Niskanen out 2-4 weeks, #FreeBortuzzo

A little off the cuff, but here are some Bortuzzo and general defense thoughts in the wake of the Niskanen injury.  If you haven't heard, Matt Niskanen will be out 2-4 weeks with an ankle injury (whoops, I meant lower body injury).  Using a mix of math and calendars, Niskanen should return between February 12th and 26th and he'll miss roughly 8-16 games (16-33% of the season).

The Niskanen injury is certainly a blow to the defense, but for a team carrying 8 "NHL-ready" defensemen, no moves should be necessary to get through the next month.  Here are your pairs as they skated this morning:

Have you seen me?

Orpik-Martin
Letang-Despres
Engelland-Lovejoy
Bortuzzo

• Nothing has changed through 5 games with Orpik, Martin, Letang, or Engelland.
• Simon Despres has traveled from 1st/2nd pair, to 3rd pair, to healthy scratch to 1st/2nd pair with Niskanen's injury.
• Ben Lovejoy has traveled from healthy scratch, to 3rd pair, to staying on the 3rd pair with Niskanen's injury.
• Nothing has changed with Robert Bortuzzo, the only Penguin to not enter the lineup yet this season.

How does Simon Despres go from playing, to healthy scratched, to playing before Bortuzzo gets to crack the lineup?  By now, we realize Bortuzzo is the 8th defenseman since Lovejoy took the place of Despres for a couple games.  What is the organization doing with Bortuzzo though?

Theories:

• The Penguins have been sitting Bortuzzo as they try to showcase and trade off another defenseman.
• The team doesn't think Bortuzzo is NHL-ready yet, but didn't want to let him go for nothing (see: waivers, Brian Strait).
• Bortuzzo is a clear #8 on the depth chart and the Pens want to put out their best lineup possible, which doesn't include him.  He's just insurance right now.
• Bortuzzo slept with whoever Dustin Jeffrey slept with (maybe not a working theory, but possible).

NHL teams have generally opted to carry 2 extra forwards instead of 2 extra defensemen on the 23 man roster.  The Penguins, based on most assumptions, have carried 2 extra defensemen because Bortuzzo would have to pass through waivers (he won't make it) and they want Despres to get in some NHL time.  This process could turn into an inevitable mismanagement of resources at this rate.

For Despres to improve as a budding defensive prospect, he needs to play regularly.  That's the only way he will grow through his inconsistencies and develop his game.  One has to question if he should be in the NHL if he will be a healthy scratch.  Meanwhile, Bortuzzo hasn't cracked the lineup, which both limits his trade value with no opportunity to show off his abilities and also halts any development to his skills.

Are you telling me Bortuzzo can't do this?

With Niskanen out, having 7 defensemen is perfect.  Are the Penguins playing the right 6 out of 7 though?  I'm all for playing Despres or sending him down to the AHL, he should not be scratched though.  I'm also all for playing your positionally sound, 23 year old defenseman that had a very strong camp (in my opinion).  That would be Bortuzzo.  I don't fully understand why 28 year old Ben Lovejoy, who is a serviceable 3rd line defenseman when necessary, is getting the opportunity over the potential Bortuzzo has.  If Bortuzzo fails, give Lovejoy the spot. But give him the chance to fail first.

Personally, I felt Bortuzzo should have landed a Top 6 spot right out of training camp.  Now, 5 games in, with Despres and Lovejoy both getting their chances in the lineup and Niskanen hurt, we're overdue to see Bortuzzo get his chance.  I hope it happens before it becomes long overdue.

#FreeBortuzzo