We finally have a start date for the Penguins and Capitals. It is tomorrow at 7PM (read that as 7:18). This will mark the 11th time the two teams have faced off against each other. In each of the Penguins previous five Stanley Cups the Penguins have defeated the Capitals en route to their parade.

The Penguins will be down a couple of forwards for Game 1. Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin will not be playing. Malkin’s injury was self-inflicted while Carl Hagelin’s was the result of Claude Giroux’s needless hit in the last series. Malkin did make the trip to Washington while Hagelin did not. Read into that what you will.

I’m not going to mince words. The Penguins without Evgeni Malkin are nowhere near their potential as a team. His absence is huge even for just one game (if it is only one game). Helping things will be the presence of Derick Brassard. If the center depth chart consisted of Crosby, Sheahan, Rowney, and whoever they pulled from the street that would not be ideal. Having Crosby, Brassard, Sheahan is a much better look and if we’re being honest one that is better than most of the NHL even without Malkin.

Brassard will stick with Sheary and Rust to start the series. Sheahan will play between Phil Kessel and Dominik Simon. Jake Guentzel will take Malkin’s spot on the power play.

For Washington Andre Burakovsky is still listed as week to week and the skilled forward has an outside chance on playing in the series. He isn’t at the level of Evgeni Malkin, but he is talented and would have created more of a headache than some of the current options the Capitals will be going with now.

Thanks for reading!

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