Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin rejoins teammates on ice
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin participated in his team’s morning skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta on Monday.
This marked the first time Malkin has joined his teammates in such a setting since he underwent surgery on his injured right knee this past summer.
Coach Mike Sullivan stressed Malkin participated in a non-contact fashion but conveyed quite a bit of optimism over Malkin’s continued recovery.
“(Malkin) obviously is at the next stage of his rehab process where our medical team thinks he’s ready to get more players around him and participate in a non-contact fashion,” Sullivan said to media in Calgary. “That was the motivation to bring him on this trip to get him around more players. We’re excited about that step. That’s certainly more encouraging.”
On the first day of training camp in September, general manager Ron Hextall said Malkin would miss at least the first two months of the season. Since then, the team has not provided anything close to a hard date for a return. Sullivan continued to be vague when asked for a more defined timeline on Monday.
“We’ve got a rough time frame,” Sullivan said. “It’s real significant that he’s taking this next step because it suggests that he’s that much closer. The final step would be participation in a full capacity, non-contact, spontaneous play. Things of that nature. Not a controlled environment that we have him in right now. But certainly, the fact that he’s joining the team, that he’s around other players, that he’s participating in a controlled circumstance is a big step for him. We’re really encouraged by the progress that he’s making.”
Malkin continues to be designated to long-term injured reserve.
Bryan Rust remains home
Forward Bryan Rust did not accompany the team on its road trip through the western portion of the continent and remained home to rehabilitate an undisclosed injury.
The team placed Rust on injured reserve Sunday, retroactive to Friday when he was injured during warmups prior to a 1-0 road win against the New York Islanders. Sullivan indicated Rust will remain in Pittsburgh to recuperate.
Rust’s season has not gone smoothly as this is the second time he has been placed on injured reserve. He missed seven games after suffering an undisclosed injury on Oct. 14.
In total, Rust, typically the team’s top right wing, has appeared in 12 games and has nine points (two goals, seven assists) while averaging 18:13 of ice time per contest.
Welcome back Drew O’Connor
With Rust off the active roster, the Penguins recalled rookie forward Drew O’Connor from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Sunday.
He was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 14 to make room on the roster for a handful of veteran players returning to the lineup.
“Part of the decisions that have been made here with respect to Drew revolve around the business of the game,” Sullivan said. “We’re really encouraged with the progress that he’s made, the development that he’s made. We think that he’s played really well for us here in Pittsburgh in the time that he was here. He continued to play well when he was in Wilkes-Barre. He played center there for a period of time. He was involved in the penalty kill. Just different areas where we’d like him to get (repetitions) so potentially we could use him in that circumstance up here in Pittsburgh.”
In 12 NHL games this season, O’Connor scored five points (three goals, two assists) while averaging 11:02 of ice time per contest.
Appearing in five AHL games, O’Connor has five points (two goals, three assists).
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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