The Pittsburgh Penguins face a relatively uncertain future when it comes to some key players on the roster, including some of its longest tenured stars.
With the team likely out of contention for a Stanley Cup, it may be forced to escalate its rebuild even while still rostering veterans such as Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.
All three of the Penguins' three-time Cup winners are approaching the end of their respective careers, and it seems that for at least one of them, the 2025–26 season will be their last in Pittsburgh, regardless of if they plan on retiring.
According to a report from Josh Yohe of The Athletic, Malkin will return to the Penguins for his 20th season in 2025-26, but that will be his final go-around in Pittsburgh.
"While it remains unclear if future Hall of Fame center will retire following the 2025-26 season, the Penguins are not expected to offer him another contract with the franchise, sources within the organization said," wrote Yohe on Monday.
Malkin will be 39 at the end of next season. Retirement is certainly an option, but it seems as if he'll have to play elsewhere if he intends on continuing his career in the NHL. Last season, Malkin featured in 68 games for the Penguins. He had 50 points including 16 goals, which marks the lowest scoring output of his career in a season in which he played at least 60 games.
Malkin has spent his entire NHL career with the Penguins. He's played in 1,213 regular-season games for the organization and scored 514 goals and has 1,346 points. He signed a four-year, $24.4 million deal with the team in 2022 and is due to make $6.1 million in 2025–26, the final season of the contract.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Longtime Penguins Star Could Leave Franchise After 2025–26 NHL Season.