The Pittsburgh Penguins had to make a tough decision on Sunday with their longtime veteran.
Pittsburgh announced on Sunday that they placed veteran center Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury. Malkin has been out of action since Jan. 5, missing his fourth-straight game Saturday when the Penguins fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Through 41 games, the 38-year-old was performing well. Malkin has scored eight goals while dishing out 24 assists — good for 32 points overall on the season. The center’s 18:35 time on ice was the exact same as his last two seasons, keeping consistency in his 19th NHL season. Prior to the injury, the Penguins star had an impressive run of playing 209 consecutive games.
As a result of the move, Philip Tomasino was activated from injured reserve and returned to action Saturday night. He slotted back onto the second line, joined by Drew O’Connor and Cody Glass — who is replacing Malkin at the center position in his absence.
Pittsburgh will look to get back on the winning track Tuesday night when they face the Seattle Kraken. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST.
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