Malkin Hoping to Find Another Level After All-Star Break

Evgeni Malkin scored his fifth goal of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Washington to head into the All-Star break on a nine-game point streak.

The 35-year-old superstar has collected 10 points (3G-7A) over that run, which is the NHL's second-longest active streak behind Minnesota's Kevin Fiala (11).
Overall, since making his debut on Jan. 11 following offseason knee surgery, Malkin has 13 points in 12 games - second to only Sidney Crosby (7G-9A-16PTS) for the most on the team during that span.
"Just to have a star player like that back in your lineup, I think it helps depth-wise," forward Jake Guentzel said. "He's one of the generational talents. For us to see him back in the lineup and see what he does on the ice, he makes us a better team. He scores a lot of goals and is getting a lot of points out there for us, so it's just nice to have him back."
Especially on the power play, which went 3-for-5 against the Capitals to give them 17 power-man-advantage goals in the last 16 games, which leads the league since Jan. 1. In 2022, Pittsburgh's 33.3% success rate on the power play is tops in the league (17-for-51).
It's no coincidence that Pittsburgh's resurgence in that area of the game has coincided with Malkin's return. He has such a quick-strike capability and Mike Sullivan has said his instinctive play brings a certain level of unpredictability, which makes it difficult for opponents to game plan.
"When he's on that power play, too, it makes a big difference," defenseman John Marino said. "They're playing incredible. Obviously, with everyone healthy and the chemistry that those guys have over the years that they've played together, it's special to watch."
Sullivan praised Malkin for how hard he worked to get himself ready to return after such a long layoff, saying that his timing, conditioning and overall play are getting better with each game. And there have certainly been a lot of those, as the Penguins just played eight in 13 days - and six in nine starting last Sunday - after a season-long two-week road trip.

"I try to do my best," Malkin said. "We have a tough schedule last week, we played so many games. But guys played good, unbelievable. Played hard, tried everything. I know I can play better, and I will. We have a break right now and it will help, I think, so much. Little bit of rest before playoffs, it's good."
Malkin said he had really been focusing on trying to play a simple game as he dealt with the challenge of coming back after missing so much time. Sullivan said they have been working with him - just like they do with all of their guys - on the balance between risk versus reward in order to help him achieve that.
"That's a conversation that I have a lot with Geno in particular, just because he's such a great playmaker, and he has the puck on his stick as often as he does," Sullivan said. "But we really like where he's trending. We're certainly a much more difficult team to play against when he's in our lineup. He presents a particular challenge for our opponents, especially when we have (Sidney Crosby) on one line and Geno on another."
And now, Malkin is looking forward to taking his game to another level starting when the Penguins return to play next Tuesday, Feb. 8 at Boston. He's changed the brace on his surgically repaired right knee, which has helped him feel much more like his normal self. And that, as Guentzel said, is a generational talent who's won three Stanley Cups - and is hoping for another this season.
"After break, I hope I start playing more and more minutes and Coach trusts me more," Malkin said. "I think my game is back. I feel like my knee is normal now. I'm not scared anymore. I have a couple battles in the corner, all good, and I think my confidence is back for sure after the break."