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Penguins coach Mike Sullivan minced no words when addressing Evgeni Malkin’s status for the team’s first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Geno will be in the lineup and full-go,” Sullivan said after the Penguins’ practice Tuesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.
Malkin also said he will play in Game 1 of the team’s first round series Wednesday against Columbus at PPG Paints Arena. He missed the final 13 games of the regular season with an upper-body injury.
“I will play tomorrow, for sure,” Malkin said Tuesday.
Malkin has been practicing with the team for nearly a week and appeared close to returning in the final two regular-season games. Instead, he’ll see his first action since March 15 in a postseason contest.
“It’s a long time,” Malkin said. “I hope my first game, I’ll do my best. I know it’s not easy, but what will you do? Just play. Just play a couple of shifts. After that, keep going. Play my game. Control the puck, a couple of hits and I’m ready to play.”
Malkin said he felt good shooting the puck Tuesday, taking wrist shots, slap shots and one-timers. He went through line rushes in his normal spot on the Penguins’ second line, working with wingers Bryan Rust and Phil Kessel.
“Geno’s obviously one of the best players in the world, and whenever he’s in the lineup, we’re a better team,” Kessel said.
Malkin returning to the ice would represent the biggest boost the Penguins have gotten over the past few weeks, as they’ve had a number of players returning from injury. No one quite as valuable, though, as Malkin, who finished second on the team in goals (33) and points (72) despite missing 20 games this season.
Malkin was in a similar situation last year, when he missed the last month of the season before returning in Game 2 of the Penguins’ first-round series against the Rangers.
“I think the biggest challenge is my legs,” he said. “Just first couple of shifts, I know it will be hard. I need to keep going. Not playing a long time, I know they’re coming. Take a couple of hits, a couple of shifts, and get ready.”