There is never a good time for a star to land on the shelf—but some times sting more than others. Hours before puck drop in Tampa, the Pittsburgh Penguins scratched veteran forward Evgeni Malkin with an upper-body injury. Just like that, one of the team’s most vital offensive players was out, and a 6-1 blowout loss followed. Tough look.
Now, as the Penguins head into Buffalo for another must-win game, all eyes are on No. 71. Will Malkin be back in time to give Sidney Crosby some much-needed help down the stretch? Or are the Pens staring down the barrel of another night with a one-line offense?
Head coach Mike Sullivan hasn’t spoken much—just that Evgeni Malkin is “being evaluated.” But we do have some important signs to go on, and let’s just say the timing isn’t ideal.
The injury itself was out of the blue. Malkin took a morning skate on March 26 against the Lightning. Slotted as the second-line center and first power-play unit, Malkin seemed good to go. Something clearly happened between practice and puck drop, though, because hours later he was scratched with what the team later described as an upper-body injury.
He’s practiced since then—but in a non-contact jersey, which tells us all we need to know. He’s close, but not cleared. However, sources indicate that team doctors are closely monitoring his progress, and a last-minute clearance isn’t entirely off the table. While unlikely, if Evgeni Malkin shows enough improvement during morning skate, there’s an outside chance he could be reinserted into the lineup alongside Crosby.
His seasonal numbers—46 points in 62 games—don’t scream vintage Malkin, but his value goes beyond the stats sheet. Without him, Kevin Hayes had to play out of position in the 2C role in Tampa. He finished with zero points, and the Penguins were completely disjointed from the second line on down.
As Sullivan added practice time on Wednesday and worked his team harder than usual during the inter-road-game hiatus, the message was clear: urgency. With their playoff hopes dwindling, Pittsburgh can’t afford another costly loss—especially against a Sabres team playing with nothing to lose.
Penguins’ playoff hopes dwindling without Evgeni Malkin
As of March 27, 2025, the Penguins’ playoff chances are down to just 1.9%, making every remaining game a must-win situation. One more stumble, and they might be loading the bags a bit too early.
That’s why Malkin’s return can be a lifeline. Evgeni Malkin isn’t just Crosby’s longtime running mate—his presence shifts defensive matchups and opens up space for teammates, making the Penguins a multidimensional threat. His absence doesn’t just affect the scoreboard—it affects the game plan in general.
Sullivan knows it as well. The longer Malkin is in that non-contact jersey, the greater the onus is on Crosby and a thin bottom-six to pick up the slack. Malkin remains day-to-day, and while he traveled with the team, no return date has been set. However, if he sheds the non-contact jersey by morning skate, he could be a game-time decision, which would provide a much-needed boost to Crosby and the offense.
That’s not a sustainable playoff push. So, will Evgeni Malkin be back in Buffalo? The signs are pointing to no—at least not yet. But his return can’t come soon enough. If the Penguins have any chance of slipping into the playoffs, they’ll need Geno healthy, hungry, and back alongside Sid where he belongs.
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