COLUMBUS, Ohio — Not long after participating in a practice with Pittsburgh Penguins teammates for the first time in 3 ½ weeks, Zach Aston-Reese smiled.
“It feels good,” said the 25-year-old wing who has been out since Feb. 16 because of a lower-body injury. “I know this feeling all too well. It’s almost like you’re being in prison in a little bit. Kind of isolated from everyone, everyone has a long road trip, going out to (California). It’s just nice to be back; it’s been pretty lonely.”
Coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Aston-Reese was a full participant in the practice — albeit a light one — at Nationwide Arena. The Penguins did not use line rushes, so it was difficult to garner clues to as if Aston-Reese might play in Thursday night’s game against the Blue Jackets.
“I didn’t expect to be this far along yet,” Aston-Reese said, “but this is still all part of the rehab process, to join the team and kind of go through a non-contact practice. It’s just kind of day by day right now.”
A bottom-six forward who has six goals and seven assists in 57 games this season and 18 goals and 18 assists in 116 games over parts of the past three seasons, Aston-Reese has repeatedly missed stretches because of injuries in his pro career.
Last season, he sat out a month and returned to the lineup for the start of the playoffs. Aston-Reese now says he was ill-prepared to play at that level after an injury layoff but that the experience will make him better off this time around.
“It’s that you really can’t go lightly in the weight room,” he said. “Last year I had to come back right (into the) playoffs, and it was just another gear and I don’t think I was fully prepared for that. But this time around just having conversations with the trainers and (skating and skills development coach Ty Hennes) and just trying to push myself everyday as hard as I could. And I feel in pretty good shape right now.”
