After an injury-plagued 2021 that saw Evgeni Malkin miss nearly half of Pittsburgh’s regular-season games, the Russian veteran had successful surgery on his right knee. Malkin, who turns 35 in July, is not expected to be ready for training camp. The 2004 second overall pick initially suffered the injury in a game against the Boston Bruins in mid-March. Malkin would miss the final six weeks of the season and the first two games on Pittsburgh’s first-round playoff matchup with the New York Islanders.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion made an immediate impact upon his return, notching a pair of assists in a Game 3 win to give the Pens a 2-1 series lead.