The Pittsburgh Penguins (3-1-2, eight points) visit the Winnipeg Jets (0-3-0, 0 points) on Monday night, and will have to take the ice without center Tyler Kennedy. After the Penguins' morning skate, coach Dan Bylsma said Kennedy is "suffering from concussion like symptoms," according to the Pens' official Twitter account, and "will be re-evaluated." Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the Penguins "aren't sure how Kennedy got [the] symptoms."
Kennedy is the latest Penguin to have concussion issues - Sidney Crosby has had a well-publicized battle with them for the better part of the year. Concussion problems have hurt other Pittsburgh sports figures too, with Troy Polamalu suffering a concussion in Sunday's win over the Jaguars.
Kennedy's absence indeed hurts the Penguins. The 25-year-old has tallied one goal and two assists for Pittsburgh through six games, with 98 minutes on the ice.
Without Kennedy, the Penguins will start veteran Arron Asham on the front line, according to Kovacevic. Asham will join a line with Matt Cooke and Mark Letestu. In 44 minutes this season, Asham has yet to score a goal or tally an assist, and the Penguins are a minus-four with him on the ice.
The Penguins are still missing Crosby (concussion), Evgeni Malkin (knee), Dustin Jeffrey (knee) and Brooks Orpik (abdomen), none of whom traveled to Winnipeg with the team.
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