On a day where Heinz Field was officially re-named Acrisure Stadium, the hits keep coming for the city of Pittsburgh, as Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins‘ long-time center has decided to hit the open market for the first time in his career in order to see what the market bears.
That's right, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, the 35-year-old native of Magnitogorsk, Russia will potentially end his 16-year-run with the Penguins and look to start the final act of his career in another uniform while he still remains a viable top-six forward.
Breaking: Sources say Evgeni Malkin has decided to go to the open market on Wednesday. Malkin has never been a free agent before and wants to see what his options are.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 11, 2022
The second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, Malkin is one of the most decorated performers in Penguins' history; he's a Calder Memorial Trophy winner, a Conn Smyth Trophy winner, a Hart Memorial Trophy winner, a Ted Pearson Award winner, a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, and a three-time All-Star who has gone for over 100 points on three separate occasions and was on three separate teams that brought back the Calder Cup to the Steel City.
Goodness gracious, that's a Hall of Fame resume if he never laces up a pair of skates again.
Though Malkin hasn't played more than 50 games since 2019-20 and has shown his age ever so slightly over the last two seasons, he's still surpassed 20 assists in each of the past two campaigns and could theoretically remain a viable presence on a premier squad looking for top-end production from one of the most experienced centers in the NHL today.
Or hey, maybe Malkin ultimately decides that the grass isn't always greener elsewhere and he ultimately turns to the Penguins to finish out his career in the same uniform he started it in? Either way, free agency just got a whole lot more interesting, NHL fans.
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