The injury crisis deepens for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they place star center Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve following a lower-body injury sustained during a 4-1 defeat against the Seattle Kraken. The 38-year-old, who has a season total of nine goals and 34 points in 47 games, has been inconsistent lately, managing only two goals in his last ten outings. His absence is a massive blow for the Penguins, who are already struggling to stay in playoff contention. To fill the roster gap, the team has recalled Jesse Puljujarvi from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Puljujarvi, who had previously been waived by the Penguins, has recorded three goals and nine points in 25 NHL games this season.