Re-signing Evgeni Malkin should be obvious move for Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season, and are not only looking like a playoff team, but they are starting to look like an under-the-radar Stanley Cup contender. There are a lot of factors behind their improvement, including new head coach Dan Muse, the arrival of top prospect and first-round pick Ben Kindel and some shrewd veteran additions this past offseason made by general manager Kyle Dubas. 

The other big factor is that their big three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are still playing, and still playing very well. 

The Crosby, Malkin, Letang trio has spent more seasons together (20) than any other trio of players in major North American sports, having been teammates since the start of the 2006-07 season and winning three Stanley Cups together.

While Crosby and Letang are still signed beyond this season, Malkin is in the final year of his contract and is eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. He seems determined to remain in Pittsburgh, but there has not been much progress on a contract extension. 

There should be. Especially since it should be an easy, sensible and logical deal for both sides.

Re-signing Evgeni Malkin should be easy move for Penguins

There are a lot of sentimental reasons for the Penguins and Malkin to work out a new contract, but there is also a practical hockey reason for it as well. 

He is still good.

Really good.

He also still makes the Penguins significantly better. 

The Penguins are further along in their retooling and closer to being a contender than anybody could have reasonably expected when the 2025-26 season began, and Malkin has played a major role in that. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer is still scoring at a better-than-point-per-game pace and has developed an instant chemistry with newly acquired forward Egor Chinakhov. 

Ever since Chinakhov arrived in an in-season trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, that duo has been one of the best and most productive lines in the NHL. Chinakhov looks like an emerging star playing alongside his fellow countryman. Why would the Penguins risk breaking that up? It would not make any sense for anybody, given the way they have played.  

If Malkin were looking for major money or an extremely long-term contract, it would be understandable for the Penguins to have some resistance to it. There are absolutely zero indications that Malkin is looking for any such contract, while he has made it extremely clear this season that he not only wants to remain in Pittsburgh, but he is willing to play whatever role they are asking of him. He has already shifted over to wing from his natural center position.

It might also be a difficult decision if Malkin's play had made him a liability this season. It has not. He still has a lot to offer, and should still have a lot to offer for at least one more season. 

The Penguins have reportedly wanted to wait until after the season to discuss a contract, but there is really no need to keep putting it off. Especially when the Penguins have several other pending free agents that will not be as easy to get a new deal with this summer. This is a slam dunk. Sometimes you just have to take those when they are put in front of you.