PITTSBURGH — For the first time in nearly a year, a small percentage of fans will be back at PPG Paints Arena for a Tuesday night rivalry game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Sidney Crosby will not.
The Penguins captain will be placed on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list, coach Mike Sullivan said on Tuesday afternoon. Crosby will not play and there is no public timeline for his return.
The unexpected news forced the Penguins to scrap a morning skate at the last minute in accordance with NHL protocol and reshuffle their lineup to fill a void in the middle.
"It's tough," Sullivan said. "The impact he has in the dressing room and on the bench, he's an influential player for us in so many areas. He's not an easy guy to replace by any stretch, but we have been through this experience in the past and have found ways to have success."
Sullivan issued a reminder that just because a player is on the list, it does not mean he has tested positive. Other reasons a player could be in the protocol include an initial positive test that remains unconfirmed or a high-risk close contact.
Still, the timing of the news is a gut punch to the team and to its fans. The day, at least symbolically, was to represent Western Pennsylvania rounding a corner in the fight against COVID-19 with about 2,800 fans (15% capacity) inside the arena. Instead, it began with a reminder that the virus remains an active part of our lives.
"As I said to our players, we can do all the right things and this kind of stuff could happen," Sullivan said.
Crosby is the third Penguins player to appear on the protocol list this season. When Kasperi Kapanen arrived late to training camp from Finland, he was listed as a formality as he completed his NHL-mandated quarantine period. Defenseman John Marino was also on the protocol list briefly. At that time, Sullivan issued similar reminders about the protocol and, sure enough, Marino missed just a single practice.
From an on-ice perspective, Crosby's absence will test the Penguins' depth at center. With fourth-line center Mark Jankowski injured, they were already forced to move Sam Lafferty to the middle the last two games. Jankowski will not play on Tuesday and is still day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Evan Rodrigues, another center candidate, is still on long-term injured reserve.
When Sullivan was asked about players who could fill the void in the middle, Jared McCann was the first player he named. McCann had been skating on Evgeni Malkin's left wing in a top-six role with Jason Zucker out longer term. However, the lines will likely need to be significantly reshuffled with Crosby becoming the second member of the top six to be sidelined.
Crosby recently celebrated his 1,000th career game. He has tallied seven goals and 11 assists in 20 games.
With the captain sidelined, pressure and expectations shift naturally to the other star center, Evgeni Malkin. Over his career, the big Russian has found a way to elevate his game when Crosby has been sidelined. Most recently, he stepped up last year to become one of the main reasons the Penguins compiled the NHL's best record during a prolonged stretch without the NHL's biggest name.
"In my experience of coaching him, when Sid hasn't been in the lineup, Geno finds another level to his game," Sullivan said. "That's what we're going to need from him in order to have success."
Malkin recently admitted he's still not happy with his performance. Through 20 games, he has just four goals and eight assists. Perhaps this bout of adversity and a little extra energy from fans could be the spark that reignites the star.
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While the main attraction will be missing, the Penguins are looking forward to welcoming a percentage of their fanbase back to the arena. The game will mark the first game at PPG Paints Arena with fans since a March 8, 2020 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"We're real excited," Sullivan said. "They're such a big part of the experience. It hasn't been easy playing in empty buildings here for a while. I think our players are really excited about the opportunity to have fans back in the building.
"We're grateful for the loyalty that our fans showed during this difficult time. We feel like we have some of the most loyal fans in sports. These guys have been so supportive of our players over the years. I know our players are appreciative of that."
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Rodrigues and Brian Dumoulin skated with the taxi squad on Tuesday morning as they continue to rehab from injuries. Meanwhile, Juuso Riikola has been skating with the main group.
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