Crosby and Malkin Sidelined for Penguins' Saturday Matchup Against Dallas

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will miss Saturday's game against the Stars as Pittsburgh defends a one-point lead in the Metropolitan Division.

Coach Dan Muse confirmed that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are classified as day-to-day and will not participate in Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars. This Crosby Malkin injury update comes as the Pittsburgh Penguins attempt to secure a postseason berth for the first time since 2022. The team currently holds second place in the Metropolitan Division standings, maintaining a narrow one-point lead over both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders. With only 10 games remaining in the regular season, the absence of these two franchise icons creates a significant void in the lineup during a critical playoff push.

Sidney Crosby, 38, exited Thursday’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Ottawa Senators after sustaining a lower-body injury during the first period. This latest physical setback follows a recent month-long absence for the captain, who previously suffered a different lower-body injury while representing Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Crosby’s inability to suit up on Saturday forces the Penguins to adjust their top-six forward group without their leading veteran presence.

Malkin’s Ongoing Upper-Body Absence

Evgeni Malkin is set to miss his third consecutive contest due to an upper-body injury. The issue originally came to light following Pittsburgh's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 22. By sitting out against Dallas, Malkin continues a recovery process that has already kept him off the ice for nearly a week. The loss of both centers simultaneously removes the core of the Penguins' offensive engine at a time when divisional rivals are within a single point of overtaking their position in the standings.

Metropolitan Division Standings Pressure

The timing of these injuries is particularly difficult given the congested nature of the NHL schedule. Following the Saturday night clash with the Stars, Pittsburgh must travel to face the New York Islanders on Monday. The team then returns home immediately to host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. This stretch of three games in four days will test the depth of a roster that is fighting to stay ahead of Columbus and the Islanders, who are both tied just one point behind the Penguins for the second seed in the division.

Road to the 2025 Postseason

Returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs is the primary objective for a Pittsburgh squad that has missed the tournament for two consecutive years. The 4-3 shootout win in Ottawa provided two points, but the cost was losing Crosby in the opening frame. Dan Muse’s squad must now navigate a busy week without their two highest-profile players, relying on the remaining healthy skaters to maintain their slim advantage in the Metropolitan Division. With only 10 matchups left on the calendar, every point is vital to ending the franchise's three-year postseason drought.