Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were both absent for the All-Star Game due to lower-body injuries. Now that the regular season is set to resume, the question is how much more time will they miss.
Malkin has been placed on the injured reserve list, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Dave Molinari, although that might be primarily a paper move. It’s likely retroactive Jan. 20, which means that he’s still eligible to play on Wednesday against Washington (NBCSN, 8:00 p.m. ET). With that in mind, the bigger news might be that he didn’t practice Monday.
Crosby wasn’t on the ice either, although that was anticipated. He’s not eligible to play Tuesday after skipping the All-Star festivities, but he’s also a possibility for Wednesday’s contest.
In contrast to the star duo, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was able to take part in Monday’s practice. It’s believed that he sustained a concussion due to a hit from Philadelphia’s Zac Rinaldo. The Flyers forward had a hearing today, but the NHL hasn’t announced the verdict yet.
Update: Letang hopes to play Tuesday, but Penguins coach Mike Johnston cautioned that he hasn’t received medical clearance yet, per the team’s Twitter feed. Johnston also doesn’t think Malkin will skate for a few days.