Evgeni Malkin isn’t ready to hear the R-word - and he’s making sure the rest of the league knows it.
Coming off a vintage performance in a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, the 39-year-old Penguins center made it clear: he’s not winding things down just yet. “I want one more year,” Malkin said postgame.
“I want to show I'm still a good player. I want everybody to see I can play next year.
It's my goal right now.”
And based on how he’s playing, it’s hard to argue with him.
Malkin picked up a goal and an assist for the second straight game, continuing a quietly strong campaign that’s flown under the radar. Through 35 games, he’s racked up 12 goals and 39 points - his best scoring pace since the 2019-20 season.
That’s not a farewell tour. That’s a statement.
“I never say I wanna retire,” Malkin added. “It’s all [the media]. I feel great.”
It’s not just talk. Malkin’s skating with purpose, creating space with the puck, and still flashing the elite vision that’s defined his two-decade career in Pittsburgh.
He’s not the same player who won the Hart Trophy in 2012, but he doesn’t need to be. He’s evolved - smarter, more efficient, and still dangerous when the puck’s on his stick.
This season marks the final year of the four-year, $24.4 million deal he signed just before hitting free agency in 2022. That contract carried a $6.1 million cap hit, but Malkin reportedly isn’t chasing another big payday. He wants to stay in Pittsburgh - and he’s willing to take a pay cut to make it happen.
That tells you everything about where his heart is.
Malkin has spent his entire 20-year NHL career in black and gold, and his name is etched all over Penguins history. With 526 goals and 1,385 points in 1,248 games, he trails only Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby in franchise scoring.
That’s rare air, and Malkin’s legacy in Pittsburgh is already secure. But clearly, he’s not done adding to it.
The Penguins, meanwhile, are very much in the mix. Sitting second in the Metropolitan Division with a 25-14-11 record, they’re in position to make some postseason noise - and a motivated, productive Malkin only strengthens their case.
He may be 39, but Evgeni Malkin isn’t playing like someone looking for the exit. He’s playing like someone who still has something to prove - and maybe, just maybe, one more chapter left in a Hall of Fame career.