Malkin: Contract Extension Talks Will 'Wait [Until] End Of Season'

In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh Penguins' 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday, forward Evgeni Malkin spoke with reporters, shared some information on the status of contract extension talks with the organization.

And it looks like folks will have to wait until the offseason to find out his fate.

The 39-year-old revealed that, after conversations with agent J.P. Barry, the Penguins and Malkin will not negotiate a potential extension until after the 2025-26 season concludes. This news comes after Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas told reporters at the beginning of the season that the two parties would convene during the Olympic break and see where the other was at in terms of a decision on Malkin's career.

"We talked a little bit with [J.P. Barry] a couple days ago, and he just say, like, wait [until] end of season, and then see what's going on," Malkin said. "Nothing we can say right now. 

"I'm just playing. It's not my job to talk to Kyle or somebody. I just play my game and just wait. Sid has injury. I want to help the team win, of course. Like, [no] crazy news. I'm just waiting. And I think my agent tell me, like, we wait [until] end of season."

Malkin - who began the season playing center but has since shifted to the wing, even in the past two games without Sidney Crosby - is on pace for the most points (87) he's had since 2017-18, when he registered 98 points. He has seven goals and 22 points in his last 19 games.

He is on the final year of a four-year contract signed in the offseason of 2022 that pays him $6.1 million annually and has made it clear that he wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh.

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