Evgeni Malkin wants to finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Both he and Sidney Crosby have made that abundantly clear whenever questioned about the topic throughout their 20 years with the organization.
The superstar centers will forever be legends in the Steel City, having brought three Stanley Cup Championships along with countless highlight reel moments and memories throughout their time as Penguins.
But things are changing in Pittsburgh, and even as Crosby and Malkin continue to reiterate their desires to finish where it all started, speculation and rumors arise about their futures as the team transitions into a rebuild.
The most recent report surrounded Malkin, whose playing future is uncertain altogether, entering the final year of his contract. Jimmy Murphy of RG Media broke the story, sharing that the Lightning, Panthers, and Canadiens have all kicked tires on the soon-to-be Hall of Famer.
“On Friday night, an NHL executive source told Research Ground that three teams—the Montreal Canadiens (who have already been linked to Crosby), the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Florida Panthers—have all looked into Malkin’s availability at some point since the 2024 offseason,” Murphy wrote.
“‘I’m sure there’s been other teams too in the past, but I’m told those three teams, at some point last season, asked about Malkin, Crosby, and other Penguins players, but as (Penguins general manager) Kyle [Dubas] made it clear to the media so many times, the answer has always been a hard no,’ the source said,” Murphy added.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have not ruled out leaving Pittsburgh this season. Could both legends finish 2025-26 with new teams? Read the full story at Research Ground.
via @MurphysLaw74 https://t.co/4DlQ5w0OsP
— RG (@TheRGMedia) September 20, 2025
As mentioned, the 39-year-old is set to begin the final season of the four-year, $24.4 million contract extension he signed with the Penguins in 2022.
Malkin still has plenty of game left
After a down 2024-25 season statistically, many are skeptical about what Evgeni Malkin has left to give at this point in his career. It’s understandable, given his drop in production, but the numbers can be quite misleading without having watched the games.
Malkin dealt with an absolute mishmash of wingers all year long, and none of them were close to the top-six caliber that he should have flanking him. He started to really find his game upon returning from injury later in the season, combined with the arrival of talented youngsters Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty.
He may be nearing the end, but he’s mentioned the disappointment with his last two seasons, and if there’s anything we should know, it’s that a motivated Evgeni Malkin is dangerous for the rest of the league.
