Penguins Blog: Response to Malkin Column Criticisms
Evgeni Malkin has plenty of public support in quest for a new contract. The paying public, which seemed quite ready to move on from the Pittsburgh Penguins ’ big-three, including Malkin, just a year ago, is now lobbying hard for one more go.
It has been a loud and clear about face reversal.
Maybe the flip came from the resurgent season in which Malkin overcame numerous injuries to play 56 games and notch 61 points. Maybe it is emotional attachment and holding on for one more moment before life forces a goodbye.
Sunday, Pittsburgh Hockey Now published its own about face. When once this writer, and once colleague Shelly Anderson have opined that Malkin deserved a proper farewell tour, this writer flipped back.
One reader sympathetically described his and my flip not as a 180, but a 540 reversal; we began last season assuming it was Malkin’s swan song, then to believing Malkin should get a new contract, and back to ultimately resting on the original premise that 2025-26 should indeed be the end.
Fans on social media let me know that was not what they wanted to hear.
The voluminous objections were almost unanimously earnest–a rarity for social media–but they could also be grouped into two categories: First, the emotional. Two, the team can’t replace him with anyone better next season.
Maddeningly for some, both arguments are absolutely true but are ultimately incongruent with the Penguins’ situation.
The emotional ties to Malkin run deep, both in the dressing room, the fanbase, and the organization. After 20 years, Malkin is not only an icon and face of the franchise but a hilarious and central figure in the Penguins room.
He is beloved.
“I love that guy,” said Bryan Rust , as he both offered emotional praise while avoiding commenting on what the general manager, Kyle Dubas, should do.
Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang offered similar, though they also understand the genuine possibility that the longest running trio in North American pro sports history, which also includes them, is ending. As such, both Crosby and Letang tempered their comments.
“I mean, it’s tough. We’ll see what happens. We’ve played together so long. I think it’s clear (that) I’d love to be playing with him for longer, so we’ll see what happens,” said Crosby. “But, yeah, I think it’s pretty obvious at this point, I’d love to keep playing with him.”
Until Dubas’s decision is final, it is quite possible that Malkin re-signs. The players want it. Malkin obviously wants it and used the media to put some pressure on Dubas later in the season. And fans seems to want it.
Heck, just like four years ago, maybe the new owners will want it, too. If they ever complete the sale, anyway. But is also seems quite possible that Malkin’s time is over, and we should keep things in perspective.
“Whatever happens, I’m sure he’ll land on his feet,” said Erik Karlsson .
The important thing to understand is the prism through which Dubas will make all decisions, and that decision module will often be different from the public’s desires.
Players, like fans, are looking at 2026-27, but that is not how Dubas is looking at the Malkin decision or any other he will make. The bedrock of Dubas’s job is now to build a new Stanley Cup contender, and one that contends not only for one year but is competitive for a decade.
So, to respond to the dozens of arguments, when the Malkin decision process is put through that critical thinking framework, there just isn’t a reason to re-sign him.
No, there is no benefit to the 2026-27 season to move on from Malkin. That is correct, and if the Penguins were attempting to win or within striking distance of being a contender, this would be a no-brainer yes. But the Penguins are not focused on trying to win in 2026-27.
And so, the long-term benefit to the organization is purely an emotional goodbye.
Nope. Absolutely not. There is a significant difference in the benefits, presence, and leadership roles filled by Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Malkin has a place near the top of the room’s hierarchy, but he’s not one of the leaders. Crosby is the foundation upon which the team has built, is the captain, the unquestioned leader of the room, and the player the organization wants to have guiding the next generation.
Those aren’t criticisms of Malkin; those are merely the extraordinary responsibilities that Crosby carries. So, it’s an entirely different situation.
So, why not slide Malkin down in the lineup then? Open up a top-six spot and move Malkin to the third line?
That is true. Phil Kessel was a third liner in his first year or two with the Penguins, but he was successful in that role playing beside a pair of lower-scoring players ( Nick Bonino , Carl Hagelin ) who were exceptional defensively. Also, when Kessel was at his best, he was still a step faster than most players, which allowed the line to have chemistry.
Malkin no longer has that speed, and his game is talent, not wheels. Asking him to start more shifts in the defensive zone would not put the team or Malkin in a position for success.
Well, no. There is not a player in the Penguins’ system who is absolutely, undeniably ready to take a top-six NHL role next season. But again, next season is not the crux of the matter.
Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha are prime examples of why opening a spot could be beneficial. As Dubas trawls the NHL free agent waters looking for castoffs and discarded treasures, having spots for them to earn is helpful. After all, before Anthony Mantha struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he was the shining example of giving a reclamation project a chance to shine.
Dubas is fishing for players to be part of the next chapter for years to come, and opportunity is his bait. When six of six roles at the top of the lineup are already taken, or even five of six, it gets hard to attract those second-chance players who may have other options.
Also, Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty didn’t seize their chances this season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn from this year’s failure and take a big step next season. One or both were slated as a stop-six forwards before this season. 2025 first-rounder Bill Zonnon will be in training camp, and who knows who else Dubas and vice president of player personnel Wes Clark will unearth with their (probably 22nd overall) pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Free agents and prospects. That’s the idea. And if none pan out, that’s part of the process, too. Dubas rolled a Yahtzee or drew a royal flush this season. All of his moves worked out, but that is far from the norm.
This season, Dubas did not trade away those short-term parts he acquired, such as Mantha or Brazeau, near the trade deadline so that he could give the Penguins the best chance to do a little damage in the playoffs. That was their gift, and it set the Penguins back some unacquired future assets. Also, it didn’t work.
Dubas can’t stand pat again. Next season, he will have to move players by the deadline to further the great revamp.
I certainly wouldn’t mind if that’s what happened. Malkin has been one of my favorite players to watch play the game and to cover. Sure, having to write the Malkin goodbye stories every two weeks, and stories like “Capitals Honor Malkin” or “Flyers Fans Almost Cheer Malkin in Final Visit” will get tedious. The goodbye tour could be a distraction. Personally, I’m a big believer in an Irish goodbye, but to each their own. And if Malkin returns, it will indeed be a cause for many to celebrate … just not overly beneficial beyond that.
The post Penguins Blog: Response to Malkin Column Criticisms appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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