Penguins lose Malkin to long-term injury

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin is sidelined long term with a lower-body injury but is not expected to miss the entire season, coach Mike Sullivan announced Monday.

Sullivan also announced that fellow forward Nick Bjugstad is out long term as well. He is not expected to miss as much time as Malkin, Sullivan said.

Malkin and Bjugstad sustained their respective lower-body injuries during Pittsburgh’s 7-2 win over Columbus on Saturday.

A former Hart Trophy recipient, Malkin was injured after tripping over Penguins defenceman Kris Letang midway through the second period. Bjugstad sustained his injury in the third.

Malkin, 33, had one goal in two games this season after posting 21 goals and 72 points to go along with a career-worst minus-25 rating in 68 games in 2018-19.

Bjugstad, 27, has been pointless for the Penguins. He recorded nine goals and five assists in 32 games with Pittsburgh in 2018-19 after being acquired from the Florida Panthers.

The Penguins (1-1) play host to the struggling Winnipeg Jets (1-2) on Tuesday.

The Jets are banged up going into the game. Winnipeg lost defenceman Josh Morrissey to an upper body injury just prior to Sunday’s loss to the New York Islanders, adding another stitch to their patchwork blue line. However, he was back at practice on Monday and appears to be fine. The Jets will be without his defence partner Dmitry Kulikov, who has gone home to deal with a personal matter. This will put more pressure on a blue line already dealing with the departures of Jacob Trouba, Ben Chiarot and Tyler Myers, as well as the uncertain future of Dustin Byfuglien.

Former Jets winger Brandon Tanev, who signed a rich free agent deal with the Penguins in the off-season, has been playing on the Penguins’ second line so far this season and has one assist.