Sidney Crosby will start the season on the injured non-roster list, while Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin is going to the long-term injured reserve list.
The Penguins announced the roster moves on Tuesday ahead of their season opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Additional updates: Evgeni Malkin has been placed on long-term injured reserve. Sidney Crosby’s status has been changed to injured non-roster. Zach Aston-Reese has been added to the NHL’s COVID protocol list.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 12, 2021
Crosby underwent wrist surgery Sept. 8. His recovery was expected to take at least six weeks, which would see him sidelined through the first week of the regular season.
In 55 regular-season games last year, Crosby led the Penguins with 62 points, scoring 24 times and assisting on 38 others. Crosby was held to one goal and one assist in Pittsburgh’s six-game loss to the New York Islanders in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Malkin is expected to miss at least the first two months of the NHL season after having knee surgery at the start of June.
Meanwhile, the Penguins have signed forward Brian Boyle to a one-year, $750,000 deal.
Boyle was in camp with the Penguins on a professional tryout after not playing in the NHL last season. The 36-year-old has 130 goals and 101 assists in 805 career NHL games.
The Penguins also have recalled forwards Anthony Angello and Drew O’Connor from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, while forward Zach Aston-Reese has been added to the NHL’s COVID protocol list.
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