VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- It wasn't hard to pick out Evgeni Malkin during the Penguins' optional game-day skate at Rogers Arena Saturday morning.
And not just because he was the only guy in a white, no-contact jersey.
Even as he recovers from knee surgery, Malkin flashes skills that separate from most players, and explain why the Penguins are so eager to get him back in the lineup.
"We sure get excited about the opportunity to get him back in our lineup," Mike Sullivan said. "He's a game-breaker. He's one of the best players of his generation. He's definitely one of those guys who can change the outcome of a game in a couple of shifts.
"We have a couple of them in Sid (Crosby) and him, so when he's in our lineup, I just think it makes us harder to play against. It makes matchups more difficult. It gives us more balance, offensively, through our lineup. We're just a better team when he's in our lineup."
Precisely when that will happen isn't clear; it certainly won't be tonight, when the Penguins face the Canucks at 10:08. But while Malkin still has to be deemed ready for contact before he gets back in uniform, it's significant that he's taken part in every on-ice workout during this road trip.
"That was one of the reasons we brought him, because we knew he was in a position where he could participate," Sullivan said. "In a limited capacity, but it would be important to just get him around more players, around his teammates.
"He looks good. He looks strong. I think his progress is really encouraging."
MORE FROM THE SKATE
• Tristan Jarry will make his third consecutive start in goal. Sullivan confirmed that he has a plan for when to use Casey DeSmith again, but declined to elaborate. Monday in Seattle seems like a possibility.
• Vancouver's game-day skate was optional, too. Thirteen skaters and goalies Thatcher Demko and Jaroslav Halak participated.
• Sullivan said he did not have any updated information on the status of right winger Bryan Rust, who is injured and did not accompany the team on this Western trip.
• In addition to Malkin, Dominik Simon, Brian Boyle, Danton Heinen, Zach Aston-Reese, Sam Lafferty, Drew O'Connor, Mark Friedman, Marcus Pettersson, Mike Matheson, Kris Letang, Teddy Blueger, Jarry and DeSmith went on the ice this morning. Those who opted against skating: Sidney Crosby, Jeff Carter, Jake Guentzel, Evan Rodrigues, Jason Zucker, Kasperi Kapanen, Brian Dumoulin, John Marino and Brock McGinn.
• Because the Penguins' skate was optional, there were no personnel combinations of consequence during the drills.