It was a long wait but Evgeni Malkin made his season debut on Tuesday evening against the Anaheim Ducks. Malkin missed 34 games recovering from offseason knee surgery and his return pushes the Penguins closer to full health. [Penguins]
Perhaps no one is looking forward to Malkin’s return than expected line mate Kasperi Kapanen. While much has been written about Kapanen’s struggles this season, getting his center back will hopefully be what elevates his game. [Trib Live]
Malkin’s return should have forced the Penguins into some lineup shuffling to make room but COVID took care of that for Mike Sullivan.