The Pittsburgh Penguins saw the debut of two new players, Danton Heinen and Vincent Desharnais, in their recent 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. The acquisition of these players was finalized following a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, completed shortly after a game against the Dallas Stars.
Kyle Dubas, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the Penguins, commended Jason Seidling, Director of Team Operations, for ensuring that Heinen and Desharnais arrived promptly for the game. The players had an early start at 5:45 AM to make it in time.
Heinen expressed relief at jumping straight into play without overthinking. “It’s kind of better that way to get in and you don’t have much time to think about it. You just get in and get your feet wet,” he said. Head Coach Mike Sullivan supported this approach by encouraging players to trust their instincts.
Returning to Pittsburgh after previous seasons with the team from 2021-23, Heinen worked with assistant coach Mike Vellucci for a quick refresher on tactics. “You know the guys, you know the area… But the coaches pulled me aside, showed me a few clips on the system as a refresher,” he shared.
Sullivan noted that Heinen had several good opportunities during his performance on a line with Michael Bunting and Cody Glass. “He’s got a great shot. He had a couple of great looks tonight,” Sullivan commented.
Vincent Desharnais also received coaching support from David Quinn upon his arrival. “He’s very detailed… but he lets you play as well,” Desharnais remarked about Quinn’s coaching style.
Desharnais played alongside Ryan Graves as part of a formidable third pairing defense duo due to their size. Desharnais appreciated Graves’ communication throughout the game: “Playing with Gravy was awesome.”
During his first appearance with Pittsburgh, Desharnais made two hits and four blocks, bringing physicality to their defense lineup. Sullivan expects him to add “some size and some snarl” based on his previous performance leading up to last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic praised both newcomers following his own successful night defending Pittsburgh’s net. “We’re really excited about having Vinnie and Heino here… I thought they were both solid in the roles they were asked to do,” Nedeljkovic stated.
