2025-26 Season Could Be Last for Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin

Is Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins getting set for his unofficial retirement tour? “Word is starting to circulate that the 2025-26 season will be Malkin’s last in the NHL,” writes David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period this week. He adds, “The 38-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, and the future Hall-of-Famer may hang up his skates at the conclusion of Pittsburgh’s campaign a year from now.”

If true, it will be a huge happening for the Penguins’ organization and a big loss for the NHL. At the same time, it might not come as a massive shock seeing as the team is going through a rebuild/retool and not necessarily projected to be a Stanley Cup contender before Malkin’s deal runs out and his production takes a dip.

Malkin has played in 1,213 career regular-season games, scoring 514 goals and 832 assists for 1,346 points. This season, he played in 68 games and produced one of his lowest goal-scoring campaigns of his last several relatively healthy seasons.

The three-time Stanley Cup champ is a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, the 2007 Calder Trophy winner, the 2009 Conn Smythe winner, and the 2012 Hart winner and Ted Lindsay winner. However, he’s slowing, and it’s likely he’s not interested in playing for a team that isn’t the Penguins.

Penguins Looking to Go Younger, Malkin Likely Not Part of the Plan

Pittsburgh is looking at a youth movement, which means moving on from names like Erik Karlsson and potentially Malkin. Sidney Crosby seems to be the only player the Penguins will try to keep under most circumstances. He would have to tell the franchise he wants out, whereas other players might be on Dubas’ trade to-do list. At this point, Crosby has not indicated he’s looking to go anywhere.

Malkin holds a full no-move clause, so the most likely scenario is that he plays out the last of this contract and then retires from the NHL.

Next: Canadiens’ Insider Dives Into Crosby-to-Montreal Speculation