Evgeni Malkin refuses to let his play fall off, and his love for the Pittsburgh Penguins remains as strong as ever. His loyalty and excellence deserve a contract extension, and the Penguins owe it to him.
Evgeni Malkin doesn’t look or sound like a player preparing for retirement.
Despite persistent speculation that the 2025–26 season could mark the end of his Hall of Fame career, Malkin has made it clear — both with his words and his play — that he wants to keep going.
As the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to surprise this season, sitting second in the Metropolitan Division, the conversation around Malkin’s future is becoming unavoidable.
The 39-year-old is coming off back-to-back multi-point performances in Calgary and Edmonton and has been one of the Penguins’ most consistent offensive drivers. When asked recently about retirement, Malkin pushed back firmly, emphasizing that playing next season remains his goal.
“I never say I want to retire,” Malkin said. “I feel great. I like how we play — it’s always fun to win. I want to play one more year. I want to show I’m still a good player.”
Frankly, the Penugins owe him that much.
A lifelong Penguin who hasn’t hidden his love for the team and the city, Malkin is willing to take a paycut on his current salary for one more season. It’s not as if his play hasn’t warranted another look.
Malkin has posted 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in just 35 games, producing at better than a point-per-game pace and trailing only Sidney Crosby in team scoring. He’s in the final season of a four-year, $24.4 million contract and will be a pending UFA this summer.
If he wants to play one more season at a fraction of the price he’s being paid now, the Penguins could do a whole lot worse.
From a purely hockey standpoint, this shouldn’t be a difficult decision for general manager Kyle Dubas. The Penguins are better than most thought they’d be. That likely includes Dubas.
Evgeni Malkin ranks second in NHL goals (526) and points (1385) by a Russian (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)A team that was thought to be a seller before the 2025-26 campaign even began, they are unexpectedly in the mix for a playoff spot. Crosby has been adamant that he’s never going to be satisfied with losing, and the core of the Penguins wants to ride this out together.
Malkin continuing to play at a high level remains a crucial part of Pittsburgh’s top-six and continues to thrive alongside Crosby. With Crosby under contract and no appetite for a full teardown, keeping Malkin in the fold aligns with the organization’s current direction. More importantly, it makes Crosby happy. If it doesn’t cost Dubas much to keep his superstar cooking, it’s a price the Penguins should be willing to pay.
Malkin’s current $6.1 million cap hit has already been strong value, and if he were willing to return at a reduced number simply to stay in Pittsburgh – likely far less than he could get on the open market – cost is hardly a barrier.
The Penguins and Malkin are expected to discuss his future during the upcoming Olympic break, and while it was believed the Penguins weren’t of the appetite to consider an extension, perhaps they should rethink their position.
The question isn’t whether the Penguins can bring Malkin back. They know they can. Letting him walk would be a mistake if the cost of keeping him isn’t prohibitive. Given his production, leadership, willingness to take less, and everything he’s meant to the franchise, the answer feels straightforward.
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