The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a 6-9-3 start, and Evgeni Malkin is feeling the beginning of the end for himself and his teammates. Following Wednesday's overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Malkin described to The Score how much the city of Pittsburgh means to him.
“It's my second home here,” Malkin said. “I'm glad to be here. It doesn't matter if we win or we lose. I want to be here always together with (teammates) Sid (Crosby), with Tanger (Kris Letang). We understand it's a tough time right now. We traded Lars (Eller) yesterday. I want to stay together… we will fight every game, you know?”
The Penguins aren't accustomed to losing habits. After all, the trio has been together for 19 seasons and won three Stanley Cup Finals. Regardless of the previous winning ways, it's not where the franchise once was. They've only won two of their last 10 games. Also, the Penguins traded away Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals, signaling the beginning of possibly more moves.
Will the Penguins still compete with Evgeni Malkin and other stars?
For the franchise, they inked Crosby to a two-year, $17 million extension this past offseason. They've signaled their intentions to compete despite their losing record. Regardless of the record, the trio can still win games, as evidenced by the 19 seasons together. However, the past two seasons haven't been kind. They've missed the playoffs and are on track to miss it again.
Also, the star center feels for the city and its fans. Malkin even issued an apology to Penguins fans for their play. Over his illustrious career, Malkin has tallied 503 goals and 8,011 assists. He also has 67 goals and 113 assists in 177 playoff games. His impact will be felt throughout the franchise and all of hockey once he decides to retire.
Even though their record is bleak, their experience should get them on the right track. If they play simple hockey, their talent and experience could carry them to a good amount of wins. If not, Malkin could see his core group dismantle.