After a long period of anticipation, Pittsburgh finally signed the 39-year-old franchise legend for another NHL season.
After a spring of anticipation and high anxiety among an entire fanbase, the wait is finally over.
On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas announced that they have signed 39-year-old forward Evgeni Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million extension, a pay cut from his previous $6.1 million average annual value. The deal runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, which will be Malkin's age 40 season and his 21st in the NHL.
The extension includes hefty bonuses, which include a $500,000 games-played bonus, a $1 million bonus if the Penguins contend for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026-27, and a $500,000 bonus for every round won in the playoffs.
"We look forward to Geno continuing to provide great moments for the city of Pittsburgh, while helping us return the Penguins to Stanley Cup contention through his play on the ice and his leadership off the ice," Dubas said in a statement from Penguins PR.
During the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-5, 213-pound Malkin recorded 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games - his first time above the point-per-game threshold since 2022-23 - and helped Pittsburgh secure its first playoff berth in four years. He had two goals and three points in six playoff games with the Penguins this season.
Malkin currently ranks 23rd on the NHL's all-time scoring list (1,407 points), and he needs just 14 more points to surpass Adam Oates enter the top-20. He also has 533 goals - tied with Frank Mahovlich for 36th all-time - and would enter the top-30 with 24 more goals. He is also second all-time in both categories only to Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin for Russian-born players.
Over the course of his NHL career, Malkin also has 183 points in 183 playoff games, which is second among active players and behind only teammate Sidney Crosby at 206 points. He is also only one of six active players to have hit the 500-goal plateau.
After the Malkin extension, the Penguins still have $37.04 million in cap space currently available for the 2026-27 season.
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