On Thursday night in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, defenceman John Marino took a puck to the face off of a Steven Stamkos shot. The 22-year-old left the game immediately and did not return. It was announced after the game he would miss ‘significant time' with a fractured cheekbone, but no additional info was given.
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On Monday morning, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan addressed the media and let it be known that Marino would require surgery. He also said that as of now, there is no timetable for a return. Marino has had a strong rookie season, putting up five goals and 20 assists in 51 games. The American defenceman was drafted back in 2015 by the Edmonton Oilers, but elected not to sign and was then traded to the Penguins this offseason. Shortly after the trade, he signed a two-year entry level deal and has surprised many with his very strong play this year.
This is a huge blow to the Penguins. Marino has been one of the Penguins' most reliable on the backend all year long, and along with his numbers, has also been a very steady defensive presence. It is anyone's guess for just how much time he will miss, but hopefully for both the team and player he is able to return sooner than later and keep up the same high level of play.
