CALGARY, Alberta -- It was not the final step in the process, but Mike Sullivan believes it was a "significant" one.
Evgeni Malkin, who has not played in 2021-22 while recovering from offseason knee surgery, joined his teammates for their game-day skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome today.
Although he won't be in the lineup when they face the Flames tonight at 9:08 p.m., getting on the ice with other players is a noteworthy milestone in his return.
"I think it's real significant that he's taken this next step, because it suggests that he's that much closer," Sullivan said after the skate. "The final step would be participation in a full capacity, non-contact, spontaneous play, things of that nature. Not a controlled environment that we have him in right now."
Sullivan said the Penguins have a "rough timeframe" for when they believe Malkin might be back in uniform, but did not elaborate.
Malkin wore a white, no-contact jersey; all of the other players were in black or gold jerseys.
"We're always happy to see a teammate back in practice, after a long recovery like this," Kris Letang said. "We know how it feels sometimes to be left alone at home, not making the trips. It's cool to have him with us."
Malkin didn't get involved in all facets of the skate, but still got noticed by the others on the ice with him.
"He looked pretty good to me," Brian Boyle said. "It was fun just kind of watching, seeing what he could do."
MORE FROM THE SKATE
• Bryan Rust, who will sit out his third game in a row because of an unspecified lower-body injury, did not join his teammates on the trip and is listed as "week-to-week." Sullivan acknowledged that Drew O'Connor was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in part as an insurance policy, but said it also was a recognition of his good play there. "We're really encouraged with the progress that he's making, the development that he's made," he said. "We think he's played really well for us in Pittsburgh, in the time that he was here, and he continued to play well when he was in Wilkes-Barre."
• The Flames defeated the Penguins, 4-0, at PPG Paints Arena Oct. 28 and, in the process, made a strong impression on them. "They're a real good team," Sullivan said. "They're a hard-working team. They're very good defensively. They play with a lot of structure. Their goaltender (Jacob Markstrom) is playing extremely well for them, and they have the ability to generate offense. Their top line, I think, is a dynamic line. ... They're a pretty complete team, and they're playing extremely well."
• Sullivan gave a forceful endorsement of the franchise's sale to Fenway Sports Group, calling it a "win-win," although Boyle said players didn't really have much of a reaction because it doesn't directly affect their day-to-day duties. "This is a business transaction," he said. "This is our team and we go on the ice and play, but it doesn't necessarily involve us. ... It's not much my business, what people want to purchase and what they want to sell." Ron Hextall and Brian Burke spoke to the players about the sale before the game-day skate, and Sullivan said he had a "short conversation" with the owners in the morning.
• Personnel combinations at the skate:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Evan Rodrigues
Jason Zucker-Jeff Carter-Kasperi Kapanen
Dominik Simon-Brian Boyle-Danton Heinen
Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brock McGinn
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mike Matheson-Chad Ruhwedel
Extras: Evgeni Malkin, Mark Friedman, Drew O'Connor, Sam Lafferty