Evgeni Malkin Considers His NHL Future
Veteran Evgeni Malkin is at a crucial point in his career, pondering whether his twentieth season in the NHL will be his last, either with the Pittsburgh Penguins or in the league in general. The player has expressed his desire to continue playing, but the future is uncertain.Despite the Penguins’ recent challenges, having missed the playoffs for three consecutive years, Malkin remains enthusiastic. The team, under the direction of General Manager Kyle Dubas and new coach Dan Muse, seeks to rejuvenate its roster, which could affect Malkin’s playing time, whose performance has declined in the last two years. Malkin has shared three Stanley Cups with teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, and his wish is to stay close to them. “I hope to stay here like Sid and Tanger, and be Penguins forever, for sure,” Malkin stated. “I hope we play great and everything goes perfectly. I want to stay here, for sure.” The decision about his future could take months. Dubas plans to discuss a possible extension with Malkin around the Olympic break in February. For now, Malkin is willing to wait and see how the season unfolds.“I’m still hungry. I’m glad to be here this year,” Malkin told reporters on Friday. “It depends on how the season goes [if I stay in Pittsburgh]. If we play great, I play great, I feel confident and show my game, why not one more? The preseason is huge for the team and for me.
Evgeni Malkin
Regarding the possibility of waiving his no-trade clause, Malkin couldn’t help but have mixed feelings. He pointed out that although some players have had success being traded, like Brad Marchand, who was traded from Boston to Florida and won the Cup, he’s not sure how he would feel if the team traded him. Malkin’s main focus is to help Pittsburgh regain its form this season. With Dan Muse replacing Mike Sullivan as coach and Crosby leading the team, Malkin’s success will be crucial for the Penguins to end their playoff drought. Otherwise, this could be his last season with Pittsburgh or in the NHL. Malkin has also considered the possibility of playing in Russia when his North American career ends. Malkin, however, hopes that won’t happen anytime soon. He is grateful for the time he has spent in Pittsburgh and for the success he has achieved. “If it’s my last year here, I’ve played here for 20 years. That’s not bad either, you know? I’m glad to be a Penguin, I’m glad to win three Stanley Cups here. If I have the opportunity to play next year, I will,” he concluded.“I think we have time. It’s a long season and training camp has just started. We’ll see what happens. It’s a huge season for Kyle, for everyone here. We didn’t qualify for the playoffs in the last three years; it’s not great. But, again, now mentally, my focus is on improving every day. Staying here with the team and doing the best I can. And we’ll see,” said Malkin.
Evgeni Malkin
