Evgeni Malkin Vows to Finish Career With Penguins

This year marks the 20th season of Malkin, Crosby and Letang playing together — an American pro sports record that may never be touched again. Longevity like that doesn’t happen by accident, and the way Malkin is moving, thinking, and producing, it’s clear he isn’t ready to close the book on this era just yet. In fact, he’s looking to extend it.

Malkin Opens Up About Future Contract Plans

The Penguins and Malkin haven’t begun contract discussions beyond 2025–26, but team president Kyle Dubas has said talks could pick up later, possibly during the Olympic break. In an exclusive interview with RG, he made it clear that he’s not rushing anything.

“I think it’s too early to talk about it," he said. "The season is long. There are many games ahead. We’ll see how I feel. I understand his concerns – he wants to see how I perform over a long stretch. Sometimes players start well for 20 games, then the scoring disappears. The main thing is to play well the whole season. Then we’ll talk – maybe in February, maybe after the season. I don’t want to worry about it. I just want to enjoy hockey.”

This version of Malkin looks energized in a way that feels familiar to anyone who watched him dominate the league in his prime. He’s assisting more than usual, but his legs look strong, his hands look sharp, and he’s engaged on every shift. Even during the 2025 Global Series, where Geno scored some of the “funniest” goals of his career, he played with a joy that reminded everyone what makes him special.

After the game, Malkin carried that same genuine excitement into a quiet moment with one of his idols, when he swapped sticks with NHL legend Peter Forsberg.

Trade Rumours in Pittsburgh Triggered by Panthers and Contract Negotiations

Last year’s blockbuster trade of Brad Marchand from Boston to Florida, followed by a Stanley Cup and a six-year extension, sparked endless speculation about whether Pittsburgh might eventually move its own legends. For weeks, national media floated baseless fantasy scenarios about Crosby in Colorado or a full teardown coming to Pittsburgh. But after the Penguins’ strong start, that noise died down.

Still, with Malkin unsigned and Florida suddenly losing their captain, Aleksander Barkov, for the season due to a torn ACL and MCL, the rumor mill lit up again. Although reports have come out stating that the Penguins are not expected to extend his contract, this is more than likely a negotiation tactic if you ask me. There's no way the Penguins actually part ways with Malkin in a panic move, right?

Geno Reaffirms Loyalty to the Penguins

Malkin brushed the idea aside while acknowledging reality:

"It’s a beautiful story, but not everyone gets that outcome,” he said. Though he wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh, he understands things can change.

“Sometimes you can imagine it – for example, if you win the Cup. But again, a lot depends on things I can’t control. We’ll talk after the season… Of course, I don’t see myself in another jersey – not in Florida, not in Colorado, anywhere. I’ve played my whole life in Pittsburgh. I love the fans, I love the city. I want to finish here. But there are always details. And of course, I want to fight for another Cup.”

Malkin’s legacy in Pittsburgh is impossible to fully measure. He is one of the greatest players of his generation, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, a former MVP, and a playoff force unlike any other. Some call him the most underrated superstar in NHL history, and there’s truth to that — not because his resume is lacking, but because his brilliance was often overshadowed by the generational presence of Crosby.

But anyone who knows hockey knows exactly how dominant he was at his peak. And at 39 years old, still producing in a league that only gets younger and faster each season, he remains a marvel. If Malkin gets his wish, he’ll close out his career where it began, ensuring Pittsburgh never forgets the impact of No. 71 — a legend who helped define an entire era in hockey history and refuses to let it end quietly.