The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without their captain once again. Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for Saturday night’s matchup against the Dallas Stars, the team announced just hours before puck drop.
The Penguins’ official account confirmed the news early Saturday afternoon:
“Forwards Sidney Crosby (lower-body) and Evgeni Malkin (upper-body) will not play today versus Dallas and both remain day-to-day.”
Head coach Dan Muse addressed the media before Saturday’s game but offered little clarity on the nature of Crosby’s injury or a potential timeline for his return.
“Same thing, day-to-day for the health today,” Muse said when asked about his captain’s status.
When pressed on whether this injury is connected to Crosby’s previous ailment suffered during the 2026 Olympics in February, Muse gave a cryptic response
“It’s an old body, and so I think not just for all the guys that are out right now. I’ll tell you how they’re listed, but not gonna go into it any other than that.”
This is Crosby’s second consecutive game on the sidelines after he exited Thursday’s contest against Ottawa with a lower-body injury. The Penguins captain played just 6:39 before leaving the game managing only a single 38-second shift in the second period.
Sidney Crosby’s injury woes started at the Olympics
Crosby’s injury woes began on Feb. 18 when his leg bent awkwardly during Canada’s quarterfinal game at the Winter Olympics. He was placed on injured reserve and missed the remainder of the tournament including Canada’s run to the gold medal.
The Penguins captain returned to the Penguins lineup on Mar. 18 against Carolina, registering a goal and an assist in his comeback game. Thursday’s exit came in just his fifth game back since the Olympics.
Adding to Pittsburgh’s injury concerns, star center Evgeni Malkin will also miss Saturday’s game with an upper-body issue. The dual absences leave the Penguins without their top two centers at a critical juncture in the season.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Pittsburgh. The Penguins (36-20-16, 88 points) sit second in the Metropolitan Division but hold just a one-point lead over both Columbus and the New York Islanders in a tight playoff race.
Edited by Anjum Rajonno
