Crosby missed the preseason and the first seven regular-season games after he had wrist surgery Sept. 8.
Center
Jeff Carter
, who has missed three games since entering the NHL COVID-19 protocol Oct. 22, also will play.
"I think it goes without saying, they offer us so much on both sides of the puck," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said after the morning skate Saturday. "We're just a much better hockey team when they're in our lineup. So we're excited to have them back in the lineup."
Crosby and Carter each practiced fully Friday after skating on the second rink beforehand with forwards
Evgeni Malkin
(knee) and Bryan Rust (lower body), who did not take part in practice.
Crosby was first-line center for a second straight practice after returning to that spot Wednesday. Carter, who was center on the first line the first four games this season, took rushes at second-line center. Each practiced on the top power-play unit.
"I think it gives us more depth," Sullivan said. "It makes our power play more dangerous. It makes matchups more difficult for our opponents. It has a ripple effect on our whole team. But these guys are real good players. It's nice to get some of these guys starting to come back into our lineup."
Carter said he hadn't been on the ice for 10 days before practicing Friday.
"I felt really good the whole time. I didn't have any issues," he said. "I was able to do some bike rides and stuff like that. But when you're stuck in the basement, there's not a ton you can do. So was able to do what I could."
The Penguins (3-2-2) have been outscored 9-1 in two straight losses after starting the season on a five-game point streak. They have played all seven games without Crosby and Malkin, who is expected to be out until at least December after having knee surgery June 4.
When healthy, Crosby and Malkin would be the top two centers with Carter on the third line. Rust, who is week to week with a lower-body injury and has missed five games, is first-line right wing.
Pittsburgh also is without top-pair defenseman
Kris Letang
, who entered COVID-19 protocol Saturday.
Crosby led the Penguins with 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 55 games last season. Carter scored 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 14 games with Pittsburgh last season after being traded from the Los Angeles Kings on April 12. He scored four points (one goal, three assists) in four games this season.
"My 6-year-old at home is excited for whenever [Crosby] can get back on the ice," forward Brian Boyle said Friday. "He was disappointed [Thursday] night. … I got him a Penguins jersey. He turned it around. I saw the disappointment on his face when it said 'Boyle, 11' on it."
Crosby said after practice Oct. 29 that the wrist injury had bothered him since March 23, 2014, when forward Ryan Reaves, then with the St. Louis Blues, caught him in the wrist. He said the issue normally would resolve itself with rest during the offseason. After the wrist didn't respond how it usually would this offseason, Crosby said surgery was the only option to avoid missing significant games later in the regular season.
"He looks like Sidney Crosby," said Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues, who was right wing on the first line with Crosby on Friday. "It looks like he hasn't missed a beat. From the first drill of practice he goes 100 miles an hour and is playing at a top speed. It's nice to have him back. Hopefully he gets in a game here soon."
