A hamstring injury will keep touted prospect Oskar Sundqvist from skating this week at the Penguins’ prospect development camp, the Swedish center said after Day 1 Tuesday at Consol Energy Center.
“Some trouble with the hamstring, and hopefully it’s not going to be an issue in September, but right now it’s stopping me from going on the ice,” Sundqvist said. “We will see if I’m capable of doing at least one ice session this week.”
Sundqvist said he will be able to get on the ice when he gets back to Sweden after camp.
“I haven’t been on ice the whole summer, so just start slow,” he said. “It’s a little bit frustration, but what can I say, that’s life.”
Sundqvist is a candidate to make the Penguins roster out of training camp in the fall, potentially to fulfill one of the bottom six slots on the team. He has a shot at the fourth-line center job.
He said he felt his performance before last year was strong and he hopes to build on it.
“It’s all about the camp, how I perform there,” Sundqvist said. “Last year I had my best time during the year [at] the camp. It’s up to me to make a big impression on [coach] Mike [Johnston]. I hope that’s on his mind still.”
Farnham appreciates chance
The allure of signing a one-year, two-way contract for the second consecutive year isn't lost on Penguins right winger Bobby Farnham.
“You know you’re playing hockey on an NHL contract for another year,” Farnham said by phone. “You can’t take those things for granted. It’s always great to sign that and have that in your back pocket going into summer.”
The Penguins re-signed the restricted free agent Monday. The deal carries a cap hit of $575,000.
After fighting — literally, in many cases — his way from the ECHL through the AHL and into the NHL, Farnham realizes there is only one way for him to play if he expects to be in the NHL again next season.
“There’s a feeling of, I guess you would say comfort, but not in a way that you would not play as well or try as hard,” he said. “It just kind of keeps you hungry for more.
“You want to prove the people that gave you your shot that you can make the NHL. That you can be a full-time NHL guy. And there’s a lot of people who say you probably couldn’t. You’ve got to prove them wrong too. You’re always hungry for more, especially when you get a taste of it.”
Farnham, 26, appeared in 11 NHL games last season. He had no points and 24 penalty minutes.
Crosby’s trainer hired
The Penguins hired Andy O’Brien, the personal trainer of Sidney Crosby, to be the team’s Director of Sport Science and Performance. They also named Andreas Huppi as the team’s sports massage therapist.
O’Brien has worked with Olympic swimmer Dara Torres, figure skater Patrick Chan and women’s hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser. He has also worked with New York Islanders star John Tavares.
Archibald out
Right winger Josh Archibald will not skate this week with an upper body injury. Archibald was a sixth round pick by the Penguins in 2011.
Jenn Menendez: jmenendez@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JennMenendez. Seth Rorabaugh: srorabaugh@post-gazette.com and Twitter @emptynetters.
First Published: July 15, 2015, 4:00 a.m.