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In their first game after the All-Star Break, the Pittsburgh Penguins will again be without captain Sidney Crosby and his sidekick Evgeni Malkin. While Crosby has resumed the very lightest of physical activities, he has been ruled out of Pittsburgh’s next three games. Malkin has resumed practicing with the team, but won’t play Tuesday against the Rangers.

Crosby has already missed nine games because of a concussion and has only recently been cleared for any physical activity. Penguins coach Dan Blysma described what his captain is currently able/allowed to do:

Light rehab is very light exercise, very moderate [stationary] biking activity – and he’s been on the ice, but literally it’s in track pants and up and down the ice, not in a workout-type mode. That is part of what doctors have prescribed as functional rehab at this point. Progressing to the next level means he has to get better in certain areas, and he’s going through that process right now.

Meanwhile, Malkin missed the last three games before the break, but will be held out of a fourth straight game because he’s still recovering from a sinus infection. Malkin does say he’s completely “100%” recovered from a knee injury that’s bothered him much of the season. Malkin is traveling with the team to New York for Tuesday’s game, so it’s seems very possible he could return the following night when the Penguins face the Islanders at home.

As for the still-concussed Crosby, he’ll be out for a Friday home game against the Buffalo Sabres and a Sunday road game against the arch-rival Washington Capitals. The earliest he could be back is next Tuesday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.