In addition to the trade deadline, now less than 48 hours away, there’s a weightier issue on Kyle Dubas’s plate.
Should our POHO/GM extend Pens great Evgeni Malkin for another season? Or should he let the UFA-to-be walk?
First, the pros, and there are plenty of ‘em. At the ripe old age of 39, Malkin is enjoying a marvelous season. Despite missing 15 games with what’s rumored to be a wonky shoulder, Geno’s tied for the team lead in assists (34) and second in points (47). His points per game of 1.04, virtually identical to Sidney Crosby’s team-best 1.05.
He’s been a play-driver for not one but two productive units, the Big Line with Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha pre-injury, as well as his current line with Tommy Novak and budding star Egor Chinakhov. Both lines have been wildly successful.
You can certainly argue that Geno’s presence, not to mention pristine setups, have had much to do with Chinakhov’s stunning emergence. A quick glance at the scoring logs reveals that No. 71 has assisted on six of his countryman’s 11 black-and-gold goals.
Indeed, the Russians have blended like peas and carrots, or red borscht and vodka if you prefer.
Then there’s the way Geno looks. Simply put, he’s galloping on the ice like a frisky colt set out to pasture for the first time. There’s a palpable joy and energy in his game. I’ve written on numerous occasions that he miraculously appears to have turned back the clock a good five years if not more. All the more remarkable when you consider he appeared to be fading into his twilight in 2024-25.
To say nothing of his emotional impact and presence in the locker room.
As for the cons?
It appears the shift to left wing is permanent. Observers more knowledgeable than I suggest struggles in the neutral zone preclude the two-time NHL scoring champion from playing his traditional center position any longer. As good a season as he’s having, Geno’s advanced 5v5 stats are okay but not great, with the notable exception of goals for percentage (57.89), which you could certainly argue is the most important.
With only 13 goals on the heels of a 16-goal season, his shot isn’t what it once was. And the big guy remains a bit injury prone.
Perhaps the biggest road-block of all?
Dubas himself.
Although complimentary of Geno during a radio show last night, he appears to be slow-playing negotiations, much as he did with Jake Guentzel a couple of seasons back. Calling a spade a spade, if Dubas really wanted to sign the former Hart and Conn Smythe Trophy winner…BAM…he’d get a deal done. Much as he did with fourth-line-wonder Blake Lizotte earlier this season.
If Dubas does intend to sign Malkin, it doesn’t make sense for him to delay. Especially since the current situation appears to be causing Geno undue anxiety. Understandably so.
As a general rule, a happy, worry-free player is a productive player.
Dan Kingerski of PHN hints there are those in the organization who believe Dubas wants to turn the page, roster-wise, and isn’t keen on re-signing Malkin. At least from a distance, that sure appears to be the case.
As the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
My two cents? I re-up Geno in a heartbeat. This would be no charity or nostalgia signing. He’s absolutely earned a new deal with his play. Cap space isn’t an issue. We’ve got gobs of it.
Sign him for another season, which would match the term of Crosby’s current contract. If he falters, deal with it then.
In the meantime, allow a black-and-gold legend and one of the top four players in franchise history to go out on his terms.
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All I have to say to Kyle Du(m)bas(s) is good luck in trying to build a team when the only clowns you can attract with your stupidity is high priced mercenaries, chasing the $ sign, unwilling to give an inch. You will end up with a team of 1 or 2 stars who will eat up half your cap space and have to fill out the rest of your team with the scraps they leave behind. Nobody will take a team friendly when you act like a complete @55.
Boy, my friend, I sure don't agree with your overall assessment of Dubas. I think, his most recent deal aside, he's done brilliant work, especially since last season's deadline. Building a contender while slashing cap space, not to mention growing the team's prospect pipeline and stockpiling picks requires a master's touch.
High-priced mercenaries? Yes, Karlsson makes a pretty coin, although I think we're getting plenty of bang for our $$$. Most of our other players are signed at very reasonable rates. Hence our burgeoning cap space where prior to Dubas's arrival there was none.
My concern, which ties loosely to your last sentence? That he'll gain a rep for not doing right by his players. Again, I'll dredge up Kulak-for-Girard, which really blind-sided (devastated) the former Oiler. I heard similar criticisms of last seasons Novak-for-Bunting swap, which unsettled two players lives for the sake of teams that weren't going anywhere, the inference being that it could've waited till summer. Not to mention actively flipping fairly fresh acquisitions like Beauvillier, Glass and Kulak.
Not re-signing Malkin in the wake of what the big guy's accomplished this season, to say nothing of his standing as one of the team's all-time greats? I don't think it would reflect well on Dubas from a player standpoint.
