Malkin open to playing for new NHL team if Penguins don’t make offer
The Pittsburgh Penguins saw their season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion when Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York rifled a series-clinching overtime winner in Game 6 to prevent Pittsburgh from having the opportunity to complete a rare reverse sweep.
Now, attention turns to the many questions facing Kyle Dubas as he looks to navigate a complicated roster terrain while balancing the twilight of Sidney Crosby’s career and building to compete long into the future.
There’s no hotter topic in that realm than the status of Crosby’s long-time running mate Evgeni Malkin, who is slated to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent come July 1. Malkin has addressed the topic on several occasions throughout the season, and he did so once again at the Pens’ locker clean-out day on Friday.
Taylor Haase of DK Pittsburgh Sports asked Malkin if he would be willing to play for a different team if not offered a deal to remain in Pittsburgh, and his answer to that was a yes.
Evgeni Malkin says he has “nothing new” to share on his contract talks. He said he talked to Kyle Dubas today but doesn’t have a sense of what happens. Asked if he’d be willing to play for another NHL team if he doesn’t get an offer here, he said “Yes.” — From Taylor Haase in Show more
Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported before the season that the Penguins would not offer Malkin a contract extension and that the 2025-26 campaign would be his last in Pittsburgh, but the Russian’s performance this year may have changed the front office’s thinking.
Malkin had just 50 points in 68 games while posting a minus-24 rating a year ago, but he bounced back in a big way this season, exceeding a point-per-game pace for the first time since 2022-23 with 61 points in 56 appearances.
Several other key members of the team addressed the topic with Haase as well on Friday, including top-six forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.
“I can’t see him not being back,” Rakell said. “He’ll be back.
“I love Geno,” Rust added. “I don’t know life in the NHL without him.”
The trio of Crosby, Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang became the first trio of players to play 20 NHL seasons together this year, and with Crosby and Letang already under contract for next year, they could make it 21.
“It’s kind of hard to put into words, honestly,” Crosby told reporters after the Penguins’ season-ending loss. “It’s something that we probably have just gotten used to, but I think they’re like family. That’s the best way to describe it. We’ve had some great wins, some tough losses like this. Ultimately, though, that’s a long time that we’ve played together. Just so appreciative for the opportunity to have played with them as long as we have. Hopefully, we can keep it going.”