NHL Buzz: Malkin week to week for Penguins, placed on injured reserve

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin is week to week with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve by the Penguins on Monday.

The center sustained the injury during a 4-1 loss at the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Malkin has 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists) in 47 games this season.

"He's an important player for us,” coach Mike Sullivan said prior to Pittsburgh’s 2-1 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Monday. “He's a top-two center, he's dynamic with the puck. He's not an easy guy to replace."

The Penguins recalled forwards Bokondji Imama and Jesse Puljujarvi from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Owen Pickering, a defenseman, was sent to the AHL. -- Max Miller

New York Islanders

Ryan Pulock and Marcus Hogberg are out indefinitely with upper-body injuries sustained during a 3-2 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Pulock, a defenseman, left 15 seconds into his first shift after he got tangled up with Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake behind the Islanders net. He has 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) and is plus-7 in 48 games while averaging 21:55 of ice time.

Hogberg was replaced in goal by Ilya Sorokin for overtime after he made 24 saves. It appeared he injured his right hand following a save on a slap shot from Shayne Gostisbehere before the two collided just outside of the crease. Hogberg is 2-2-0 with a 1.45 goals-against average and .947 save percentage in seven games (five starts).

“You don't like losing players -- there's no doubt about it, especially the way they both were playing,” coach Patrick Roy said Monday. “They were playing really well for us. So, I mean, they’re bad losses and important ones, but at the same time, it gives opportunities to other guys to take advantage of it.”

With Semyon Varlamov (lower body) still on long-term injured reserve, goalie Jakub Skarek was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Monday. Skarek is 5-11-1 with a 3.22 GAA and .895 save percentage in 20 AHL games.

Noah Dobson, who sustained a lower-body injury in a 3-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 20, is week to week and also on LTIR. Dobson leads Islanders defensemen in goals (six), assists (18), points (24) and average time on ice (24:01). Defenseman Tony DeAngelo was signed for the remainder of the season and made his Islanders debut Saturday.

The Islanders also acquired defenseman Scott Perunovich from the St. Louis Blues after practice Monday for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

“It's honestly laughable at this point,” forward Mathew Barzal said. “It's just, like, when's it going to stop? But at the end of the day, we've banded together throughout every injury this season. [Pulock and Hogberg] are two real key guys for us. We’ll just have to find a way.”

New York hosts the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+). -- Stefen Rosner

New Jersey Devils

Nico Hischier is being evaluated for an undisclosed injury and did not play in a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.

The center and Devils captain left a 4-3 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday after playing the first shift of the third period. Hischier was cross-checked by Canadiens center Nick Suzuki late in the second period.

"He's doing OK," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "He's gone back to Jersey to get evaluated, and we'll have more information once we get that figured out."

Hischier leads the Devils with 24 goals in 51 games and is second among forwards with an average ice time of 20:21.

Dawson Mercer moved into Hischier's spot as second-line center between Timo Meier and Stefan Noesen.

"Nico means a great deal to our team," Keefe said. "He just takes on so much. He might have the hardest job in hockey right now, in terms of level of competition he plays against, the face-offs he has to take in both dots and all three zones. Power play, face-offs, penalty kill. He means a great deal to our team, so if you take him out, then there's opportunities there for others to step up.

“I think for someone like Mercer, you're wanting those opportunities, you're wanting to be leaned on, you're wanting to be counted on. And to me, he was outstanding in the third period the other night in Montreal when we asked him to step into that role, and that's what you need.” -- Adam Kimelman

Columbus Blue Jackets

Sean Monahan is expected to be sidelined an additional 6-8 weeks to recover from a wrist injury sustained against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 7.

The center was placed on injured reserve by the Blue Jackets on Jan. 9.

"Do we want 'Monnie' in our lineup? Absolutely," coach Dean Evason said. "But he'll get fixed up and people will continually step up in his absence. We look forward to him coming back."

Monahan, 30, is in his first season with Columbus after signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) on July 1, 2024. He has 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 41 games.

Boone Jenner practiced Saturday for the first time since having shoulder surgery Oct. 9. The Blue Jackets captain had been skating on his own for several weeks.

"Definitely a good step in the process," Jenner said. "Feels like it's been a long, long time and it has. Obviously, it's a morning skate, so a couple practices next week will, I think, be a bit more helpful with getting some 5-on-5s, stuff like that."

Jenner, a center, was injured during a preseason practice Oct. 4. He had 35 points (22 goals, 13 assists) in 58 games last season. His goal from the onset of his recovery was to return by the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium on March 1, when the Blue Jackets play their first outdoor game against the Red Wings.

"I'm definitely hoping to play that one, no doubt," he said. "But just day by day right now, and this was a big step today, getting back to practice." -- Craig Merz

Ottawa Senators

Linus Ullmark was a full participant during the morning skate Saturday and is nearing a return from a tweaked back.

The goalie has missed the past 15 games, including a 3-1 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday, since leaving after the first period of a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 22.

Senators coach Travis Green said Ullmark's status has been upgraded to day to day.

"The fact that he's on the ice with us in a team setting, he's a lot closer than he was three days ago," Green said Saturday. "I expect him to play sooner than later."

Defenseman Nick Jensen missed his second straight game Sunday with an undisclosed injury. He could return this week.

Ottawa (26-20-4) hosts the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

"He's been playing banged up a little bit, so hopefully the weekend will reset him," Green said. -- Callum Fraser