PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The nightmare for Penguins fans only gets worse.

No Sidney Crosby, no Mark Letestu, maybe no Chris Kunitz, officially no Evgeni Malkin and now no Matt Cooke.

“We got guys like Talbot, you got Adams you got Godard. They’re all role players, but you know they need to step up and be the stars right now,” Francis Pessolano, of Somerset, said.

Matt Cooke was suspended for four games after Tuesday night’s hit on Blue Jackets’ Fedor Tyutin. That hit will also cost Cooke $87,000.

“The dude seen it coming,” Dave Kiger, of Bellevue, said. “It’s not like it was a boarding call with his back against him. So, I think it was more they were trying to get after him because of the Ovechkin hit the other night.”

Another void on the ice to be filled is Mark Letestu, who is out with a knee injury. He caught up with fans at Steel City Collectibles in Ross Park Mall signing autographs.

“We’ve had surgery now four days ago, so feeling better, walking which is good, hoping to start skating a little bit next week,” Letestu said.

Also, it’s official that Malkin is out for the year. Geno will undergo surgery on his MCL and ACL. The rehab time is at least six months.

“I just think we need to keep it simple,” Letestu said. “I think a lot times when you get guys out you maybe try to hard to make perfect plays. [We need] to keep it simple and just play a very controlled game and let it come to you.”