Malkin 'week to week;' McCann replaces him on No. 2 line taken in Newark, N.J.  (Penguins)

PENGUINS

Jared McCann.

NEWARK, N.J. -- The Penguins still don't know when Evgeni Malkin will play for them again.

Mike Sullivan said Friday that Malkin is officially listed as "week to week" with an unspecified lower-body injury sustained when he was checked by Boston defenseman Jarred Tinordi Tuesday.

And while that might sound a bit ominous, Sullivan added that "there's a strong possibility" Malkin will return during the regular season, which has 26 games remaining.

He declined to say whether Malkin's prognosis was more or less troubling than he expected at the time of the injury.

"I'm not really sure we had it one way or the other on the initial prognosis," Sullivan said. "We were waiting for the doctors to make their diagnosis, and we got that information this morning.

"Obviously, when you lose (Malkin), it's a tough loss, from our standpoint, for everything that he brings to our team. But we're certainly encouraged that we'll get him back, hopefully, in a timely fashion."

The update on Malkin's status was, understandably, but overshadowed some encouraging news about Jason Zucker, who has missed the past 13 games because of an unspecified lower-body injury.

Sullivan said Zucker skated on his own for the second consecutive day Friday, an indication that, while his return probably isn't imminent, he is making significant progress.

Sullivan characterized that step in Zucker's recovery as "really encouraging."

Zucker had been working on the No. 2 line with Malkin when he was injured.

If he is back in the lineup before Malkin, which seems like a very real possibility, Zucker's center might well be Jared McCann, who worked between Brandon Tanev and Kasperi Kapanen on the second line during practice at Prudential Center Friday, and who is expected to be there when the Penguins face New Jersey Saturday at 1:08 p.m.

Evan Rodrigues filled in for Malkin when he left the game Tuesday and again during the Penguins' 3-2 loss to the Devils here Thursday, but McCann is poised to audition as Malkin's short-term replacement.

McCann has played all three forward positions since the Penguins acquired him from Florida, including some unimpressive stints at center.

Sullivan pointed out, though, that center is McCann's natural position.

"He has a comfort level playing there," Sullivan said. "He can take faceoffs. He brings a lot of speed. He distributes the puck well. The versatility Jared brings to our team, we believe, is beneficial."

For his part, McCann believes that his game will mesh well with those of Kapanen and Tanev.

"When you play with highly skilled guy, like (Tanev and Kapanen), it's pretty easy," he said. 

McCann was on a bit of an offensive roll when he was injured, having scored three times in his final six games.

"He's a really good player for us," defenseman Kris Letang said. "To have him back in the lineup is a big thing. Having (Malkin) out right now, it helps us filling that spot."

MORE FROM PRACTICE

• After the practice, the Penguins announced that forwards Colton Sceviour, Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna had been assigned to the taxi squad and that forward Josh Currie and defenseman Josh Maniscalco have been sent to their farm team in Wilkes-Barre.

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