WILKES-BARRE — There’s a clear divide among the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ defensive corps in terms of American Hockey League experience.

The quintet of Will O’Neill, Kevin Czuczman, Zach Trotman, Stefan Elliott and Chris Summers played a combined 1,575 AHL games prior to the start of the 2018-19 season. Meanwhile, second-year pro Jeff Taylor had only 20 starts and rookie Matt Abt none.

But the way both Taylor and Abt have been playing, one would never think the disparity was so large.

The two have essentially rotated as the team’s No. 6 defenseman, and both have fit that role nicely through 17 games. Abt has four assists in 10 starts after making the team out of training camp, while Taylor has two helpers in 11 games. Their skill sets also give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a little bit of versatility on the blue line.

Having that wealth of veteran experience around them has made their respective transitions a lot easier.

“It’s definitely beneficial,” Abt said. “You’re always around them, just constantly learning from them, learning from their experience. They kind of lead by example, and as a rookie and younger guy, I have to follow that lead.”

For Taylor, that process started in full last season when he played 42 games total, 28 of which came with Wheeling. He had 19 points in 28 games with the Nailers, but said the most important part of his time there was learning how to stay conditioned for three-in-threes and handling the travel and other demands of playing at a higher level.

He still has that offensive capability, already recording 17 shots on goal this season after having only six in 2017-18. However, his two-way ability improved once he started getting regular playing time.

“I think I definitely improved in our own zone last year,” Taylor said. “In the little time that I was here the year before (on a tryout agreement), the defensive side was a big adjustment coming from college.

“It’s more just a comfort level of just playing, not like last year where I might play only every couple weeks.”

Abt, meanwhile, was the pleasant surprise of training camp, scoring in the team’s first preseason game and earning an AHL contract. 

At 6-foot-5, Abt likes to be physical on the ice — he had 101 penalty minutes during his junior season with RIT. For him, a significant part of the adjustment to the pros has been knowing the right time to use that muscle to make a big hit or make the safe play.

The 25-year-old is also a good skater, and he has shown he can join offensive rushes to the net. On Friday against Springfield, he nearly tied the game twice with shots in transition.

Penguins assistant coach J.D. Forrest doesn’t mind his defensemen getting involved offensively, but only when they have the situational awareness to know it won’t put them in trouble at the other end. For inexperienced players like Taylor and Abt, that can provide a learning curve.

“The tendency for guys that are playmakers and have grown up like that is to always need to make a play, and sometimes it’s just not there,” Forrest said. “Sometimes you make one or two and it doesn’t work out. And then the third one — should you try it again? Maybe not. It’s more about picking your spots. 

“I’m not the kind of D coach that wants them shooting it off the glass or get it out, this and that. I like the guys to make plays, but there are certain situations where the play is not available. It’s recognizing those situations so you don’t put yourself in a bad spot.”

The best may still be yet to come. For a rookie like Abt, and even Taylor after bouncing up and down last season, Forrest said around Christmas is the time when the experience of playing, learning the team system and being in practice every day really starts to translate into confidence and full understanding.

Meanwhile, both are going to continue to learn what they can from some of their more experienced teammates and try to set themselves apart. 

On the rare occasion, like Friday as the Penguins set themselves up for another three-in-three, they might both skate. But given where they are on the depth chart, the two can’t rely on the open space always being there.

“Whoever’s going is going to get the spot,” Abt said. “It creates good, healthy competition internally for us, so it keeps us honest and working hard every day.”