Pens Tidbits: Malkin’s knee injury worrisome

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will remain in Pittsburgh this week to undergo further evaluation and treatment on his surgically repaired knee.

Malkin who has already missed three of the Penguins six games this season due to knee soreness, including three of the past four, will miss both games on the Penguins upcoming road trip to Winnipeg and Minnesota.

Malkin is dealing with pain around his surgically repaired knee in what is being described by Malkin and the team as scar tissue for now.

On a sidenote, early last week head coach Dan Bylsma had previously said the knee soreness had nothing to do with his repaired knee but we learned from Malkin on Thursday morning that was bogus.

The pain for Malkin has been troublesome for him and he dealt with a lot during Thursday’s game despite a two assist effort.

According to those close to the situation, Malkin was determined to play on Thursday no matter what due the team honoring Lokomtotiv Yaroslavl and that meant so much to him, but from a health standpoint, maybe the Penguins should have stepped in.

Internally the team is cautiously optimistic they are not dealing with a long-term injury but it is worrisome to some inside the organization.

*After Tuesday, night the Penguins will have played 8 games in 13 days that will have included a Western Canada Swing, a trip to Winnipeg and Minnesota.

*Due to the gestures, what got lost in the shuffle of the Arron Asham – Jay Beagle fight from Thursday night is that how the fight startered is why fightning needs to remain in the game. Asham coming to the defense of teammate Kris Letang are the type of fights that belong in the league.

*James Neal is tied for the NHL lead with 5 goals and his ability to get off to this type of start is going to have long-term implications as that cloud over him is no longer there.

* Zbynek Michalek a team worst minus-6, has a plus/minus of minus-9 in the month of October since the 2010-2011 season.

*In addition to Malkin, the Penguins reported this evening that Sidney Crosby, Brooks Orpik and Dustin Jeffrey did not make the trip to Winnipeg. The three will continue their rehab in Pittsburgh. Orpik continues to go through individual workouts and is close to being cleared to resume practice with his teammates.