Evgeni Malkin will not play for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Vegas Golden Knights because of a lower-body injury, according to NHL.com. The veteran center is listed as day to day, the outlet reported Tuesday.
Malkin missed practice Monday before taking part in an optional morning skate ahead of the matchup with Vegas. His absence adds to a growing list of Penguins regulars sidelined by injury heading into the game.
Malkin’s Lower-Body Injury Status
Pittsburgh has labeled Malkin day to day with the lower-body injury, the designation NHL.com used in its report on projected lineups for the Golden Knights-Penguins game. No specific timeline for his return has been given. Malkin’s participation in Tuesday’s optional skate came a day after he sat out a full practice session.
Other Penguins Sidelined
Malkin is not the only key absence for Pittsburgh in this game. Defenseman Ryan Graves is out with a knee injury, while defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and forward Bryan Rust are both dealing with lower-body injuries, per NHL.com. The simultaneous absences leave the Penguins thin on both the blue line and up front for the contest against Vegas.
Impact On Pittsburgh’s Lineup
Losing Malkin removes one of the Penguins’ most experienced centers from the lineup against a Golden Knights team that handed Pittsburgh a 6-2 loss earlier this season, as detailed in Total Apex Sports’ recap of that game. With Rust also out, Pittsburgh is missing scoring punch on the wing in addition to center depth. With Rust also out, Pittsburgh is missing scoring depth at center and on the wing.
Malkin’s Season Role
Malkin remains one of Pittsburgh’s top offensive centers when healthy.
What’s Next
The Penguins face the Golden Knights with Malkin, Graves, van Riemsdyk and Rust all sidelined. No official update on Malkin’s status for Pittsburgh’s next game has been provided, and his day-to-day designation means his availability will likely be reassessed closer to that contest.
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