Malkin

PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin wants to treat Wednesday's game like the countless others he has played in his life, but there is one undeniable difference: The 20-year-old Russian phenom will be making his NHL debut.

"I'm a little bit nervous before every game, but I'm not going to be too much more nervous before the first one," the Pittsburgh Penguins center said through a translator after practice Monday. "But we will see how it goes."

Malkin, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, will make the NHL season's most highly anticipated rookie debut for the Penguins when they host the New Jersey Devils Wednesday at Mellon Arena.

Regarded as the world's best player outside the NHL last season, Malkin dislocated his shoulder during an exhibition game Sept. 20 in Moncton, New Brunswick, when he and teammate John LeClair collided. He returned to practice Friday with a shoulder support and has been cleared to play.

"He worked really hard to come back pretty quickly," Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien said. "We're more than excited to see him back in the lineup."

Malkin is an excellent passer and playmaker and made several standout plays in the exhibition game before getting hurt.

"He's going to help us a lot," said center Sidney Crosby, the 2005 No. 1 overall NHL draft choice who had 102 points as an 18-year-old rookie last season. "We're just starting to get used to each other out there. I think I'll start with him on the power play. It should be fun. Hopefully we'll be ready for that."

Initially, the Penguins feared the injury would require surgery or keep Malkin out longer, but Malkin proved a quick healer.

"I feel good. My shoulder feels good," Malkin said. "Everything is going well."

Malkin practiced on a line with Ryan Malone and Mark Recchi — the same players he had been working out with in training camp before the injury. Recchi is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and has 484 NHL goals; Malone has scored 22 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons.

"We've had pretty good chemistry in practices and scrimmages," Recchi said. "Hopefully we can help him out, being his first real game. It's going to be exciting to see him, but (Malone) and I have to be on top of our games to help him out."

Malone sees it a bit differently. Though he has 162 NHL games under his belt, Malone said Malkin's talent is so immense that Malkin will raise the level of his game rather than the other way around.

The No. 2 line, on which Recchi and Malone were fixtures, has struggled and not created much offense through the season's first four games. Recchi has only two assists and Malone has no points.