The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that centre Zach Aston-Reese will be out for roughly six months after undergoing successful shoulder surgery.
Zach Aston-Reese underwent successful left shoulder surgery.
The surgery was performed at UPMC Montefiore Hospital by team physician, Dr. Dharmesh Vyas.
Aston-Reese is expected to be sidelined for six months. pic.twitter.com/bJ4wEM4dM2
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) August 17, 2020
Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese Out for Six Months
Aston-Reese played in 57 games with the Penguins this season. Over that span, he put up six goals and seven assists for 13 points. Aston-Reese also has one assist in four games during the play-in round. He has spent all three years of his NHL career with Pittsburgh.
Coming off of one of his best defensive seasons, Aston-Reese was important on the penalty kill. He spent most of his penalty kill ice time alongside Bryan Rust and Teddy Blueger. With a career-high relative Corsi of 0.9 and Corsi for of 51.9, Aston-Reese was showing development in his defensive game.
Analysis
Aston-Reese is expected to be out for up to six months. While the length of time he will be out is normally concerning, now is the ideal time for him to be out. With Pittsburgh out of the playoffs, the team can focus on the off-season. With the start details on next season still unknown, he could very well not miss any time.
Aston-Reese is an important part of Pittsburgh’s forward group. The Penguins have great top-line scoring and exceptional secondary options. They lack depth, however. Aston-Reese was one of the players the team could rely on in the bottom six. Hopefully, he will not miss any time. If he does, the Penguins should hope that Nick Bjugstad can return to the lineup.
With Pittsburgh seemingly on the decline, Aston-Reese figures to be an important figure moving forward. He is on a cheap $1 million contract for another year. While he is unlikely to earn much more, he could be a valuable veteran to teach younger players. While he is not a top player now, he has the potential to be an important piece for Pittsburgh’s future.
