Penguins’ Malkin signs 1-year deal to return for 21st seasonRyan S. ClarkMay 26, 2026, 02:56 PM ETClose
- Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will return for his 21st season after signing a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, the team revealed Tuesday.
Malkin, who turns 40 on July 31, was slated to be an unrestricted free agent. He was days away from entering the final month in a four-year contract extension that saw him earn $6.1 million annually.
His decision to re-sign with the only franchise that he’s ever known comes in the wake of what was an important campaign for both parties.
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Missing the playoffs for three straight seasons created questions about what the franchise could achieve with their veteran homegrown, Stanley Cup-winning core of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Malkin all playing in their late 30s.
Those questions were further amplified by the fact that the Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan parted ways after 10 seasons. Sullivan, who won consecutive Stanley Cups in his first two seasons, became the head coach of the New York Rangers.
It led to the Penguins replacing Sullivan with a former Rangers assistant in Dan Muse, who became a first-time NHL head coach.
Muse took control of a team that would emerge as one of the surprises of the league by finishing second in the Metropolitan Division in a season that saw them navigate injuries and the ability to field a consistent lineup.
Malkin was among those players who had a vital role in the Penguins’ success while also being part of the group that fought through injuries.
He would miss 26 regular-season games but still finished with 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games for a 1.08 points per game average that would have seen him finish with 89 points if he’d played a full, 82-game season.
Even with the injuries, it was still the first time Malkin finished a season averaging more than a point per game since scoring 83 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 seasons.
Malkin also had three points in six playoff games before the Penguins were eliminated in the first round by their cross-state rival, the Philadelphia Flyers.
Getting a new deal done for Malkin now means that the Penguins have at least 17 players from this season who either remain under contract or team control.
PuckPedia projects the Penguins will have $37.04 million in free agency to address a roster that has players such as Noel Acciari, Kevin Hayes, Anthony Mantha and Stuart Skinner, who are all set to reach the open market unless they re-sign with the club before free agency on July 1.
