CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad will be out longer-term for the Pittsburgh Penguins with lower-body injuries, coach Mike Sullivan said Monday.
Sullivan said he would expect Malkin to miss more time than Bjugstad. He also said he does not consider Malkin's injury to be season-threatening.
Neither center practiced Monday after sustaining the injuries during the Penguins 7-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Pittsburgh will play its first game without Malkin and Bjugstad against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, TSN3, NHL.TV).
"Whenever players go down, it always provides an opportunity for someone else to step up," Sullivan said. "That's just the nature of our business. Fortunately, we have some guys that we can put into the center-ice position that have familiarity and a comfort level there."
Video: CBJ@PIT: Malkin leaves with injury in 2nd
Malkin left midway through the second period Saturday when he tripped over Penguins defenseman Kris Letang before tumbling into the boards. He stickhandled in the bench doorway for a few seconds while wearing street clothes before practice Monday.
Bjugstad was injured early in the third period Saturday.
The Penguins are already without Bryan Rust, who had been the second-line right wing late in training camp before sustaining an upper-body injury when taking a shot to the hand in the final preseason game Sept. 28. Rust is expected to be out longer-term.
Jared McCann, who had three points (two goals, one assist) against Columbus, moved from third-line left wing to center on the second line after Malkin left the game Saturday. He was there again with left wing Alex Galchenyuk and right wing Brandon Tanev during line rushes Monday.
"It should be easy. I grew up playing center," McCann said. "It doesn't matter. I just want to play. I've been given a great opportunity here. ... I feel like we have such a deep team here that you have to play the same way with everybody. Everybody's got that skill to them."
Galchenyuk had two assists after McCann replaced Malkin on Saturday.
"I don't think I have to adjust," Galchenyuk said. "[McCann] is a good player, of course. ... He has all the great offensive instincts."
Teddy Blueger took over for Bjugstad at third-line center during practice.
Forward Dominik Kahun, who was acquired in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks on June 15, could also play center, Sullivan said. He was fourth-line right wing Saturday.
With Malkin absent, Pittsburgh used two defensemen (Justin Schultz and Letang) on the top power-play unit Monday. They joined forwards Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Galchenyuk.
Malkin, in his 14th NHL season, scored Pittsburgh's only goal on a power play in a 3-1 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday before being held without a point Saturday. The No. 2 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft had 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) and was an NHL career-worst minus-25 in 68 games last season.
The Hart Trophy winner voted as NHL MVP in 2012 has 1,003 points (392 goals, 611 assists) in 854 NHL games, all with the Penguins, and won the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Bjugstad, chosen by the Florida Panthers with the No. 19 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, does not have a point in two games this season. He has 205 points (96 goals, 109 assists) in 428 NHL games.
After being acquired in a trade with the Panthers along with McCann for centers Riley Sheahan, Derick Brassard and three draft picks on Feb. 1, Bjugstad had 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 32 games for the Penguins last season.
Tanev said he doesn't expect Pittsburgh's quality of play to drop much without Malkin or Bjugstad.
"You just continue to play your game," Tanev said. "You try to build chemistry and confidence with whoever you're out there with. Once you have a game plan and understand how to go about it, I think things become easier."
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October 08, 2019 at 12:17AM
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