Malkin’s contract included in the list of the main intrigues of the NHL offseason

Columnist Dan Rosen on the official website of the NHL included the situation with the contract of Russian Evgeni Malkin with Pittsburgh in the list of 10 main off-season intrigues in the league.

Evgeni Malkin and Chris Letang’s contracts with Pittsburgh are ending, they will become unlimited agents, which means that the core, which has been successful for more than a decade, may no longer be together.

Forward Malkin and defenseman Letang won the Stanley Cup three times with the Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017) and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2008. The Penguins have never missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 16 seasons they have played together.

Of course, Sidney Crosby was the leader of this “Pittsburgh”, and he signed a contract until the 2024-25 season. Crosby no doubt wants Malkin and Letang back on the team, but the Penguins may have other ideas. Especially considering that Malkin turns 36 on July 31, and Letang turns 35 on April 24.

Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said that “in an ideal world,” Pittsburgh would have re-signed both. Malkin said he wants to play at least three or four more seasons and Letang wants to play four or five more.

However, the Penguins have not won a Stanley Cup series since 2018. Perhaps their era is over,” Rosen writes.

Malkin has been with Pittsburgh for his entire NHL career after being selected with the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2021/22 season, Evgeny chalked up 41 games in the NHL regular season and scored 42 (20+22) points. In the playoffs, he has 6 (3+3) points in 7 meetings. Malkin’s contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins expires this summer.

Letang scored 68 points (10+58) in 78 regular season games last season. In the NHL playoffs – 4 points (1 + 3) in 7 games.

Pittsburgh lost to the Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup (3-4 in the series).