Penguins
Malkin Draws Four-Game Suspension For ‘Aggressive’ Crosscheck
The Pittsburgh Penguins, who have eight games remaining in the regular season, will be without center Evgeni Malkin for the first four of those, based on a suspension handed out Monday night by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Malkin drew the supplemental discipline for his crosscheck to the mouth of Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki in the second period of Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win. Borowiecki was bloodied and did not return to the game.
It was announced earlier Monday that Malkin would have a disciplinary hearing in the evening.
In the explanatory video supplied by the NHL, Malkin’s crosscheck was called “retaliatory and aggressive.”
He will forfeit $190,000 in salary, with the money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
It is the second time Malkin has been suspended in his career. The first was for one game in 2019 for a stick-swinging incident. He has also been fined three times.
Malkin has 17 goals, 37 points in 37 games this season, which began with him on the shelf after offseason knee surgery.
It’s not clear how Malkin’s absence will affect the Penguins’ lineup or line combinations. The team earlier Monday returned forwards Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. That would leave them with just 11 healthy forwards, unless Brock McGinn’s return from a suspected hand injury is imminent. Angello, Zohorna or another player could be recalled on an emergency basis.
Malkin will miss a home-and-home series against the New York Islanders — the Penguins can clinch a playoff berth with a regulation win Tuesday night on the road over the Islanders — and a home-and-home series against Boston.
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Not smart.
You have to believe McGinn is returning. I’m sure they knew Malkin was going to be out for a few, or is everyone in the organization looking through rose colored glasses?
If it was Tom Wilson DOPS would have said “Tom Wilson is taller and was trying to hit him in the chest but unfortunately the shorter man got hit in the teeth, also by slowing the tape down you can see Tom blinked so he obviously didn’t aim for his face so in conclusion since it’s only Wilsons 29th offence he gets a fine”. PS the players need to grow bigger in the NHL so Tom doesn’t do this anymore.
THANKS for all the emotional control Geno, how about putting the team first -8 for the month of April,take a good look in the mirror!!
Stupid is as stupid does! Looking forward to see what Hex does with 71.
They’re gonna sign him to an extension. Because he’s a hall of fame, all time great player and they have no other options.
Any other questions?
Maybe. We shall see.
I think he’s gonna be the only one they can “afford”…under the circumstances
I’m not surprised at a suspension but it is longer than I expected. I gotta say I was pissed at Malkin at the time for putting his team in a bad spot. At 9 1/2 million a year, there is zero excuse for the stunt he pulled.
Me too 2 games was appropriate should appeal and pay the fines Mixed emotions here our players are abused because we have no protection players Geno is a loose cannon as always he will be resigned Letang will get an offer as well why expect anything else.
I thought it’d be two. But he has a history of cheap shots after whistles. And Let’s be honest: the Crosby punch on a face off the day before probably didn’t help matters for pens players either.
Score goals…stop acting like it’s 2007 when you’re getting beat 3-2 with regularity
Crosby’s punch should have absolutely nothing to do with this. If gloved punches were and issue, players would be suspended after every net front scrum. The only thing different about the Crosby punch was Dowd’s Olympic quality diving skills.
Money has nothing to do with the emotions of a particular moment in an 82 game schedule.
The Pens take cheap shots all of the time and I’m glad that Malkin responded when he was slashed. Bullies left unchallenged will continue to bully.
If the league really cared about player safety, they would stop allowing hits long after the puck has left the area or clear boarding that happens regularly and puts players out for extended periods. The game changes from a skill game to an injure your opponent game at this time of the season with the leagues blessing, except when someone retaliates.
Get the instigator and there would be no retaliation. It’s like players hooking and riding Lemieux on a breakaway, it was holding, but it was stupidly allowed. Games seem dictated by officials in the playoffs, certain star players absorb a lot of abuse where talent seems pointless any more in the playoffs. Crosby’s line is small, so net front presence is out of the question again. Other lines need to contribute more in playoff hockey when Crosby’s line are mostly on the outside perimeter.
Dillon got nothing, not even a minor penalty for the head shot that broke Teddy’s jaw 4 games is excessive.
Just the the refs, league is inconsistent.
If the league gave out punishments in an even handed and fair way, I would have no issue with Malkin’s suspension. However, that’s not been the case ever. Bluegar’s jaw was broken, and no penalty or suspension awarded!
Just hope they sign Rakell and Rust before Malkin. If they lose Rakell because of Malkin I’m done with them following them since 1972 in the Battleship Kelley Era.