In the latest edition of the GM Show, which focused on the trade deadline, Kyle Dubas said that getting Sidney Crosby back would be the best trade deadline addition the Penguins could make.
And before 3 PM hit on Friday afternoon, the captain took one step closer to returning. He joined his teammates for the first time since getting injured in Canada’s quarterfinal matchup with Czechia in the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12. After returning from Italy, the Penguins announced that Crosby was expected to miss a minimum of four weeks.
Before taking the ice with the group, Crosby had done an individual workout alongside defenseman Jack St. Ivany, who underwent surgery in late January. The expected recovery time is up to eight weeks.
Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse said both players were non-contact, and that today was an optional skate, given the schedule and games coming up. But regardless of the status, the Penguins were thrilled to see Crosby take this next step in his return to play.
“It’s definitely a good feeling seeing him back on the ice. Hopefully, he’ll be back playing games for us soon,” Rickard Rakell said. “He’s our best player. Obviously, everybody wants him back, but we want him to be healthy as well.”
The Penguins are waiting to hear if they will also be without Evgeni Malkin for any length of time. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Malkin will have a hearing today for slashing Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin in Thursday’s loss. The incident occurred 38 seconds into the second period, with Malkin receiving a five-minute major for slashing and a game misconduct.
“I know that that's coming, in terms of the communication there with the league, and no comments for now,” Muse said.
