Pittsburgh Penguins

Pens first-line winger won’t be here for start of training camp due to immigration issues

By Dave Molinari - DKPittsburghSports.com

Vancouver Canucks v Toronto Maple Leafs TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 29: Kasperi Kapanen #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Vancouver Canucks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) (Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

By Dave Molinari - DKPittsburghSports.com

PITTSBURGH — The Penguins will open training camp without their first-line right winger.

Kasperi Kapanen, acquired from Toronto after last season to play on the right side with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, will not be present when the Penguins convene Sunday because of immigration issues, Jim Rutherford said Friday.

What’s more, when Kapanen, who is in Finland, does finally make it to town, Rutherford said “I believe” he will have to go through a quarantine period because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“He’ll be late for camp,” Rutherford said. “We don’t know exactly when he gets here. For some reason, his appointment with Immigration got delayed.”

He added that he does not know when that appointment will take place and acknowledged that the Penguins will “probably not” have Kapanen for a significant portion of the camp that will lead up to the regular-season opener Jan. 13 in Philadelphia.

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