Evgeni Malkin could make his season debut on Tuesday
One of the hottest teams in hockey could be getting a major boost.
Evgeni Malkin will be a game-time decision for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ game against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
Evgeni Malkin will *officially* be a game-time decision for tomorrow’s game, per Mike Sullivan.
Given how long Malkin has been out, that tells me he’s playing.
Malkin has yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery back in June. He’s been back skating with his teammates for several weeks but was just recently cleared for contact. Malkin centered a line with Jeff Carter and Kasperi Kapanen at the team’s practice on Monday.
The Penguins just had a 10-game winning streak that ended when they lost to the Stars in Dallas on Saturday. Pittsburgh owns a 20-9-5 record on the season and sits fourth in the incredibly competitive Metropolitan Division.
In Malkin’s absence, the Penguins have found an unlikely hero in Evan Rodrigues. Through 34 games, Rodrigues has already set a career-high in both goals (15) and points (30). Rodrigues has spent time on the team’s top line with Sidney Crosby and also in Malkin’s usual spot as the second pivot.