With two of their top four defensemen ailing, the Penguins recalled Andrew Hutchinson from the AHL on Tuesday afternoon.
Hutchinson, a free-agent acquisition in the offseason, was among the final players cut in training camp.
Brooks Orpik (undisclosed) did not play Monday in a win at New Jersey. He was bothered late in camp by a groin injury, missing the last two exhibition games. He also underwent offseason surgery on his midsection.
His defense partner, Zbynek Michalek, was injured during the New Jersey win. He left the game favoring his shoulder, and coach Dan Bylsma said Michalek would be re-evaluated today.
If separated and requiring surgery on the shoulder, Michalek could miss many months. Former Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar missed five months two years ago when he required surgery on a separated shoulder in training camp.
Michalek was one of the team's two big signings on July 1. Along with snagging the other, Paul Martin, general manager Ray Shero spent $45 million total to upgrade his defense.
That defense could feature only three experienced regulars (Martin, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski) for a game against Toronto at Consol Energy Center on Wednesday night. First-year defensemen Deryk Engelland and Ben Lovejoy have each played two of three games