The Pittsburgh Penguins are sitting in the second Metropolitan Division spot at the NHL trade deadline. It could lead to some additions in the coming hours, but the biggest addition they're looking for is from the press box. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is nursing a lower-body injury suffered in the Olympics, and was at practice on Friday.

NHL.com's Penguins reporter Wes Crosby, no relation, broke the news on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday afternoon. Pittsburgh is 1-2-1 since the Olympic break without the captain. On Thursday night, they suffered an embarrassing home loss to the Buffalo Sabres, falling 5-1.

Crosby's original injury timeline was announced as four weeks. That would put his return around March 18, which gives him plenty of regular-season warmup time before the playoffs begin. But reports surfaced after that announcement that there was a “gray area” in the captain's timeline. That could have him returning soon.

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The Penguins may not have Evgeni Malkin after he took a slashing penalty against Rasmus Dahlin on Thursday. He was ejected from the game in the second period and has a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety scheduled before their next game on Thursday.

Crosby is having a sensational season, with 59 points in 56 games before the injury. He has been a point-per-game player in all 20 of his NHL seasons, which is a record. If he does return, he will need to keep that up, and maybe even more, just to keep Pittsburgh in the playoffs.

The Penguins did not make a significant move in the lead-up to the NHL trade deadline. Crosby has been the target of trade rumors in previous years when Pittsburgh did not make the playoffs. But the injury and their playoff standing will keep the captain in Western PA for at least a little longer.