Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin, Teddy Blueger placed on injured reserve

Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Teddy Blueger have been placed on injured reserve due to undisclosed ailments.

Malkin’s designation is retroactive to March 16 while Blueger’s is retroactive to March 15.

Following his team’s morning skate at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Penguins coach Mike Sullivan indicated Malkin is still being evaluated for an ailment he suffered during Tuesday’s 2-1 home loss against the Boston Bruins.

During the first period, Malkin was dropped on a check by Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi. As the sequence unfolded, their right knees appeared to collide.

Appearing in 29 games this season, Malkin is the team’s third-leading scorer with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists).

The nature of Blueger’s injury is not known, publicly at least. After completing Monday’s 5-1 home win against the Bruins, Blueger was scratched for the rematch on Tuesday.

In 28 games this season, Blueger has scored 15 points (four goals, 11 assists).

Players on injured reserve must remain there for a minimum of seven days.

Notes:

• Defenseman John Marino was activated from injured reserve and has been labeled as a “game-time decision” for Thursday’s road game against the New Jersey Devils. He has missed the past four games due to an undisclosed injury.

In 25 games this season, he has four points (one goal, three assists).

• Forward Jared McCann and Mark Friedman each participated in a full-contact capacity during the morning skate on Thursday but will remain sidelined according to Sullivan. They are currently on injured reserve.

McCann has missed the past five games due to an undisclosed injury. In 17 games this season, he has 10 points (five goals, five assists).

Friedman has been sidelined for the past seven games for an undisclosed ailment, possibly a head injury. In two games with the Penguins, he has two points (one goal, one assist).

• Earlier on Thursday, the Penguins recalled forward Radim Zohorna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

• Forwards Anthony Angello, Frederick Gaudreau and Colton Sceviour were recalled from the taxi squad to the active NHL roster. They have been shuffled back and forth between the taxi squad and active roster repeatedly this season for the benefit of the team’s salary cap.

Angello has appeared in 10 NHL games this season and has one goal.

Gaudreau could make his debut for the Penguins on Thursday. A free agent signing this past offseason, Gaudreau has played in six American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season and has four points (one goal, three assists).

Sceviour has played in 21 NHL games this season and has three points (two goals, one assist).

• Forward Josh Currie and Josh Maniscalco have been recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and assigned to the taxi squad.

Currie has played in one NHL game this season and has no points. Serving as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s captain, he has appeared in five AHL games and has four points (three goals, one assist).

Mansicalco, a first-year professional, has appeared in two AHL games this season and has no points.

• Goaltender Tristan Jarry is expected to start for the Penguins. In 20 games this season, Jarry has a 12-7-1 record along with a 2.89 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.

• The Devils are expected to start goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. In 16 games this season, Blackwood has a 3.05 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.

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