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Add Zbynek Michalek to the Penguins injured list with broken finger

Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Niklas Hagman

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Zbynek Michalek, right, from the Czech Republic, and Calgary Flames’ Jarome Iginla follow the puck during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alta., Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Calgary Flames 5-3. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press - Jeff McIntosh)

AP

Last season was apparently just a warm-up for how to deal with a ton of injuries for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bob McKenzie tweeted this morning that defenseman Zbynek Michalek will join the rest of the big name Pens on the injured list with a broken finger. McKenzie says that the injury will put Michalek out of action for a month. If there’s a silver lining here for the Penguins it’s that they just got Brooks Orpik back to the lineup recently. At least the Pens aren’t scrambling to replace both of them.

On the downside, there’s everything else about this. Michalek was playing great as a two-way defenseman for the Pens. While Kris Letang is all offense and Orpik is all defense, Michalek and Paul Martin split the difference between the two of them. Now it’s up to Deryk Engelland and Ben Lovejoy to continue filling in.

Now the Penguins will have to examine if perhaps CONSOL Energy Center was built on a “Poltergeist"-like Indian burial ground thanks to all the injuries they’ve dealt with. Perhaps sending a priest over to the place to bless it wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Update (12:45 p.m.): Dan Bylsma confirms the injury saying Michalek will be out 4-6 weeks.