It’s no secret how important Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin is to his team. The future Hall of Famer is one of the best players of his generation. And he continues to play at a high level even in the latter stages of his career.

Crosby signed a two-year extension last September. He has repeatedly said he plans to only play for the Penguins. He has a full no-trade clause. Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Penguins, wants him to be part of the organization for the rest of his life.

With Semyon Varlamov (lower body) still on long-term injured reserve, goalie Jakub Skarek was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Monday. Skarek is 5-11-1 with a 3.22 GAA and .895 save percentage in 20 AHL games.