Loyalty's a door that needs to swing both ways, not just one.
Rick
Rick,
In my humble opinion, Gino should seriously consider making this easier on the organization and simply calling it a day. We’ve seen this scenario play out many times before, and it rarely ends well for anyone involved.
A good example is Big Ben with the Steelers. Toward the end, it felt like the organization was being held hostage by his decision to keep playing, when in reality he probably should have retired three years earlier. It created an unnecessary cloud over the team during what should have been a transition period. It's still haunting the Steelers
at the QB position.
Andrew McCutchen is another case. He has the fan base stirred up, and much of that drama could have been avoided if he had chosen to step away on his own terms and retire with the respect and appreciation he had already earned. When players continue well past the point when age is clearly catching up with them, it often creates an awkward dynamic between the team and the fans. Instead of celebrating a legacy, the conversation turns into frustration and second-guessing.
Letang is another player who, in my view, might benefit from stepping away. His game seems increasingly mistake-prone compared to previous seasons. At times when I watch the games, I find myself wondering who exactly some of those passes were intended for. In hindsight, I even questioned the timing and length of the long-term deals when they were signed.
As for Malkin, his level of engagement sometimes looks inconsistent—almost as if something off the ice is weighing on him. Whether that’s personal, financial, or simply the natural wear and tear of a long career, it shows in stretches of his play. Even more so than in the past.
At some point, the best move for both the player and the organization is a graceful exit. Walking away with dignity preserves a player’s legacy and allows the team to move forward without unnecessary tension or distraction.
Just my two cents. For whateve it's worth.
A very wise man once told me "Mike" Theirs loyalty and then theirs stupid loyalty" - Truer words were never spoken.
Hey Mike,
First of all, you state your case very eloquently. When it comes to legends, it's always hard to know when to say when. Most of the time it seems they do stay a year or season too long.
If we re-sign Geno for another year, there's every chance the wheels fall off his wagon, much as they started to do last season. Which, of course, could create another Jeff Carter situation of whether to play him or sit him. Which nobody would want.
I personally think Geno's earned another year with the way he's played. Desire and passion matter a great deal, and I think he's played all season as if he's had something to prove. Whether he's able to extend that level of play, not to mention production, another year is anybody's guess. But again, I think he's earned the opportunity.
In terms of him looking distracted, I assume you mean lately. Just a guess but probably a pretty good one, I think the lack of an extension is weighing on him, which he publicly admitted.
Switching gears, losing Kulak as a partner has left Letang exposed again, much like he was earlier in the season. There's no question Kulak "fixed" or at least stabilized Tanger's game. Heck, he admitted as much when he likened Kulak to former partner Brian Dumoulin.
Terrible decision on Dubas's part to trade Kulak. The Girard-Letang pairing had trouble (catastrophe) written all over it from the get-go. A shame, because Dubas had been almost letter-perfect in his moves up till then.
If we don't make the playoffs, that trade could be a huge reason why.
Rick
And Jeff Carter was never a "Generational Talent" and checks in at 159th in league history for scoring (a 0.64 Pts/GP pace), Sid is 8th in the league with 1,746 Pts (at a 1.24 Pts/GP pace) and Geno is 25th with 1,393 Pts (a 1.11 Pts/GP Pace). any comparisons between Carter and Malkin are like comparing apples to oranges, Carter isn't in their class. Carter at his best was only as good as Malkin in his twilight. When the wheels fell off of Carter he hit the basement fast because he had only a short distance to fall by comparison.
And let's remember, neither Sid nor Geno are blocking any upward movement of legitimate replacements like Ben
With respect,
There is a distinction between sentimentality and loyalty. In the 70s the Steelers mooned over several Super Bowl Champions after they no longer could play even at the league average anymore. The problem with Ben Roethlisberger was more of a question that he wouldn't let the team start looking for a replacement was he was still playing (inherent to that would be the refusal to mentor a replacement) as well as the fact that he was still demanding to be starter rather than back-up. McCutchen may fall into the category as the Dwight White's of Steelers lore - great player who should have retired.
But back to Evgeni Malkin
To quote former president of the United States, John Adams “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
Fact: Malkin is 3rd on the team in 5-on-5 Pts/60 (2.24), Crosby is 4th (2.20)
Fact Malkin is 3rd on the team in +/- (+13), Crosby is 16th (+1)
Fact Malkin is 4th on the team in TGF/60 5-on-5 (3.21), Crosby is 8th (2.91)
Fact Malkin is 10th on the team in TGA/60 5-on-5 (2.33), Crosby is 16th (2.63)
Fact ove rthe last 3 seasons Malkin has been far better defensively in terms of TGA/60 5-on-5 than Crosby (2.55 vs 3.27) as well as in terms of TGF% (52.24 vs 51.07)
Malkin has consistently contributed more to team wins than Crosby, so in terms of Sentimentality vs Loyalty, Malkin has stated a stronger case of staying than Crosby. Regardless of what Adams calls "our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion," it is hypocritical to call for Malkn to go yet keep Crosby in the face of Adams "the state of facts and evidence.”
