, some of it is going to entail off the ice. We’ll let you know when his status changes.”

The Penguins are scheduled to open the regular season with a home contest against the New York Rangers on Oct. 9.

Notes:

• Per Sullivan, forward Blake Lizotte had a doctor’s appointment to evaluate an unspecified facial injury he suffered after being struck by a puck during a preseason contest on Sunday.

Before he could take a shift during a 5-2 preseason win against the Ottawa Senators at the Sudbury (Ont.) Community Arena, Lizotte was struck in the face according to the Penguins’ radio broadcast.

• Sullivan announced goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic will start and is scheduled to complete Monday’s preseason road game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.

(NHL teams occasionally plan on goaltenders splitting games during the preseason).

Nedeljkovic has appeared in one game this preseason, a 3-2 home loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Charged with the loss in that contest, Nedeljkovic made 16 saves on 19 shots.

Prospect Joel Blomqvist is scheduled to serve as the backup goaltender.

• Per SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcaster Josh Getzoff, the Penguins’ lines during a morning skate in Cranberry were:

10 Drew O’Connor – 20 Lars Eller – 48 Valtteri Puustinen

11 Vasily Ponomarev – 26 Tristan Broz – 52 Emil Bemstrom

2 Rutger McGroarty – 55 Noel Acciari – 18 Jesse Puljujarvi

85 Avery Hayes – 16 Jimmy Huntington – 12 Corey Andonovski

• A group of seven defensemen – Sebastian Aho, Ryan Graves, Mac Hollowell, John Ludvig, Owen Pickering, Ryan Shea and Jack St. Ivany – rotated.

• This game was originally scheduled for Saturday but travel issues for the Penguins forced a postponement until Monday.

As a result, the Red Wings are playing split-squad games at the same time. In addition to hosting the Penguins, they will send a second team on the road to face the Sabres.