Like Sidney Crosby, Malkin Deserves To End Career On His Terms

There are certainly a lot of stories coming out of Pittsburgh Penguins’ training camp in 2025, even if the pre-season is still in its infancy. 

The team has an entirely new coaching staff led by Dan Muse, and young, promising prospects are making themselves stand out in pursuit of NHL roster spots.

But one of the biggest stories from training camp – despite the youth of camp – has come from the team’s oldest player.

On Friday, Penguins’ veteran center Evgeni Malkin spoke with the Pittsburgh media for the first time this season. The future Hall-of-Fame center touched on a few topics, including his summer and his first impressions of his new head coach and the way he is running training camp.

“This is the second day,†Malkin said at the time. “Really hard. But I like it. I feel fine. The league is not easy anymore. Thirty-(two) good team, young teams coming into the league. Theyâ€re flying. Iâ€m ready every day. Focused every day.â€

But the topic that made the most noise – and broke airwaves – was regarding his future. 

Malkin, 39, is entering the final season of his current four-year deal that pays him $6.1 million annually. There have already been a lot of discussions around his potential retirement at the end of the season, and understandably so: Malkin hasn’t been playing peak best hockey for the past two seasons – even if 33 goals and 117 points in 150 games certainly aren’t bad numbers – and he will be 40 years old next season.

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In any case, that’s not what had folks talking. It’s what he said – specifically – about his future in Pittsburgh and whether he wanted to retire a Penguin or have the chance to play for another Stanley Cup on a contending team elsewhere.

Malkin – always honest – gave an honest answer.

“It depends on how the season is going,†he said. “If we play great, and I play great, and I feel confident and show my game, why not one more year? The season is huge for me, my team, myself. Iâ€m still hungry.”

He continued: “It’s hard. We see a story like Brad Marchand. Looking good. Team trades you, you win the Cup. Itâ€s a little weird, too. Of course, everybody wants to make the playoffs, maybe make one more run at the Cup. Great story. But I donâ€t know how I would feel if the team wants to trade me.â€

And that’s just the thing. There should be no “if the team wants to trade me” in this case.

Penguins Icon Malkin Facing Uncertain Final Chapter Ahead Of 2025-26 Season
For years now, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been a study in disappointment. In failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the past three seasons, the Penguins have failed their core of veteran star talent, including captain Sidney Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin, and defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. But in Malkinâ€s case specifically, he stated time and again that he wanted to remain in Pittsburgh for his entire career.

Malkin has earned the right – just like teammate Sidney Crosby – to go out on his terms. If he wants to Cup chase one last time, he should have a lot of say in where he goes and will have full say if he goes at all, since he has a full no-movement clause.

But if he wishes to stick around and retire a Penguin, he should get to do just that, too.

For starters, the Penguins aren’t going to recoup significant assets for a 39-year-old Malkin, anyway. With a strong draft class on the horizon in 2026, teams aren’t going to be willing to throw around first-round picks like they’re nothing. Unless Malkin has a ridiculously good season – and unless a team gets ridiculously desperate – nothing higher than a second-round pick should be expected in return, and the Penguins already have second- and third-round picks out the wazoo over the next three drafts. 

If the return isn’t going to be worth losing a legendary franchise player, anyway, there’s no reason for Kyle Dubas and company to approach Malkin about waiving his no-movement clause whatsoever.

That is, unless Malkin is the one who initiates it.

Dubas said prior to training camp that the team plans to regroup with Malkin and his camp during the 2026 Olympic break in February. If Malkin would go to Dubas at that time and declare that he wishes to go to a true contender, that changes things. 

Malkin is certainly within his right to do that if it’s what he wants. He’s earned that. He owes the Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh absolutely nothing at this point. And, if he does have a good year, it’s always possible for him to be dealt at the deadline and re-sign with Pittsburgh for one more year after.

But, despite all the noise – and his other comments – take it from Malkin himself: At this point, he has no desire to leave Pittsburgh. 

“I hope I stay here,†Malkin said. “Like Sid, Tanger, Penguins forever, for sure. I hope we play great. I want to stay here, for sure.â€

Like Crosby, maybe fans and larger hockey media should take Malkin’s words at face value. 

And, maybe, so should Dubas when the time comes. 

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