Evgeni Malkin addressed the media on February 23, 2022, shortly after his longtime teammate Sidney Crosby achieved his 500th career goal. Malkin, who assisted on the milestone goal, expressed his admiration for Crosby, saying, “He deserves everything. Every goal he scores, I’m glad to give him assists. It’s a great memory for me, for sure. I hope someday, he can give me an assist on my 500th goal.”
That moment may be approaching for Malkin. As he enters his 19th NHL season, he is just two goals shy of reaching 500 and four points away from 1,300. Eager to achieve these milestones, Malkin has stated his desire to accomplish them quickly, particularly when the Pittsburgh Penguins kick off the regular season against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday. “First of all, score two goals,” he said on September 19, the day after the start of training camp. “Not in preseason, but in regular season. My goal is four points every game. Team wins every game.”
Malkin ranks second in Penguins history with 1,145 games played, trailing Crosby’s 1,272. He is third on the team’s all-time points list, with 1,296, which includes 498 goals and 798 assists, behind Mario Lemieux and Crosby. Although Malkin, now 38, is not the same player he was in the 2011-12 season when he won the Hart Trophy, he had a solid performance last season with 67 points (27 goals and 40 assists) in all 82 games, placing him second on the team behind Crosby.
“I’m still hungry, I still want to win every game,” Malkin remarked. “My goal is like, one or two points every game.” His long-time teammate, defenseman Kris Letang, expressed confidence in Malkin’s abilities, emphasizing that Malkin’s skill and size create challenges for opposing players.
Malkin, Crosby, and Letang, who will begin their 19th season together, hold the record for the longest-tenured trio in North American major professional sports. The trio has celebrated significant milestones together, including Crosby’s 500th goal and Malkin’s 1,000th game.
Crosby is also on the brink of milestones himself, sitting four points shy of 1,600 and eight goals from 600. He shared that these shared moments are cherished. “It’s something where you look at certain memories over the years or opportunities, the milestones, those are things that you’re always going to remember,” Crosby noted.
Frustration has mounted for the core group, as they missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the last two seasons after making it in Malkin’s first 16. “The last two seasons, it’s not fun,” Malkin stated, underscoring the impact of their absence from the playoffs on the team and the fans.
Head coach Mike Sullivan, who took the helm in December 2015, acknowledged the special chemistry between Malkin, Crosby, and Letang, likening their camaraderie to that of siblings. He remarked on their tendency to protect one another on the ice, especially when tempers flare.
With Malkin aiming for 500 goals, Sullivan joked about the possibility of adjusting line combinations to facilitate the achievement, saying, “Maybe I’ve got to put Geno on the wing with Sid so we can make that happen.”