Evgeni Malkin arrived at Penguins training camp with another contract in hand, a clean bill of health and no firm retirement date in mind. The 40-year-old forward has signed on for his 21st NHL season, but he left open the possibility that Pittsburgh’s upcoming campaign will not be his last.
Malkin agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal on May 26, keeping him with the only NHL club he has known and preventing him from reaching unrestricted free agency on July 1. Pittsburgh selected him second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft, and the new agreement came 25 days after he said he hoped to play another season somewhere in the League if the Penguins chose to move on.
“It’s a difficult question,” Malkin said when asked whether he could play beyond this season. “We’ll see during the season. Right now, I want to say yes, but it depends on how my body feels. I still love hockey. That’s why I’ve been here for 21 years. I enjoy every shift, every practice, every battle and being around the guys.”
For Malkin, the deciding factor will be whether he can still play at the standard he expects from himself.
“If I’m not 100 percent, I’m not going to play,” he said. “I want to be at my top level. I don’t want to just be around and do nothing. If my game helps the team win, I’ll play. If not, I’m retired.”
A productive season despite missed time
Malkin posted 19 goals and 42 assists for 61 points in 56 games last season, his first point-per-game campaign since 2022-23. He missed 26 games because of injury and suspension, and his move from second-line center to right wing helped manage his workload.
The Penguins finished second in the Metropolitan Division and returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a three-year absence. Their run ended in the Eastern Conference First Round, where the Philadelphia Flyers won the best-of-seven series in six games.
General manager Kyle Dubas believed the reduced workload and position change helped preserve Malkin for the postseason. Malkin said the contract discussion itself was straightforward.
“He didn’t really tell me much. He just signed the contract,” Malkin said. “I know my role here, and I think he knows that I understand it. We spoke a little. He said they were excited to have me back, that the team loves me and likes me. We have a great coaching staff.
“Last year, I showed that I can still play well. I’m excited to be here. I’m here to win. I’m still hungry.”
After two days of camp, Malkin said he felt refreshed following his offseason recovery.
“You feel good when you know you have another year,” he said. “You just try to be your best. I had injuries last year and needed a little recovery, but I feel healthy.”
The Pittsburgh core reaches another landmark
When Pittsburgh opens the regular season at Philadelphia on Sept. 30, Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang will begin their 21st season together. The trio will extend its record as the longest-running group of teammates in North American major professional sports.
Crosby was in his second NHL season when Malkin and Letang joined the Penguins in 2006-07. Crosby is entering his 22nd season with Pittsburgh, while Malkin and Letang are each starting their 21st. No athlete in Pittsburgh professional sports history has played more seasons for a local club than those three; Willie Stargell spent 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1962 through 1982.
Malkin, who turned 40 on July 31, is the oldest member of the group. Crosby and Letang are both 39.
“It was great,” Crosby said of Malkin’s return. “He had a great year last season. I’ve been fortunate to play with him for so long, and it’s definitely not something you take for granted. I’m grateful to have had the chance to play with him this long, and I’m really happy for him.
“He had an unbelievable year, and it was good to see him rewarded.”
Letang said a Malkin departure would have been difficult to picture after nearly two decades together.
“It would have been strange to see him in another uniform,” Letang said. “As you get closer to the end of your career, you want to keep performing and earn a contract. He did that. I’m glad he came back with us, and he clearly showed he can help a team win.”
A franchise great still chasing another run
Malkin debuted for Pittsburgh on Oct. 18, 2006, and has helped the franchise win three Stanley Cups, in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He stands third in Penguins history with 1,407 points, 533 goals and 874 assists.
| Player | Points | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby | 1,761 | 654 | 1,107 |
| Mario Lemieux | 1,723 | 690 | 1,033 |
| Evgeni Malkin | 1,407 | 533 | 874 |
His individual hardware includes the Hart Trophy in 2011-12, when he was voted NHL MVP, and Art Ross Trophies as the League’s scoring leader in 2008-09 and 2011-12. Malkin also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during Pittsburgh’s 2009 championship run, the Ted Lindsay Award in 2011-12 and the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2006-07.
The immediate assignment is another season in Pittsburgh, beginning across the state against the Flyers. Beyond that, Malkin is not putting a timeline on the final chapter. His condition, and his ability to remain a player who can move the Penguins toward wins, will decide it.
