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Penguins' Evgeni Malkin Surprise Absence Against Blue Jackets

The Pittsburgh Penguins will kick off a five-game homestand without Evgeni Malkin.

Nick Horwat

Dec 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) prepares to take a face-off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Dec 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) prepares to take a face-off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have seen superstar veteran Evgeni Malkin play in every game since he returned from offseason surgery ahead of the 2021-22 season. Ahead of their meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Penguins will be without Malkin for the first time in 246 straight games.

As the Penguins took the ice for warmups, Malkin was an unexpected absence. Malkin was a full participant at the team’s morning skate and showed no signs of dealing with an injury or illness.

According to the Penguins, Malkin will be out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. Exact details of the injury are not certain and it’s not clear when the injury even occurred.

The Penguins state that Malkin will be out on a day-to-day basis.

The Penguins are kicking off a five-game home stand against the Blue Jackets, just a couple of days before Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers visit Pittsburgh.

Through the first 41 games of this season, Malkin has scored eight goals and 24 assists for 32 total points. Even at 38 years old, he’s showing he can still produce at a fairly high level.

With Malkin out against the Blue Jackets, the Penguins are also seeing a 209-game streak of both he and captain Sidney Crosby healthy and in the same lineup. By far the longest run of either of their careers, considering the 2022-23 campaign was the first time they both appeared in all 82 regular season games in a single season.

Jesse Puljujarvi will fill Malkin’s lineup spot and skate on the third line. This is Puljujarvi’s first game in a month and second since before American Thanksgiving.

Cody Glass is filling in as the Penguins second line center against the Blue Jackets.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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