Penguins' Evgeni Malkin Addresses Reports About This Being His Final Season

While we await word on Sidney Crosby's plans for a new contract, we've gotten an update on another legendary Pittsburgh Penguin. With Evgeni Malkin getting set to head into his 19th season at the age of 38, and coming off the lowest point-per-game mark of his career, there has been talk about him calling it a day in the NHL after the 2024-25 campaign, and not fulfilling the last year of his contract two seasons from now.

That has now been put to rest, as Malkin has called reports he is set to leave Pittsburgh next year "Not true."

Rob Rossi reports in The Athletic that Malkin does indeed intend to stick it out for the final two years of his deal with the Penguins, despite the team's chances of contending being somewhat questionable.

Rossi says that Malkin "has not thought about" retiring from the NHL a year before the end of his contract.

Notably outspoken Pittsburgh insider Mark Madden said earlier this week, "I've been told that he won't be back after this year. He'll go to Russia and forgo the last year of his deal."

Now that that's been shot down by Malkin himself, the Penguins can go forward with the knowledge that they will continue to have the legendary three-time Cup champion, former Conn Smythe Trophy winner and two-time scoring champion (Art Ross) in their lineup, along with his $6.1 million cap hit, for the next two seasons.

Malkin, who totaled 27 goals and 67 points in 82 games last season, will, this year, enter the exclusive 500-goal/1,300-point club, becoming only the 30th player in the long history of the NHL, and just the second Russian, to do it.

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