Call for Malkins dismissal demands an equal call to move on of Crosby lest charges of hypocrite are earned.
As for the Crosby and Malkin comparison it is simple, Malkin is contributing more substantially to Penguin Wins than Crosby, his Points per 60 minutes is highest on the team and his points per minute 5-on-5 ranks higher than Crosby's as well. So, my point is rather logical, if you want Malkin gone, you need to advocate Crosby gone as well.
I do not advocate either to go. From an organizational stand point, there is no way to recover from their departure in on-ice terms or off-ice. You win more games with both of them in a Penguin Uniform and you make more money thru ticket sales and merchandising.
The Adams Quote comes from a court case before he was president, only a lawyer at the time and refers to the hysteria of people wanting to hang people without evidence of guilt.
The Other Rick
I was going to respond but I really don't want to continue to go back and forth. We can
agree to disagree. I always view these things from an organizational stand point.
Comparing Malkin to Crosby is a head scratcher. So you would take Malkin over Crosby??
Also, referring to a quote of a former President? I'm pretty confident he was talking about
politics and not how that relates to the Sports Industry.
Mike,
The problem here is that Malkin has a higher Pts/60 5-on-5 than Sid (2.24 vs 2.20). Love him or hate him, Geno is a far cry from Ben or Cutch, he is still producing and at a high level. There are players, on other teams that the Pens potentially could trade for and then let Geno walk. However, there are a couple of huge problems with that idea, the first issue is that the Pens would have to give to get. It would cost the team assets to get that player in Pgh, whereas resigning Geno only costs Malkin's salary. Then there also comes the issue of price, younger players, players not cut from the loyalty cloth that Malkin came from will once again be demanding a higher salary - so not only will the team need to give up assets to get a replacement, the replacement will carry a higher price tag. Third, resigning Malkin would not be stupid loyalty, he is still contributing at a high level. Fourth as I mentioned above, disrespecting a player of Malkin's level sends a signal that the team doesn't give a 54!t about anyone so say good bye to the idea of team friendly deals.
The Other Rick
Sometimes I’m not entirely sure which version of “The Other Rick” I’m communicating with. On one hand, you’ve consistently said that you want the Pittsburgh Penguins to get younger. On the other hand, you’re advocating for re-signing Evgeni Malkin—who will turn 40 this July—which seems to be the total opposite of previous posts. I have to admit, I'm slightly confused.
To be honest, there would never be any disrespect toward Malkin if he chose to retire gracefully. He’s a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players in franchise history. However, when veteran players stay longer than their performance warrants, it can sometimes create unnecessary tension or difficult roster decisions for the organization. Athletes can often avoid that type of situation by recognizing the right time to move on.
Another reason I believe bringing him back would be a mistake relates to the role and ice time he would likely expect. Specifically, the minutes he would command and his continued spot on the first power-play unit raise legitimate concerns. The Penguins’ top power-play unit currently ranks third among NHL teams, yet Malkin has produced only three goals there, with a shooting percentage of 10.5%. Among the team’s regular forwards, that ranks near the bottom—only Noel Acciari (9.8%) and Rickard Rakell (10.3%) have lower percentages. From my perspective, that kind of production doesn’t justify a guaranteed role, and I can't see Malkin agreeing to Centering the 3rd or 4th line.
A similar issue applies to Kris Letang. He’s currently playing just under 22 minutes per game. The question is whether those minutes are based strictly on performance and team needs, or if they stem from a sense of obligation because of his legacy. At the end of the day, this is still a business, and roster decisions have to be made with the team’s long-term competitiveness in mind.
I said at the time—and still believe—that the organization made a mistake by giving long-term deals to both Malkin and Letang. In my view, those contracts had the potential to set the franchise back five years. Fortunately, through several excellent moves, Kyle Dubas has done an outstanding job avoiding what could have been a very difficult situation for the team.
Because of those efforts, Dubas has now accumulated an abundance of assets, and created cap flexibility. That positions the Penguins well to pursue opportunities—such as trading for a younger center with NHL experience and could contribute to building the next competitive core of the team.
