Two games into a new NHL season and the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost centre Evgeni Malkin for an indefinite period with a lower-body injury.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters Monday that the 33-year-old Russian’s injury is not season-threatening but that he would be out longer than fellow centre Nick Bjugstad, who exited Saturday’s game in the third period with an undisclosed injury.
The 1-1-0 Penguins, who host Winnipeg on Tuesday, are without their second- and third-line centres and had Jared McCann skating on the second line in Malkin’s absence at Monday’s workout while Zach Aston-Reese filled in for Bjugstad.
Penguins’ forward combinations at practice: Guentzel-Crosby-Simon, Galchenyuk-McCann-Tanev and Aston-Reese-Blueger-Hornqvist/Kahun. Only 10 forwards available for this workout because of the Malkin and Bjugstad injuries.
—@MolinariPGH
He walked out to the bench in street clothes about 10 minutes before Monday’s practice and, with two feet on the bench, stickhandled on the ice for less than a minute before returning to the dressing room.
Pittsburgh, with only 10 healthy forwards on Monday, were expected to summon two forwards from their American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Pa., before Tuesday’s contest. Sam Lafferty, Andrew Agozzino and Adam Johnson are among their options.