Pens F Evgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for causing a head injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was suspended five games Friday night for striking Buffalo Sabers captain Rasmus Dahlin in the head.

The NHL’s Office of Player Safety held a hearing with Malkin this morning and announced the suspension. The hearing was conducted by phone, meaning the maximum length of suspension the league could consider was five games.

In Thursday’s game, Malkin was penalized a five-minute major penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct penalty for jabbing Darlin in the side 38 seconds into the second period as the Penguins lost 5-1 to the Sabers. Both players received minor penalties for cross-checking.

Player safety officials said in an explanation video that Malkin’s movement was not accidental, nor was it a case of an off-balance player lowering his stick while calming down.

“This is a deliberate swing of the stick hitting the opponent at a dangerous height, delivered with the force necessary to ensure complementary discipline,” the official said.

Officials said Malkin had previously been suspended twice and received five fines, most of which were “for stick-related fouls,” including a fine for slashing earlier this season. He was banned for one match in 2009 for high-sticking and four more in 2022 for cross-checking.

As a result, his five-game suspension will make him ineligible to play in Saturday’s game against Philadelphia, Sunday’s game against Boston, Tuesday’s game against Carolina, Thursday’s game against Vegas or March 14’s game against Utah. He is eligible to return March 16 when the Penguins visit league-leading Colorado.

Malkin (39) has 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 46 games this season.

Malkin, the 2011-12 Hart Trophy NHL MVP and three-time Stanley Cup winner, has totaled 1,393 points (527 goals, 866 assists) in 1,259 career games since the Penguins drafted him second overall in 2004.

–Field level media