For years now, the Pittsburgh penguins were a disappointment study. By not being able to qualify for the STANLEY Cup qualifying series in the past three seasons, the Penguins have failed their talented veteran star core, notably Captain Sidney Crosby, the Center Evgeni Malkin and defenders Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. But in the case of Malkin in particular, he has repeatedly declared that he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh throughout his career.
However, recent remarks made in Malkin NHL.com seems to have opened a door to Malkin to find a new NHL employer. Rather than completely closing the question of where he will play this coming season, Malkin has spoken of possibilities. You can be the judge of what he said.
“(W) see a story, like, with Brad Marchand – looks good, do you know? Malkin said long -standing Boston Bruin-turned-Florida PantherWho won his second cup last year in what is probably a career in hockey at the renowned temple. “But … if the team exchanges you and you don’t win) the cup, it’s like a little weird too, you know? But we will see what is happening (with) my future. But of course, everyone wants to try to play in the playoffs and maybe have one more race for the Cup.”
Does it look like someone who is 100% sure that he will end his NHL career with the pens? Sorry, but that doesn’t sound this way to this writer. Malkin’s desire to enter the playoffs this season could be almost extinguished well before the commercial deadline of this season, so if he is really determined to hang up his skates after this season, and if he wants a last blow in a cup, he will probably not get it at Pittsburgh.
And if he compares himself to Marchand, there may be a universe where Malkin decides to stay with the team to which the Penguins exchange it for another season after this one. Malkin is only 39 years old – and at a time when veterans love Kings of Los Angeles The Corey Perry winger and Colorado Avalanche The Burnt Burns defenders fulfill important roles at 40, he should not surprise anyone if Malkin finds a way to stay at the end of the 2026-20 campaign.
Last year, Malkin produced only 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games-his lowest totals since he entered the best hockey league in 2006 (excluding shortened seasons 2019-20 and 2020-21). It was also used more sparingly, on average at only 5:47 pm last season – almost two full minutes less than its average career of 19:34. But at a given time when a multitude of teams are looking for a secondary score and a second line center, Malkin would bring a ransom from the king to Pittsburgh in a business for his services.
This is why Penguins fans should happily accept the prospect that Malkin has a jersey from another team before his retirement and is quickly elected to the temple of renowned hockey. There is always the emotional attraction of a high -level athlete who stays in a city for all his competitive life, but given the reality of the difficulty for teams to quickly rebuild their list, it is more logical to part with an asset – as precious as they could have been in the past – and accelerate the passage to a new talent nucleus.
It is admirable that Malkin wants a universe in which he remains a penguin, makes a race in the playoffs with them this season, wins his fourth cup and sinks at sunset. The probability that this will happen, however, is an entirely different story.
Thus, it is preferable for Malkin to be moved at some point this season and crown his NHL days with a long race in the playoff series in another team. Malkin’s desire to be a team from a team will make the cord cup difficult, but he would not be the first icon to be separated from the only employer they have ever known, and he will certainly not be the last. Malkin’s latest gift from Penguins is the gift of accepting a job outside the city – and Penguins fans should understand that it is an idea that the time has come.
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