Pittsburgh Penguins suspensions hit three straight after Evgeni Malkin ban

Rust, Jones, then Evgeni Malkin, and that says plenty about where this season has drifted.

Bryan Rust drew three games after his illegal check to Brock Boeser on Sunday, January 25. That was the first crack in the door.

Caleb Jones took the real hammer on February 4. The league gave him 20 games for violating the performance enhancing substances program.

Then came Thursday night, and Malkin lost control against Rasmus Dahlin. By Saturday, multiple reports said NHL Player Safety hit him with five games.

That matters because Malkin is still one of Pittsburgh's few drivers, sitting at 13-34-47 in 46 games. He is also in the last year of a deal with a $6.1 million cap hit.

This is not just bad optics. It wrecks lineup rhythm, hurts the man advantage, and forces more load onto Rickard Rakell and the middle six.

Rust's absence cost finish on the wing. Jones being out stripped depth from a blue line that already looked thin.

Malkin's ban cuts deeper because he still tilts games with touch plays off the half wall. Pittsburgh cannot fake that kind of creation.

Pens fans have seen enough of the sideshow, and the mood now is more tired than angry.

The ugly part is how avoidable all three cases feel. None of them came from hard playoff hockey or a desperate net front battle.

They came from poor choices, and that is why this story lands so hard. Discipline issues usually show up when a club is pressing.

Kyle Dubas can talk patience, but the room still has to clean this up on the ice. No trade fixes a team that keeps handing away bodies.

The next test comes fast. Pittsburgh hosts Boston on Saturday, then gets Carolina on Sunday, two games that punish loose structure.

If Crosby is not carrying the whole thing, somebody else has to play smart. That starts with staying out of the Player Safety inbox.

For a team chasing relevance in March, this run is more than weird trivia. It is a warning light before the stretch drive gets even steeper.

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NHL Player Safety issues official ruling on Evgeni Malkin after slash to Dahlin