David Pagnotta shares key details on Evgeni Malkin situation
Evgeni Malkin and Dan Muse look set for one more run in Pittsburgh as a short-term Penguins deal starts to come into focus.
David Pagnotta's read is simple. The number being discussed is around 1 year and 5000000, and he would be surprised if Malkin is not back with the Penguins.
That feels like the cleanest outcome for both sides. Malkin has made it clear he still wants to play, and Pittsburgh is not in a spot where it should casually toss away a Hall of Fame center who still drives offense.
The production says that part out loud. Malkin finished 2025-26 with 61 points in 61 games, which is still real top-six value even as he gets closer to 40.
He also gave Pittsburgh something in the playoffs. In 6 games against Philadelphia, Malkin scored 2 goals and added 1 assist.
That matters because the Penguins were not some dead team hanging on by memory. They went 41-25-16, made the playoffs, and pushed back into the picture under Muse.
The bigger point is timing. Kyle Dubas can talk about refresh and balance all he wants, but a 1-year deal for Malkin fits a team still trying to win around Sidney Crosby instead of tearing the room apart.
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New details on Evgeni Malkin revealed by David Pagnotta
This is not only about sentiment. Malkin hit 500 goals and 1400 points this season, which tells you he is still more than a legacy contract or a ceremonial piece.
Pittsburgh also scored 288 goals in the regular season. Letting one of its smartest offensive players walk would be a strange way to protect that strength.
There is a money question, of course. A 5000000 ticket is not tiny, but on a 1-year structure it is far easier to live with than a longer commitment that drags into the next phase of the roster.
And from Malkin's side, this looks like the right kind of finish. He has said he wants to keep playing in the NHL, but he still would prefer to stay in Pittsburgh with Crosby and Kris Letang.
That is why this report lands the way it does. It is not only a contract rumor. It sounds like a franchise and a star finding the number that lets both sides keep going without pretending the future stretches forever.
For the Penguins, that is the smart lane. One more year of Evgeni Malkin at the right price keeps the window open, keeps the room intact, and avoids creating a hole Pittsburgh does not need to make.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 5, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nathan MacKinnon | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Gabriel Landeskog | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Martin Necas | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brett Kulak | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Marcus Johansson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kirill Kaprizov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Valeri Nichushkin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nicolas Roy | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brent Burns | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ross Colton | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ryan Hartman | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Daemon Hunt | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nazem Kadri | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brock Nelson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Danila Yurov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mats Zuccarello | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nick Blankenburg | - | - | - | |
| Matthew Boldy | - | - | - | |
| Jack Drury | - | - | - | |
| Brock Faber | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||