After the All-Star Game, you would think that players would be coming off the Injured Reserve, rather the Pittsburgh Penguins put forward Evgeni Malkin on the list, likely retroactive to the game missed last week, Wednesday night, the 21st, against the Blackhawks.There is no timetable for his return, but with the placement on the IR, Malkin wouldn't be eligible to return until Wednesday's game in Washington, missing out on Tuesday night's game against the Jets, at the very least.
Malkin has been a key part of the Penguins lineup, scoring 19 goals and 51 points in 45 games played, ranking, ranking 13th overall in pool scoring, at the start of Week Seventeen.This is bad news for Leo, who made Malkin his 1st round pick this season, taking him 11th overall, as he was his best player this season and about the only player that was making a consistent contribution, which is saying a lot, since Leo opens the week in 19th place, 18 points from the bottom. If Malkin is out for any significant amount of time, it will really add up.
In other Penguins news, neither Sidney Crosby nor Blake Comeau were on the ice for practice on Monday. Crosby is out with a lower-body injury, which forced him to take an injection to improve his situation, but will have to sit out Tuesday's game anyways, by rule from the NHL for bailing on the All-Star Game. Comeau has been out since before Christmas with a wrist injury, but there is some talk that he is getting closer.
On the plus side, Kristopher Letang was in practice on Monday, completing the session on his own, as was forward Patric Hornqvist. Both players now seem probable for Tuesday night's game in Winnipeg, but neither are written on the lineup card in ink yet.
An updated list of injuries can be found here.
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