Evgeni Malkin isn’t just defying Father Time - he’s staring him down with a grin and a wicked wrist shot.
At 39 years old and in the final year of his contract, Malkin was expected by some to be winding things down. Instead, he’s ramping things up.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the NHL’s biggest surprises so far this season, and Malkin’s resurgence has been a central part of that storyline. Thursday night’s 6-2 dismantling of the Edmonton Oilers was just the latest reminder: Malkin isn’t ready to fade into the background - not yet.
He tallied a goal and an assist in that win, continuing a season that’s been as much about pride as it is about production. After the game, Malkin made one thing crystal clear: he never said this was going to be his last ride.
“I never said I want to retire,” Malkin told reporters. “It’s all you. I feel great.”
And he’s looked great, too. According to ESPN’s stats, Malkin entered Friday second on the Penguins in points with 39 and fifth in goals with 12 - not bad for a guy who’s supposed to be slowing down. He’s skating with purpose, playing with an edge, and showing flashes of the elite two-way center who helped Pittsburgh lift three Stanley Cups.
While Sidney Crosby continues to be the face of consistency, Malkin’s play this season has been fueled by something a little different - the hunger to prove he’s still got more to give. Back in October, reports surfaced that Malkin would be willing to take less money and a reduced role to stay in Pittsburgh.
Why? Because he still loves the game, and he still loves being a Penguin.
That passion is translating on the ice. With Pittsburgh sitting second in the Metropolitan Division, any early-season chatter about the team potentially moving Malkin before the March 6 trade deadline has all but vanished.
The conversation has shifted from “Will he stay?” to “How much longer can he keep this up?”
When asked what’s driving this late-career surge, Malkin didn’t offer a detailed breakdown. But he didn’t need to.
“It’s hard to say,” he said. “But I hope you see … it’s not easy.
I try to do my best because I knew I wanted to play one more year. I want to show I’m still a good player.
I want everybody to see that I can play next year. It’s my goal right now.”
That goal is clearly fueling him. And with the Penguins on a 25-14-11 run heading into Sunday’s road matchup against the Vancouver Canucks, Malkin’s presence down the stretch could be the X-factor that keeps Pittsburgh in the playoff mix - and maybe even makes them dangerous come spring.
So no, Evgeni Malkin isn’t ready to call it a career. He’s still chasing something. And if the first half of the season is any indication, he’s not just along for the ride - he’s helping drive the bus.