Taylor Fedun’s most recent recall to the Pittsburgh Penguins roster has gone exactly like his first two.
That’s to say the right-handed defenseman has not played a game and likely won’t unless something unforeseen happens.
And he’s perfectly fine with that.
Just being in the NHL, even as a healthy scratch, is a gift in Fedun’s view.
“It’s the best league in the world, and any chance you get to come be a part of things here is really special,” said Fedun, 34. “Especially at my stage in my career, these are pretty special moments. You don’t get a ton of them. So I’m always ready to make the most of it when it does come.”
Fedun’s most recent NHL games came under unique circumstances. As a member of the Dallas Stars, he was part of that team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, which was staged in the so-called “bubble,” a quarantined zone that included Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, during some of the darkest days of the pandemic.
Since then, his professional experience has been limited to the American Hockey League.
“Bubble playoffs was the last time that I played (in the NHL),” Fedun said. “I still love the game. I love the atmosphere, the battle, the feeling that you get when you make a good play or when you win a battle. It keeps me feeling young.”
When Fedun was younger, his career almost came to an end before it began.
Undrafted out of Princeton, Fedun, then 22, signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers on March 8, 2011. Almost seven months later, during a preseason game against the Minnesota Wild on Sept. 30, Fedun was tripped and fell violently into the boards.
The collision resulted in a broken right femur.
Fedun missed the entire 2011-12 season after having a rod inserted into his leg and rehabilitated the injury, returning to the Oklahoma City Barons — the Oilers’ former AHL affiliate — in 2012-13.
Eleven-plus years after that brutal injury, Fedun doesn’t dwell on what happened. At the same time, it provides a foundation for his gratitude in being a professional hockey player for more than a decade.
“Even if I didn’t have that rough start, to still be doing this … I don’t think the (22-year-old) me would have believed that I would still be doing this at 34,” Fedun said. “I don’t think about that femur injury too often. I’m still just enjoying the moments and enjoying the ride.”
That ride has included stops with the Oilers, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres and Stars. In total, he has 127 games of NHL experience over seven seasons.
He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Penguins in July 2021, and last season, he was appointed as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ captain and put up 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 44 games. He was recalled to the NHL roster twice in 2021-22 but did not appear in a game.
While Fedun’s production was limited and the likelihood he would be a threat to earn a spot on the NHL roster also was limited, Penguins management thought enough of his presence with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that he was re-signed in May 2022, this time to a two-year, two-way contract.
With so many defensemen ahead of him on the organizational depth chart, why would Fedun want to return?
“Pittsburgh is one of the gold standards for longevity in just being a contender every year,” Fedun said. “And always in the playoff picture. I’ve played on some teams where that hasn’t necessarily been the case. So it’s been pretty cool to be a part of this. (With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), we get treated very well, but there’s an expectation that we be professionals and we earn the right to be treated that way. It’s been a year and half in this organization now, and it’s been an awesome experience.”
For management, Fedun’s ample professional experience allows him to serve as something of a coach for the organization’s legitimate prospects.
“We feel it’s important for us to surround our young players with those type of people,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “That’s an important aspect of the development process with a lot of our young guys. … He works hard at his job, he takes care of himself, he controls all of those things within his power to set himself up for success. That’s an important message for all of our young players. To watch a guy every day walk the walk, not just necessarily talk the talk, is really important.”
That extends off the ice as well. Fedun is able to pass on advice on how to deal with media, finances, adequate sleep, a proper diet or general fitness.
“He does a really good job of taking care of his body,” said Penguins forward Drew O’Connor, who has spent most of the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. “You don’t play that long without taking good care of yourself and being a good pro. He’s just a really good example to follow.”
Fedun knows he probably won’t be playing in the NHL anytime soon. At the same time, he knows he has a responsibility to the Penguins that extends beyond being in the lineup.
“Certainly, that’s something that I’ve tried to bring to the table,” Fedun said. “For a few years, that’s been part of my (modus operandi). I reflect back on a lot of the older guys that I played with (as a younger player). Even as I got older, some of the leaders that I’ve been fortunate enough to play with, they’ve had a huge impact on my life, not just at the rink but my life in general.
“I’d like to think that I’m able to pass those things on to the younger crew on our team.”
Note: On Sunday, the Penguins recalled forward Jonathan Gruden from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. … The Penguins had a scheduled day off Sunday.
Seth Rorabaugh is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Seth by email at srorabaugh@triblive.com or via Twitter .
