Penguins HC Johnston wants Dupuis to be 'very involved' while sidelined with blood clot in lung

Pascal Dupuis might not be able to step onto the ice for at least the next six months, but head coach Mike Johnston plans to keep him in the loop - and then some.

"As a coaching staff we would like him to be very involved," Johnston said Thursday. "We are going to put together some sort of job description in the next week or so."

While Dupuis won't serve as a coach, per se, it certainly sounds as though he'll participating more in the day-to-day deliberations than the typical injured player. 

A noted leader in the Penguins' dressing room, Johnston clearly wants to keep Dupuis around for the benefit of those who have come to rely on his presence, and to serve as an extra set of eyes and ears around the club.

Dupuis wasted no time in familiarizing himself with a bird's eye view of the Penguins.

The 35-year-old has been with the team since 2008.