Penguins icon makes main assertion about his future
Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin has shared that he plans to play when the staff returns from break on Saturday, per Rob Rossi of The Athletic. Malkin has missed Pittsburgh’s final six video games after struggling an harm within the staff’s Jan. 25 loss to Seattle. He suffered the harm roughly midway via the primary interval after the skate of Kraken ahead Chandler Stephenson appeared to catch Malkin within the thigh. He tried to return for a short shift later within the first however was dominated out earlier than the sport’s second interval. Pittsburgh positioned Malkin on injured reserve simply two days later. He’ll must be activated off of IR earlier than Saturday’s sport, forcing Pittsburgh to reassign a participant like Vasiliy Ponomarev or Bokondji Imama.
The return of one among their lineup pillars will likely be nice information in Pittsburgh. Malkin has continued to carry out at a world-class stage this 12 months, along with his 34 factors in 47 video games ranked fifth on the staff in whole scoring. In even higher information, Malkin went on to emphasise to Rossi that he has no intentions of retiring this summer time or enjoying wherever else.
I not retire. I do know what some individuals say — like, I am going again to Russia and play for my dwelling staff. However I by no means say it, you already know?
“I retire with Pittsburgh. The Penguins are my staff. I really like this staff. After I retire it’s right here. I retire right here — with Penguins — when it occurs. That is my solely staff.
“I not play in Russia after Pittsburgh. Perhaps one sport for dwelling staff in Russia. Only one to say goodbye.”
Malkin added that, regardless of hypothesis, he has no plans of enjoying anymore Russian hockey both — save for probably a one-game send-off along with his hometown Metallurg Magnitogorsk when all is alleged and achieved.
Malkin is signed via the tip of the 2025-26 season, setting him up for not less than yet one more full 12 months in Pittsburgh’s black-and-gold. He’s squashed talks of a possible retirement this summer time, which can naturally push consideration again till his deal ends in 2026. However Malkin continues to carry down a robust, middle-six position for the Penguins, averaging north of 18 minutes of ice time every sport this season. Fellow Penguins legend Sidney Crosby is signed via the tip of the 2026-27 marketing campaign, which may very well be sufficient to persuade Malkin to search out an additional gear and retire alongside his longtime partner-in-crime. One 12 months after Crosby’s debut, Malkin entered the NHL in 2006-07. Crosby scored a career-high 120 factors in his first 12 months alongside Malkin, whereas the latter managed his career-high of 113 factors of their second 12 months collectively.
Few duos in hockey historical past have stood as tall as Crosby and Malkin. The 2 have led three Stanley Cup wins and recorded the only help on every the opposite’s five hundredth NHL objective. They’re a ubiquitous tandem, and Malkin’s imminent return from lower-body harm units him as much as proceed his position second to Crosby on the depth chart.
Malkin’s return will doubtless push one among Ponomarev, Blake Lizotte or Emil Bemstrom out of the lineup. Lizotte and Bemstrom scored one objective of their final 10 video games, whereas Ponomarev continues to be looking for his first level after 4 NHL video games this season. Ought to Ponomarev be the odd man out, he’ll doubtless return to a red-hot minor-league season. Ponomarev ranks fourth on the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring 29 factors in 34 video games.
