Jones and Hallander Still Out, and Camp Is Almost Here

Caleb Jones and Filip Hallander remain on injured reserve with no timetable in sight, and training camp is no longer a distant concern. I wrote two days ago about Kaedan Korczak inheriting a blue-line role faster than anyone anticipated when Pittsburgh traded for him this summer — that situation hasn't changed, and it's worth noting again simply because the clock keeps moving.

The Penguins came into the offseason knowing the blue line needed attention. The Korczak acquisition addressed depth on paper, but he hasn't played a game in this system yet. Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang logged heavy minutes last season and aren't getting younger. Asking Korczak to step in as a meaningful contributor from opening night — because Jones and Hallander aren't available — is a different ask than easing him in over the first month.

There's also a newly drafted defenseman ranked No. 11 on the prospect list who drew some attention this week for his offensive upside, but a prospect with high intrigue is not a solution to a problem that exists right now. The forward-heavy offseason — Koivunen's eight-year deal, the Robertson signing, the Ruck twins in the draft — reflects where Dubas's attention has been. The blue line got one move, and both players that move was meant to complement are currently unavailable.

Camp opens soon. Jones and Hallander may be fine by October. They may not be. Right now, nobody knows, and that's the part worth watching.