PITTSBURGH — NHL scoring champion Evgeni Malkin will be lost to the Penguins for two to three weeks because of a strained right shoulder.
Malkin had been attempting to play through the injury, but coach Dan Bylsma said the team decided to rest the center. The Russian star would miss seven games if he is out two weeks and 10 games if he is out three.
“He strained his shoulder about 10 days or so ago,” Bylsma said Thursday. “I don’t know the exact day. It is precautionary for the player. We are worried about the safety of the shoulder. A couple of weeks of rest and rehab will get that thing healthy.”
The injury will end Malkin’s streak of 254 consecutive regular-season games played. The Penguins play the Blue Jackets tonight.
“It’s early in the season. It’s fine,” Malkin said. “It’s not a big problem.”
Footnotes.
St. Louis captain Eric Brewer, who had not played since Dec. 11 after having back surgery twice to repair a sciatic nerve that at one point was thought to be career threatening, made a surprise return to the Blues’ lineup against the Coyotes.
• Sabres rookie defenseman Tyler Myers is staying in Buffalo after an impressive nine-game stint.
• The Coyotes reassigned rookie defenseman Sean Sullivan to their AHL affiliate in San Antonio.
The Associated Press
