Getty

Pittsburgh Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin has made an interesting admission about his future. The surefire Hall of Famer is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after his four-year, $24.4 million contract expires. Although the star forward will turn 40 in the offseason, he does want to continue playing in the NHL.

Nevertheless, he may end up having to play outside of Pittsburgh for the first time in his career. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported that the Penguins would not give Malkin a new contract extension. As a result, the most recent season would be the legend’s last with the team. It seems as if general manager Kyle Dubas is willing to move on from the aging superstar.

Malkin, however, put up impressive numbers on the campaign. He managed to rack up 61 points in 56 games throughout the most recent season. Although he missed some time with injuries, the forward’s 1.09 points per game average was his best figure since 2019-20. Because of this output, many believe that it would be impossible for the Penguins not to bring back Malkin on a one-year deal.

Despite this, Malkin has revealed that he may not return to Pittsburgh for the 2026-27 campaign. According to DK Pittsburgh Sports, the legend admitted that there was “nothing new” regarding contract negotiations with the Penguins. Malkin also specifically answered “yes” to whether or not he would consider playing for another NHL team if Pittsburgh does not offer him an extension.

Evgeni Malkin Changes Stance on Future With Pittsburgh Penguins

GettyEvgeni Malkin will go down as one of the greatest Pittsburgh Penguins players.

Malkin’s new admission is certainly a pivot from his previous stance on the situation. The legend has been vocal on multiple occasions that he would only play for the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to the aforementioned article by Yohe. However, Dubas appears to be making Malkin open his career options.

“I want to play in the NHL for sure, but, again, I know it’s not easy for Kyle [Dubas] and I know maybe he wants new blood here,” Malkin continued on May 1. “And I understand that it’s a business… For me, I want to play one more year in the NHL. I’m not looking back to play in Russia. But if not this group, I hope some [NHL] team.”

It would be extremely difficult for Penguins fans to imagine Malkin in another NHL jersey. The legendary forward has spent 20 years in Pittsburgh, racking up over 1,400 total regular-season points and collecting three Stanley Cup titles. Teammates Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust both expressed their desire to have Malkin back next season on Friday.

Pittsburgh Can Easily Afford a Malkin Extension

If the Pittsburgh Penguins let Malkin walk, several teams would likely be interested in the veteran. One particular club recently linked with the star is the Washington Capitals. Malkin’s former teammate, Tyler Kennedy, specifically named the Capitals as a potential landing spot for the legend during a radio interview. Kennedy made the claim due to Malkin’s close friendship with fellow Russian Alex Ovechkin.

Money is certainly not an issue for Pittsburgh in the Malkin situation. According to PuckPedia.com, the Penguins have the most projected cap space in the NHL heading into the 2026-27 campaign ($45 million). Malkin most recently earned an AAV of $6.1 million in his last deal with the team.