Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin were spotted walking around the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Tuesday looking no worse for wear. The problem was that neither took the ice for practice.
Malkin (lower-body) and Hagelin (upper-body) are officially considered day-to-day ahead of the Penguins’ Eastern Conference semifinal against the Washington Capitals, the exact start date still somehow unknown.
Will they play? How will the Penguins get by without one or both, assuming that’s necessary?
Together, that’s the most pressing question this series presents. Only three players had more than Malkin’s 98 points, while Hagelin produced eight goals and 25 points during the final 37 games of the regular season.