Emotional Dan Muse Responds to Penguins Forward's Blood Clot Diagnosis
Photo credit: NHL.com
Penguins head coach Dan Muse was emotional when speaking about Filip Hallander's blood clot diagnosis, saying this goes well beyond just the game of hockey.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Friday that forward Filip Hallander has been diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg and will miss at least three months, but likely more.
The 24-year-old will stay in Pittsburgh to rehab under the supervision of the team's medical staff and UPMC doctors, which means he will miss the team's upcoming trip to his native Sweden, as well as the Winter Olympics in February.
"It's terrible. At the same time, though, when something like this comes up, this goes way beyond hockey. This is about the person," Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse said. "And I think we're all very thankful and grateful that the medical staff here was able to figure this out as quickly as they did, and now, they can start to do everything they need to just to get him back on track and take care of him."
Before the diagnosis, Hallander had recently earned a promotion to the team's top line to play alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust.
On that line, he showed steady progress and earned praise for his gritty style of play and his quick decision-making in the corners.
Hallander was a second-round pick of the Penguins back in 2018, and he has had quite the journey.
After spending two seasons in Pittsburgh's system and appearing in only three NHL games, he returned to his native Sweden in 2023 because he wanted to prioritize his family.
Filip Hallander's success in the SHL last season proved he finally belonged in the NHL
While playing for Timra IK in the SHL, he put together an absolutely fantastic 2024-25 season that led to his return to the NHL.
Hallander eventually returned to the NHL with the Penguins with renewed confidence and was beginning to find his rhythm during training camp, preseason, and the early part of the regular season.
The unfortunate blood clot diagnosis halts what had been shaping up to be a lovely comeback story for a player finally carving out his place in a league where he felt like he now belonged.
It's a tough break for both Hallander and the team, but for now, the focus shifts to his full recovery and long-term health, and fans will be eagerly awaiting any further updates.
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