Evgeni Malkin Suspended for Five Games After Aggression
The Pittsburgh Penguins forward, Evgeni Malkin, has been suspended for five games due to a slash on Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during Thursday’s game between the two teams. Malkin will lose $158,854.15 of his salary. The sanction came after Malkin received a major penalty of more than five minutes and an ejection from the game. The NHL’s Player Safety Department announced its decision on Friday, following a telephone hearing with Malkin. The incident occurred when Malkin reacted to a hit from Dahlin with a “cross-check” near the Sabres’ goal. Although the referee signaled a penalty for Dahlin, Malkin responded by hitting Dahlin in the head with his stick. Subsequently, Malkin tried to start a fight, but the referees intervened and removed him from the ice.Malkin had already been fined five times and suspended twice in his career. In addition, he has had other infractions related to the use of the stick. The absence of Malkin represents a hard blow for the Penguins. Although captain Sidney Crosby is recovering from an injury, his return is not yet imminent. The Penguins will have to face this period without two of their key players. Malkin has had an outstanding season, with 13 goals and 47 points in 45 games. Pittsburgh’s general manager, Kyle Dubas, had the opportunity to reinforce the roster during the trade deadline, but only made a small move, acquiring Elmer Soderblom from Detroit in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026. Dubas also announced that the Penguins are calling up Ville Koivunen from the AHL in anticipation of Malkin’s suspension. Dubas admitted to being affected by Malkin’s penalty, but quickly tried to focus on the team’s strategy.“This is not the case of an unbalanced player lowering his stick without control or as a result of a player whose movements were directly influenced by the opposing player, nor is it the case of a careless player who accidentally makes contact with an opponent. This is an intentional stick swing that hits an opponent at a dangerous height and is delivered with the force necessary for further discipline,” stated the Player Safety Department.
Player Safety Department
It remains to be seen whether the suspension will affect ongoing negotiations with Malkin for a contract extension. Malkin will be a restricted free agent this summer, and Dubas has reiterated that the decision to keep Malkin will be based on “whatever is best” for the Penguins overall. Pittsburgh currently holds second place in the Metropolitan Division, but is in a tight competition for the position with the New York Islanders and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Malkin may be able to play again with the Penguins on March 16 against the Avalanche.“I think you probably go through the same reaction as anyone who follows a team every day,” Dubas said. “That is, at first, you get a little excited about the impact it would have on the team, and then I think my job is to immediately pull myself away from that and go back to, OK, what’s the plan? What do we already have [in our organization]?”
Kyle Dubas
