Penguins News and Notes
*Team officials announced this afternoon that X-rays on Evgeni Malkin’s right foot came back negative. Malkin is listed as day-to-day with what is regarded as a bone bruise.
The Penguins had the day off today and return to practice tomorrow morning. The team will depart for New Jersey Tuesday afternoon following practice as the team has two games remaining on their five game road trip.
*Head coach Dan Bylsma praised the play of Tyler Kennedy following Sunday’s game as Kennedy returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games.
The odd-man out Sunday afternoon was Maxime Talbot and indications are the team will not let Talbot play his way back into form from last season.
Talbot who is having an awful season, is in a position where he’s a strong candidiate to be a scratch game in and game out as other role players like Craig Adams have solidified their status in the eyes of the coaching staff as locks to stay in the lineup.
A question surrounding the team is whether the coaching staff should give Talbot every opportunity to regain his 2009 playoff form, like they are giving Ruslan Fedotenko who has 9 goals and a team-worst minus-18 rating in 67 games played.
Talbot who was third on the Penguins with 8 playoff goals last post-season, played a vital role on Evgeni Malkin’s line but is quickly finding out that the NHL is a what have you done for me lately business.