Pascal Dupuis won't return this season

Ever since Pascal Dupuis was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung in November, the anticipation by player and fans was to immediately wonder if he could buck the prognosis and make it back sometime in the 2015 playoffs to help the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sadly, the door on that has closed, with Penguins GM Jim Rutherford and coach Mike Johnston flat out announcing that Dupuis will not be returning for any more of the 2014-15 season.

Unfortunately it looks like a timing issue- Dupuis has to remain on blood thinners until at least mid-May, and wouldn't be able to take contact and gear up for a return to the intensity of NHL playoffs until deep into June, when the NHL season will be over, let alone the Penguins season, which who knows when that may end.

It's sad, but a conclusion that was unfortunately likely. It's a good thing for the Pens just to announce it now, so that fans and players won't have to hold out hope for an impossibility that Dupuis could swoop in and help save the team's season.

Rutherford did state that he was very confident that Dupuis would be able to resume his playing career next season.

For more reading check out:

• blood clot blues
• Pascal Dupuis writes about his medical condition