The Other Rick - As you know I'm not a stat guy, and IMO with Malkin many of things he does wrong
won't show up in the boxscore. I respectfully still feel like it's time for him to call it a day, and time
for the Penguins / Dubas to continue to the youth movement.
I do believe in giving kids their due. I just do not believe in gutting a team of all of its players just to play younger players.. I also don't believe in cutting my nose off to spite my face. Kids like Blomqvist, Murashov, Broz, and Avery Hayes won roster spots in the preseason. Blomqvist and Murashov were lights out above and beyond Jarry and Silovs in preseason and are being hurt by being buried in the AHL. They are getting lazy playing against inferior talent.
As for Malkin's PP time, he is only getting the 5th most PP time per game on the team (Karlsson, Rust, Rakell, and Crosby get more. However, even though he isn't scoring the Gs, Malkin has the highest Pts/60 (7.23) on the team. Malkin's S% is slightly below 10% but his shots have tied him for the most rebounds created on the team. Sid, who spends his time around the net is getting the opportunity to bang home PPG because of Geno's shot. In the end, Malkin is earning his PP time and potentially more.
I am a stats guy. Stats themselves do not lie, like a person's eye test (seeing what they want to believe). However, I will concede that people can use stats to lie and others simply do not know how to look at stats or any evidence and make sense out of it. No hockey stat exists discretely, independent of any other stat. When reading stats is like looking at a tree, forgetting to view the forest behind the tree is as bad as not seeing the tree.
As for Dubas, I do not think that he is all that good at assessing talent. He is like Nostradamus, like that "prophet" who made thousands of predictions with some coming true, Dubas has made tons of moves and the laws of probability have shown a couple to pan out.
Malkin's last Contract really panned out, the team didn't need a savior to fix a mistake in his case. However, as much as I have come to respect Letang, his contract, which was higher and longer, hasn't exactly worked out.
Rick,
My comments about high priced mercenaries is a discussion of the only type of player that will come here should Du(m)bas(s) keep playing his little game with one of the greatest Penguins ever. No one will want to come here for any other reason than money. What happened over these first couple years of the current regime will not be happen again. If I am a player watching this clown's disrespect of the Conn Smythe winner of the Crosby-Malkin-Fleury-Letang era first Stanley Cup, 3rd highest regular season Point scorer, 2nd highest playoff Point scorer, 3rd highest Goal scorer in the regular season and in the playoffs, 2nd highest Game Winning Goal scorer in both the regular season and play-offs, as I wrote above, no one will ever come to Pittsburgh for any other reason than money. All the good will Mario would have built will be 9!553d out the window.
If this man's frontal lobe hasn't matured enough to project the result of his action will be, then my appellation is accurate and warranted. The Penguins HHO/GM will be cutting off his nose to spite his face should he continue the path he is projected to be on.
On top of everything else, the team is having a hard time getting attendance. Unless they can somehow land Gavin McKenna, the best chance of selling tickets in the near future would be a Malkin's farewell tour.
Again, a discussion of "Is this man using the cabbage between his shoulders for something other than a hat rack" has to be had.
You've gotta at least try to bring back Geno. I'd see if he'll take around $5 million. At his age and given his injuries, you have to do 1 year deals until either he's ready to hang them up or everyone is ready to move on. But for his production, at any age, $5m would be an absolute steal. Who do you replace his production with? Barring any trades or free agent signings, is not coming from within the organization yet.
Hey Nick,
I agree 100 percent. To me, signing Geno for another year is a no-brainer. I'm sure you can bring him back at a reasonable rate.
In addition to Geno's own impressive production, I've got to think he's been a positive influence on Chinakhov. The chemistry they've shown alone should encourage Dubas to bring No. 71 back.
Like I said, if he fades or falters, we deal with it then. We've certainly carried lesser players (Jeff Carter, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves).
Rick Buker
Rick
I understand that re-signing Malkin would likely be the easiest decision for Dubas to make. However, my concern centers more on Malkin’s role and overall fit at this stage of his career. Would he be comfortable playing on the second power-play unit or centering the third or fourth line if that’s what the team required?
That said, I do agree that he has probably had a positive influence on Chinakhov’s development.
Looking ahead to next season, bringing back Malkin along with Letang and Crosby would mean relying on two 39-year-olds and a 40-year-old to play significant minutes. At some point, the organization has to begin preparing for the future.
Of those three, Crosby is the only player I would feel fully comfortable counting on in a major role next season. I also question whether Malkin and Letang would be willing to accept reduced roles or fewer minutes if that became necessary.
Exactly Nick, where does Dubas think he will find an equal to Malkin? Not in this FA market coming up. And trading for one will mean that the moron will have to give up something of equal value - so at best just get a push.