What would’ve been the shining moment of his National Hockey League debut instead turned into a nightmare for Penguins rookie John Ludvig on Tuesday night.
Suiting up in Pittsburgh for his first NHL game as the Pens took on Dallas, the 23-year-old only skated 5:29 before leaving the contest with the assistance of trainers and teammates after appearing to be knocked out while delivering a massive hit to Radek Faksa in the neutral zone.
Ludvig looked to be out cold for at least a few seconds. Trainers tended to the Penguins rookie before eventually helping him off the ice. He did not return.
“He’s continuing to be evaluated at this point. That’s all I can really give you from a status standpoint,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said on Ludvig’s condition after Pittsburgh’s 4-1 loss.
“It’s a scary moment. It appeared that he almost got knocked out on the hit. Those are scary to watch. We are hopeful that he’s going to be okay,” he added.
Ludvig was a late addition to the lineup for his first NHL contest after being a healthy scratch for all of Pittsburgh’s games so far this season. The rookie blueliner was acquired by the Penguins via a waiver claim earlier in October after he was drafted in the third round by the Florida Panthers in 2019.
The Czechia native played last season with Florida’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte where he tallied three goals and 17 points in 54 contests. Ludvig spent his junior days with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, where he led the team’s D-corps in scoring his final year.
