Inside look at Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Evgeni Malkin hasn't said he would retire after this season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it has been implied.

"I want to play one more year, for sure," the 40-year-old forward said on May 1.

Malkin could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Instead, he signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Penguins on May 26, guaranteeing a 21st, and possibly final, season with the team that selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft.

"It's special for me, for my family," said Malkin, who had 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games last season. "My son (was) born here. It’s not just hockey. It's city, it's fans, it's friends. It's lots of memories here. Never forget, of course. Again, it's best moment, my son born here."

If this is it, it marks the beginning of the end to the most successful era in Penguins history.

Malkin, along with center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Kris Letang, have won the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016, 2017). Set for a 21st season together, they are the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the history of North American major professional sports.

Crosby's time in Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be winding down; he's entering the final season of a two-year, $17.4 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value), but is expected to play beyond it.

At 39 years old, the Penguins captain is nearly as good as he ever was. He led them with 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in 68 games last season, extending his NHL record of point-per-game seasons to 21.

"As far as how long I want to play, I don't know," Crosby said. "I mean, it's tough. It's one of those things that it's a year-to-year thing and how you feel. But I feel pretty good, overall."

Letang, who is also 39, is signed through 2027-28 on a six-year, $36.6 million contract ($6.1 million AAV). His role as the clear No. 1 defenseman has gone to Erik Karlsson, a 36-year-old who was second on Pittsburgh with 66 points (15 goals, 51 assists) in 75 games last season.

Like Crosby, Karlsson has one season remaining on an eight-year, $92 million contract ($11 million AAV) that was signed with the San Jose Sharks on June 17, 2019. On July 1, Pittsburgh assistant general manager Jason Spezza said there was no update regarding new contracts for Crosby or Karlsson.

Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson, along with forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, will again headline an attempt to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight time after making a surprise appearance last season.

The Penguins (41-25-16) defied expectations by finishing second in the Metropolitan Division behind the eventual Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes and ending a three-season playoff drought. Losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference First Round kept them from winning a series for the first time since 2018.

"Am I happy? There's some parts of it that I'm very happy about," general manager Kyle Dubas said. "But there's other parts that I just know we have to get better at. And I'm not satisfied with us having just made the playoffs."

The changes have been similar to recent offseasons; short-term contracts were offered to talented players with something to prove.

Forward Andrei Kuzmenko, who had surgery after tearing his meniscus on Feb. 26, signed a one-year, $5 million contract on July 1. After having 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 52 games with the Los Angeles Kings last season, he'll be partially tasked with replacing forward Anthony Mantha, who led Pittsburgh with 33 goals before signing with the New Jersey Devils on July 15.

Forward Nicholas Robertson signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract on July 14 after having an NHL career-high 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in 78 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

Defenseman Kaedan Korczak was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 for Parker Wotherspoon, Karlsson's partner on the top defense pair last season, and Trevor van Riemsdyk signed a two-year, $8 million contract on July 1 to boost the defense further.

"Rather than just do something for the sake of doing it, I'd rather come here and say, 'Yeah, we aspire to do it, and the options weren't there," Dubas said. "So we've had to check down and continue to build it up the way that we have."

The Penguins are attempting to do right by Malkin, Crosby, Letang and Karlsson, while also laying the foundation for what they'd like to be the next great era once those stars are gone.

For now, though, Malkin's goal is to win with Crosby and Letang. Same as it ever was.

"Now I want more, you know?" Malkin said. "These are two special guys. ... I have great 20 years together. Never forget."