Are the Pittsburgh Penguins talented enough to survive without Evgeni Malkin?

The Pittsburgh Penguins will have their depth of talent tested after losing Evgeni Malkin to a “long term” lower body injury, but are they talented enough to survive his absence?

It’s only two games into the Pittsburgh Penguins’ new season, and things are already starting to unravel following key subtractions to their lineup, with Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad revealed to be out long term with injuries, the team announced on Monday.

Both of these injuries were suffered during the Penguins’ 7-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 5. Malkin was injured late in the second period after being tripped by teammate Kris Letang and slamming into the boards, as well as being hit by Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Bjugstad was injured after crashing into the Columbus net early in the third period.

It was later revealed by Darren Dreger that Malkin suffered a soft tissue injury in his leg, and is expected to miss about a month. If Malkin were to return for the Penguins’ first November game on Nov. 2, he would miss 11 games, including marquee matchups against the Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Philadelphia Flyers.

The Penguins were already missing forward Bryan Rust heading into the season with a hand injury that will have him out of the lineup for some time, and now adding Malkin and Bjugstad to that injury list marks the subtraction of three of their top six forwards. The combined loss of Malkin and Bjugstad is a near impossible hole to fill, as both of them contribute significantly at even strength.

For Malkin, this injury could not have come at a worse time for the 33-year-old superstar. Malkin endured a long summer after a personal down year with 72 points and a career low of 21 goals in the 2018-19 season, along with having to deal with trade rumors as the Penguins looked to change things up heading into this year. Malkin opened up about his struggles during last season and this offseason in an interview with Rob Rossi of The Athletic (subscription required), and outlined his desire for a bounce back season. For now; however, his resurgence is going to have to wait.

Losing two of your top three centers is obviously not an ideal scenario for any team in the NHL at any point in the season, but it is the reality that the Penguins have to deal with for at least the next month. So, what can they do about it?

Fortunately for the Penguins, their real threat on the top line remains unscathed. Sidney Crosby has been, and always will be, the driver of the bus for Pittsburgh, and the increased work load that will inevitably be asked of him over the next month is something he can undoubtedly handle. Jake Guentzel as Crosby’s partner in crime on the top line still remains as one of the most threatening scoring duos in the league, but while they can be relied upon to produce at an elite level, they won’t be able to do everything themselves.

With both Malkin and Bjugstad out, it appears that 23-year-old Jared McCann will jump from third line winger to second line center, which he has played in the past before coming to Pittsburgh. Expected to be on McCann’s wings are newly acquired Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Tanev, at least for the time being.

While this new second line may seem passable on paper, it is paramount for the Penguins success that each and every member of this line takes their game to the next level over the next month, most importantly McCann. McCann stepped up in the Penguins’ win over the Blue Jackets with a three point night that included two goals. While it is unreasonable to expect that he’ll do that every night, it is a necessity that his offensive production take a step forward from years past.

Of course, the bottom six forwards for Pittsburgh will also have to do their share. Teddy Blueger will step in at third line center, with Dominik Kahun and Patric Hornqvist as his wingers. Zach Aston-Reese will center the fourth line with AHL callups Andrew Agozzino and Sam Lafferty.

The Penguins are back in action for the first time since losing Malkin and Bjugstad on Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets, who are also dealing with debilitating injuries of their own. The rest of the month, however, is far from an easy schedule, as the real threat for the Penguins begins on Oct. 16, where five of the next seven teams they face made the playoffs last season.

While it is only October, and teams often recover from slow starts early in the season down the line, the Metropolitan Division looks to be a gauntlet this year and the Penguins cannot afford to fall behind. Finding a way to win these tough games while missing Malkin, Bjugstad and Rust would be a great way to set the tone for the rest of the season, and put them in good shape to make the playoffs for the 14th year in a row.