Evgeni Malkin injured, Ryan Shea nears return
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 22: Taylor Hall #71 of the Carolina Hurricanes battles against Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 22, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images There was mixed injury news out of the Penguins’ game day skate this morning. A first sign of trouble was announced early in the day with the recall of forward Ville Koivunen.
Turns out Koivunen was needed because Evgeni Malkin is out for tonight’s game against Colorado with an undisclosed day-to-day upper body injury. Forward Evgeni Malkin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play tonight versus Colorado. pic.
twitter. com/qIW9Oa8pxw — Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 24, 2026 Anthony Mantha has shifted into Malkin’s normal spot on a line with Tommy Novak and Egor Chinakhov in response to this injury. Koivunen slid into the spot Mantha vacated with Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau at this morning’s skate.
Ryan Shea is taking part in today's full morning skate wearing a full shield. #LetsGoPens lines and D-pairs without Evgeni Malkin: Rakell-Crosby-Rust Chinakhov-Novak-Mantha Koivunen-Kindel-Brazeau Soderblom-Dewar-Acciari Wotherspoon-Karlsson Girard-Letang Shea-Clifton https://t. co/flWiKQ3SwM — Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) March 24, 2026 The good news for the Penguins is that Ryan Shea took part in the skate, with a full face shield following a collision with Adam Lowry during Saturday’s game.
Shea was unable to play on Sunday as a result. Arturs Silovs will take his turn in the goalie rotation and start tonight against the Avalanche.