Malkin hoping to extend Penguins' season, return in '26-'27

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Like many of his teammates, Evgeni Malkin came off the ice smiling after the Pittsburgh Penguins practice at Flyers Training Center on Friday.

The Penguins’ mood was upbeat despite the dire situation they face, trailing the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in the Eastern Conference First Round and trying to avoid being swept out of the best-of-7 series in Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, SN-PIT, truTV, TBS, NBCSP, SN, TVAS).

“We understand the situation,” Malkin said. “You know it's not easy. It's tough, of course, but it's not over. We can't be in a bad mood because it's not a help to us. We have great practice and work hard and ready to go tomorrow.”

The Penguins need a win to force Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Monday. If they lose, however, their season ends much sooner than they hoped, and with that comes questions about their future, beginning with Malkin’s. The 39-year-old center is in the final season of a four-year, $24.4 million contract ($6.1 million average annual value) he signed with Pittsburgh on July 12, 2022, and can become an unrestricted free agent when it expires.

Malkin has said multiple times he wants to re-sign with the Penguins. His agent J.P. Barry and general manager Kyle Dubas agreed to put off contract talks until after the Stanley Cup Playoffs, though, and there’s no guarantee they’ll agree on a new one. 

So if the Penguins’ season ends Saturday, Malkin’s 20-season career with them, including three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, 2017) could be over, too.

“I hope it's not over,” Malkin said. “I hope we're still fighting. And my future, like again, I say the same thing: I want to be here, I want to be part of the team next year, too, and I want to be retired in Pittsburgh. 

“But it's not my choice. You know, it’s Kyle’s decision and it’s the new owners probably, too.”

Longtime teammate Sidney Crosby preferred not to think Friday about Game 4 potentially being Malkin’s last with Pittsburgh. The Penguins already have a lot on their plate trying to become the fifth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-7 series (4-209). Considering the consequences of not being able to do that, including Malkin’s uncertain future, can wait.

“I don't think that does any good, to be honest with you,” Crosby said. “I think it's just all about what's best suited to go out there and be at your best and enjoy it. Ultimately, as a player, this is the best time of year, and it's not an ideal situation, but at the same time, we would have took this last year (after missing the playoffs for third straight season).  

“So I think it's just a matter of having the right approach, enjoying it, and just making sure we focus on what's in front of us here.”

Regardless of what happens Saturday, Malkin’s legacy with Pittsburgh is secure. He ranks third in Penguins history with 1,407 regular season points (533 goals, 874 assists) in 1,269 games, behind only Crosby (1,761 points) and Mario Lemieux (1,723), and he’s second in playoff scoring with 183 points (69 goals, 114 assists) in 180 games, behind Crosby (202).

Approaching his 40th birthday on July 31, Malkin has enjoyed a rebound season in which he had 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 56 regular-season games, his first season averaging at least a point per game since he had 83 points in 82 games in 2022-23. And though Pittsburgh has struggled offensively in the first three games against Philadelphia, scoring only four goals, including just one at 5-on-5, Malkin has continued to produce with a team-leading three points (two goals, one assist).

“It doesn't matter,” he said. “If we’re (losing) 3-0 in (the) series, if I score 10 goals, it (doesn’t) help. I'm trying to do my best again, but I can do better. Every player here in the locker room can play better.”

The Penguins went 41-25-16 to finish second in the Metropolitan Division and qualify for the playoffs in what many expected to be a rebuilding season. They’re not ready for it to be over, though, and take some optimism from the way they played in Game 3.

Though they lost 5-2, they played perhaps their best period of the series in taking a 1-0 lead in the first and scored twice on the power play after going 0-for-7 with a short-handed goal against. They need to figure out how to take what they did in the first period and do it for three periods, or more, if necessary, Saturday.

“You’ve just got to look at what's in front of you, and that's tomorrow, and making sure we put our best game on the ice,” Crosby said. “I don't feel like we feel like we've done that for a complete game yet. Maybe different parts of games, but that first period (of Game 3) is more of how we want to play. We just weren't able to sustain it. 

“So if we can put some periods together like that, then we give ourselves a chance.”

Malkin said he believes Pittsburgh can do that Saturday to extend its season, and potentially his tenure with the Penguins, for at least one more game.

“It's just one game,” he said. “We have a great year and we have (a) good team, and we understand what's going on. It's not easy, of course. Nobody believe (in) us, but we believe in ourselves, and I believe in my team.”