Penguins' Evgeni Malkin: Ruled out Thursday

Malkin (shoulder) joined Thursday's morning skate but won't play against New Jersey.

Analysis:

The team hasn't decided whether the Russian pivot will take contact during Friday's upcoming practice. "We'd like him to be at 100 percent so that he's ready to play (for the playoffs)," coach Mike Sullivan said. "We've taken a cautious approach with him. He's played a fair amount of games this year; we're not overly concerned that he's got to knock the rust off. He can step right in and be an impact player." With the playoffs right around the corner, it sounds as though Pittsburgh's priority is keeping Malkin healthy for the start of the postseason.