With Sidney Crosby’s return approaching, the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday cleared three roster spots, including a deal that sent center Mark Letestu to Columbus, but general manager Ray Shero said to take the moves at face value—not as an indication that Crosby’s comeback date is set.
“It doesn’t affect anything. I know people might read something into it,” Shero told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Dave Molinari.
In addition to the Letestu trade, which netted Pittsburgh a fourth-round draft pick, the Penguins sent forwards Dustin Jeffrey and Steve MacIntyre to their AHL affiliate for conditioning assignments. The moves leave the team with 11 available forwards as a pair of games against Dallas and Carolina begin on Friday, though Jeffrey and MacIntyre can be recalled at any time and can’t stay in the AHL for more than 14 days, per the collective bargaining agreement.
Crosby on Monday didn’t rule out a Friday return, and the game has long been speculated as a potential return date for the captain, who hasn’t played since a January because of a concussion. With that in mind, it was easy to take Tuesday’s moves, especially the Letestu trade, as evidence that the team was preparing to have Crosby ready and in the lineup.
Not so, Shero said.