Evgeni Malkin isn’t sure if this 20th NHL season will be his last — either with the Pittsburgh Penguins or the league at large. All the veteran can say is he’s not prepared to hang up his skates.
“I’m still hungry. I’m glad to be here this year,” said Malkin to reporters on Friday. “[But] it depends how the season is going [whether I stay in Pittsburgh]. If we play great, I play great, I feel confidence, and I show my game, why not one more? The preseason is huge for the team, and for myself. We have [a] new coach, a couple new teammates. It’s exciting to see what’s going on this year.”
That enthusiasm remains intact for Malkin despite Pittsburgh’s recent troubles. The Penguins have gone three consecutive years without a postseason appearance and, under GM Kyle Dubas and first-year NHL coach Dan Muse, are aiming to get younger, not older. That’s not great news for the 39-year-old Malkin, who has seen his play steadily decline over the past two years. He recorded just 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games in 2024-25 — the lowest output of his career in a nearly-full season — and Pittsburgh’s priority will continue to be on highlighting its up and coming skaters.
Still, Malkin wants to see his commitment through with the Penguins. He has won three Stanley Cups there alongside Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang and it’s those teammates he is most attached to staying close to.
“I hope I stay here like Sid and Tanger, and be Penguins forever, for sure,” said Malkin when asked if he’d want to play elsewhere. “I hope we play great, and I hope everything goes perfect. Perfect myself, too. I want to stay here, for sure.”
Malkin might not get clarity on his situation in Pittsburgh for months, though. Dubas said earlier this week he would engage with Malkin on a potential extension around the NHL’s Olympic break in February. There have been no other discussions on the matter to this point, and Malkin is willing to wait things out for now.
“I think we have time,” said Malkin. “It’s a long season and training camp just started. We will see what’s going on. Huge season for Kyle, for everybody here. We missed playoffs the last three years; it’s not great. But again, now mentally, my focus is on being better every day. Stay here with the team and do my best. And we’ll see.”
As for whether Malkin would consider waiving his no-trade clause this season to facilitate a trade, that raised decidedly mixed emotions. Malkin could only speak hypothetically about how those situations have benefited players in the past — most recently with Brad Marchand being traded from Boston to Florida last spring and then winning a Cup with the Panthers — without saying if it’s on his radar.
“We see a story like Brad Marchand, it’s looking good,” he said. “But, if a team trades you, and you [don’t] win [a] Cup, it’s a little bit weird, too. We’ll see what’s going on in the future. But of course, everybody wants to try to play in the playoffs, and maybe [get] one more run for the Cup. It’s a great story when you see it on TV, but I don’t know how I feel if the team wants to trade me.”
Whatever lies ahead for Malkin, he remains steadfast above all else in wanting to see Pittsburgh find its footing this year. Muse replaced the departed Mike Sullivan behind the Pens’ bench, and the first two days of the team’s training camp were marked by admittedly difficult practice sessions. And the Penguins have superstar Crosby — still operating amongst the league’s best skaters — anchoring their efforts.
If Malkin can reestablish his own game early on this season and be a top-end contributor again, it will go a long way toward helping Pittsburgh end its playoff drought. If not, this could be Malkin’s final season of opportunity with Pittsburgh — or in the NHL at large. Malkin hasn’t rule out potentially playing a season back in his native Russia, either, when his North American career comes to a close.
Not that Malkin hopes that happens any time soon. Whenever it does, he’ll be grateful for the time he did get, and the success Pittsburgh enjoyed while he was there.
“If it’s my last year here, I have played here for 20 years,” said Malkin. “That’s not bad too, you know? I’m glad to be a Penguin, I’m glad to win three Stanley Cups here. If I have the chance to play next year, I’ll do it.”
