The Penguins re-assigned forwards Tom Sestito and Josh Archibald along with defenseman Cameron Gaunce to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday morning.
The move was made so they could play in the Baby Penguins’ opening-round playoff series that starts Friday night at Providence, but the interesting move — again — could be the one the Penguins didn’t make.
Tristan Jarry remains with the big club. He served as Marc-Andre Fleury’s backup for all five games of the Columbus series after Matt Murray re-aggravated a lower-body injury during warmup before Game 1.
The Penguins are staring at about six days of off time before their Eastern Conference semifinal-round series against either the Capitals or Maple Leafs.
Keeping Jarry around could help them ease Murray back into practices. Or it could mean that Murray isn’t tracking toward a potential return in this upcoming round.
Murray was spotted in the press box Thursday at PPG Paints Arena, with no noticeable limp.
The last Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was asked about any of his injured players — NHL coaches aren’t required to communicate injury information in the playoffs and usually don’t — Sullivan said he had no substantive updates on anyone.
Murray has not skated during a time when reporters were around since re-aggravating what’s believed to be a groin injury suffered three days before the end of the regular season in New Jersey.
One note: Gaunce must clear waivers before he can be returned to Wilkes-Barre.
The Penguins are off Friday after closing out the Blue Jackets in five on Thursday night.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: April 21, 2017, 3:17 p.m.