The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t expected to be very good this season.
That’s the hard reality staring down a proud franchise once synonymous with Stanley Cup banners. They’re older, slower, thin on prospects, and the power rankings slot them firmly outside the playoff bubble.
And yet, inside that reality lies a choice. For Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins’ legendary No. 71 who’s worn black and gold for nearly two decades, the question is whether loyalty should trump the lure of one more legitimate run at hockey’s ultimate prize.
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News made the case this week that Malkin should strongly consider waiving his no-trade clause. It isn’t about disrespecting Pittsburgh or diminishing what he’s meant to the franchise — it’s about recognizing that time is running short. At 39 years old, with over 1,200 games and more than 1,300 points under his belt, the window to hoist another Cup is closing fast.
The Penguins, despite boasting a core of household names, aren’t a contender. ESPN’s offseason rankings put them near the bottom half of the league, and early bold predictions from Bleacher Report don’t see them anywhere near a playoff threat. Pensburgh laid it out bluntly in answering NHL.com’s offseason questions: the Penguins have an aging roster, and GM Kyle Dubas hasn’t magically found a way to turn back the clock.
Meanwhile, the prospect pool — ranked in the bottom third of the league by Daily Faceoff — is too shallow to promise a quick turnaround. The Penguins’ pipeline simply doesn’t compare to the NHL’s elite. Which means if they want to build for tomorrow, they’ll need assets. And Malkin, even at this stage of his career, could still bring back a valuable package.
That’s where the logic turns personal.
Evgeni Malkin Enters Final Season With Pittsburgh Squad Likely to Miss Playoffs
Malkin has been everything Pittsburgh could’ve asked for: a three-time Stanley Cup champion, a Hart Trophy winner, and the steady centerpiece beside Sidney Crosby. But unlike Crosby — who has made it clear he’ll retire as a Penguin — Malkin has a very different option in front of him.
Pro Hockey Rumors projected that while Malkin’s contract is winding down, there’s still demand for a proven top-six center who can anchor a power play and produce in big moments. On the right contending team, his size, skill, and playoff pedigree become weapons.
Proteau put it plainly: “Malkin would give himself a chance to chase a Cup, and the Penguins would gain prospects or picks they desperately need. Both sides benefit.”
It’s hard to argue.
Of course, there’s a heartstring tug in all of this. Malkin has said repeatedly that he loves Pittsburgh, loves raising his family here, and cherishes the connection with fans who have watched him grow from a 20-year-old rookie out of Magnitogorsk to one of the greatest players of his generation.
Dubas has insisted that Malkin’s final year of his contract will be handled with care.
“Our major focus is on treating him right,” Dubas said. “Pushing him to continue to be at his best this year and do right by him by continuing to communicate with him on where he stands and handle it the right way as an organization.”
The tricky part? Sometimes those interests don’t perfectly align.
Evgeni Malkin Would Be a Significant Pickup for Several Contending Teams
So, if the Penguins do broach the subject, who makes sense? Powerhouse clubs with Cup aspirations — think Colorado, Carolina, or even a team like the Rangers — could view Malkin as the type of deadline acquisition that tips the balance. Even at 39, he’s not some ceremonial rental. He scored 27 goals as recently as two seasons ago, and his ability to elevate in playoff settings has never been in question.
For the Penguins, the return could mean young, controllable talent to replenish a system that badly needs it. For Malkin, it could mean chasing one last springtime parade before the curtain falls.
Maybe it feels wrong to picture Malkin in another sweater. For 19 years, he’s been a Penguin. He’s the “other half” of the Crosby era, the loyal soldier who never asked for the spotlight but always delivered when it mattered.
But hockey history is filled with legends who made late-career moves to chase a Cup. Ray Bourque. Marian Hossa. Even Jarome Iginla took a shot. No one thinks less of them. In many ways, it only enhances the legend.
Malkin has nothing left to prove in Pittsburgh. But he does have something left to chase in the NHL.
And that’s why, as difficult as it may be, Proteau’s suggestion makes all the sense in the world.
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