Petr Sykora, as good as he can be, is just not getting the job done. He is not finishing and not getting time on the power play which is where many of his goals come from.

Is he hurt? He and the team are mum. But he is playing like a man protecting himself. He is playing hard at times but something is off and not right.

Miroslav Satan, who was the odd man out back at the trade deadline, sits as a healthy scratch. It is time to give him a shot to play. Maybe not on Malkin’s line, but somewhere and give Sykora a chance to either rest his unannounced injury or think about what he needs to do to be worthy of playing on a team so stacked with talent that no player’s role should be safe if they slack.

Satan didn’t deserve to be sent to the minors. He was playing well. But he had to go to clear cap room. It is time to reward him for taking it like a pro and get his shot back in the lineup.