• Less than 10 days since having a cancerous tumor removed from his thyroid, Olli Maatta is ready to play, the 20 year old defenseman said today.
    “I want to come back tomorrow,” Maatta said after practice via the Canadian Press. “But I’ve got to take it easy first. I have to make sure I’m 100 per cent and can help the team when I come back.” Penguins head coach Mike Johnston will be a bit more cautious, stating Maatta is likely to return at somepoint in the next week. “The way it looks right now, he’ll definitely be back before the four-week window,” Johnston said. “I would expect if he reacts positively to the skate today and the doctors take a look at him over the next day or so, he can be back any time in the next five, six days.”
2014-2015 Stats: 10 GP – 1 Goal – 5 Assists – 6 Points – +1