Penguins issue injury timeline updates on three players

There was a positive sight at morning skate, as captain Sidney Crosby was back on the ice, skating on the extra forward lines alongside Evgeni Malkin, who will be serving the third game of his five-game suspension on Tuesday night when Pittsburgh takes on the Carolina Hurricanes. Crosby has been on injured reserve since getting hurt during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Brazeau and Hayes both missed the Penguins’ 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday, while Girard played over 18 minutes in the overtime victory. Muse didn’t reveal exactly what is ailing the trio.

Brazeau has already missed time this season due to injury, as he was placed on IR back in early November with another upper-body injury, causing him to miss close to a month of the season. It’s unknown if the 28-year-old will be placed on IR again as the Penguins continue to push for the playoffs.

In 48 games, Brazeau has scored 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points, sitting tied for seventh on the team in scoring.

Hayes had a late start to the season, thanks to an upper-body injury that he suffered in the preseason. The veteran didn’t make his season debut until early November, before missing a few more games due to injury. The 33-year-old has appeared in just 25 games this year, scoring three goals and two assists for five points.

Girard was acquired by the Penguins in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. He brought in a little more youth to the team’s D-Corps, but has yet to show any flashes of offense, going pointless in his first seven games with Pittsburgh. In 47 games overall, the 27-year-old has registered three goals and nine assists for 12 points.

The Penguins (32-17-14) are second in the Metropolitan Division, eight points back of the Hurricanes.