Dubas Downplays Malkin’s Point-Per-Game Season With Load Management Concerns

It’s clear that Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas likes Evgeni Malkin and respects what the veteran has accomplished throughout his illustrious NHL career. At the same time, Dubas is putting his GM hat on when he talks about Malkin, and it’s also clear there’s a bit of contract gamesmanship as the two sides get set to sit down and come up with a number that makes sense for an extension.

Meeting with the media this week, Dubas was asked about Malkin’s next deal and how his 2025-26 season might impact the numbers. The response was interesting.

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In almost the same breath, Dubas called Malkin “one of the great players of all time”, but also suggested he needed breaks this past season for the kind of production everyone saw to occur.

Can Malkin Play Every Game?

“I mean, he’s a special player. I mean, most people in this room have seen it far longer than me, first hand, over 82 games. To me, I thought the key thing this year for him was that he started off the year excellent. He had a newfound energy. He got hurt in December, and he came back from that in a great spot. And then, unfortunately, I mean the suspension, we don’t have to delve into that, but he was suspended, and then when he was back from the suspension, came back again with renewed energy.”

Dubas then went on to compare Malkin to Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, saying both of those players have physical qualities and genetic advantages that Malkin simply doesn’t have.

“I just think it’s a natural course, you know, Sid is Sid. I think he’s in a separate category, and I tend to put Kris in that as well. Just there’s the genetics, and there’s the physiology that goes with it, and I think those two are in a different bucket in terms of their bodies. Geno is built differently. And I thought the different times off during the year really served him well. And so I think we were fortunate in that regard.”

Dubas said that no one ever wants to see a top player go down to an injury, and at the time it happens, everyone is frustrated. Then again, for Malkin, Dubas believes the time off helped him. “And I don’t think you ever feel that in the year at the time. You think, ‘Geez, he’s out, that stinks.’ But every time he came back from being out, he played his best hockey, we felt. So I think that’s one thing to it.”

The Penguins Took Away Some of Malkin’s Responsibility

If suggesting that the Penguins might have to manage Malkin’s load more effectively and play him fewer games was not a big enough dig, Dubas also hinted that Malkin may not play center next season.

“And the other part is he shifted away from center after the injury in December and played on the wing. And I thought he, Tommy [Novak], and Igor Chinnikov, especially during that stretch right away had great chemistry. I think it helped reduce some of the load on him as well. So I think all of those factors play into it.”

So what does that mean? Are the Penguins looking to sign Malkin to a deal where they all agree he won’t play center and he might not play all 84 games next season? If that’s the case, does it impact what they’re willing to offer and will Malkin be happy with the reduced role?

Maybe.

Dubas said, “But in the end, he’s one of the great players of all time. And I just think, as everyone in the room knows, very proud. And I think all of those play into him having the season that he did.”

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