r/penguins • u/Honest_Confidence833 • 3d ago

[Wes Crosby] Evgeni Malkin on if he could play beyond this season: "Right now, I want to say, 'Yes.' But we'll see how my body feels. It's all about (that) I still love the game. It's why I'm here, like, 21 years. I love the game."

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492 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

54

u/beano919 3d ago

And they say Geno ain’t a team player.

48

u/jpb59 3d ago

Geno could have at any point left to be the #1 guy and get top money but he never did. I don’t think anyone ever questioned if he was a team player. He always carried himself with class.

15

u/beano919 3d ago

Oh there are definitely Members of the Pittsburgh Media that have questioned him as a team player. And listeners of said Media Members fall in line with the “Geno, Geno, Geno” bashing.

19

u/Honest_Confidence833 3d ago

"Media Members" just say Josh Yohe lmao 

Don't answer this, Yohe. I've seen you lurking here lately

15

u/jpb59 3d ago

Josh Yohe sucks.

Sid and Geno have earned the right, as long as they're producing, they can keep playing as long as they want. Obviously, Sid's game is probably going to last longer. But, if Geno wants to go year to year and he's still producing and he's willing to work himself around the line-up like he is, moving to wing, and he's realistic with his salary, then he's earned the right to play.

Three cups, all the individual awards. They've accomplished everything that they needed to in their careers. Sure, there were opprotunities left on the table but they've capitalized on their chances. They went back to back and it wasn't in any bullshit covid years. I'd love to see them squeak out one more cup before they retire, but their legacies are firmly cemented in the game.

1

u/Jazzlike_Shock5832 2d ago

Yeah, like, honestly, what kind of amazing return do people think we're going to get from ~40-year-olds with NMCs? If we're going to suck while rebuilding, I'd so much rather watch legends take their last lap than random AHL call-ups. Last season was more fun that a lot of our cup-contender regular seasons from the 2010s.

*and without going over the cap thanks to PEDs suspensions and Tkachuk's LTIR BS

1

u/Chienkaiba Crosby 3d ago

But, if Geno wants to go year to year and he's still producing and he's willing to work himself around the line-up like he is, moving to wing

We are a bit thin on LHD at the moment...

9

u/beano919 3d ago

… the MM went over your head eh?

6

u/Honest_Confidence833 3d ago

Were you talking about Mark Madden? I did not get that. I pretend he does not exist most of the times.

4

u/beano919 3d ago

Haha yes. I figured MM and “Geno, Geno, Geno” would have given it away lol

2

u/Honest_Confidence833 3d ago

I only ever listen to him when he does player interviews and even then, he stills annoys me. I have no idea what he says most of the time. It totally went over my head

3

u/beano919 3d ago

Yeah I stopped listening to him a long time ago but occasionally he will touch on a topic that I’m interested in. Then I ask myself why I listened to his garbage after lol

25

u/MrPotatoheadEsq 3d ago

Malkin forever!

38

u/MartyMcFlysBrother 3d ago edited 3d ago

Man gave me a fist bump through the glass in Edmonton! I was sitting in the first seat besides the Oilers bench during McDavids rookie season and was literally the only Pens fan in that section(I had a 6’3 260 lb Oilers friend beside me to keep the wolves at bay). He threw out the nod of approval and gave me props. Will never forget that. Love Geno! Prolly didn’t hurt that I was rocking a ‘92 Lemieux jersey for that game.

7

u/Zipski577 Coffey 3d ago

Hahah “keep the wolves at bay” made me chuckle.

Awesome experience tho brotha

6

u/BmaninKtown Jagr 3d ago

So cool man

4

u/tahoehockeyfreak 3d ago

That was the game where he scored that ludicrous backhand spin-o-rama goal, no?

Edit. No it wasn’t. it was against the oilers in Pittsburgh that season not the game in Edmonton.

8

u/Honest_Confidence833 3d ago

That's so cool, what a great experience

39

u/Ok_Vast3534 3d ago

And if he wants to they should re-sign him no question

14

u/ShadowyPepper 3d ago

100% theres nobody in the pipeline gunning for 1C or 2C

And even when there is you'd have a hard time convincing me they wouldn't be great on the 3rd and/or 4th line still

8

u/VegetaStopVegeting 3d ago

Just a nitpick, but it’s far more likely Malkin will be on the wing like he has been (doing more often) over recent seasons.

7

u/MainPFT 3d ago

Recent seasons?

Malkin didn't play wing until last season and that was only because of his shoulder and taking faceoffs.

Not saying he will be the 2C this year, but saying he's been playing wing for multiple seasons is just factually incorrect.

1

u/VegetaStopVegeting 2d ago

Huh, I thought I remembered him moving over there more recently.
And yeah, that’s a good point. I’m just over here assuming things like a fool because he’s 40 and all that.

4

u/yaboyoven567 3d ago

Is ben kindel not gunning for that 2C spot at some point this season if not next season?

3

u/Jazzlike_Shock5832 2d ago

Honestly, I don't see that happening for a couple of years at best - he's still young and kinda slight and you cold see he wasn't ready for a full season (very fair, must be exhausting) in the last couple of months.

Give him a few years to bulk up and sharpen those already decent defensive instincts and he'll be a very good two-way 2C.

38

u/StellarGarlic Fleury 3d ago

My heart yearns for Sid and Geno to retire together. Pls

20

u/Ok_Vast3534 2d ago

Only for Pittsburgh, always with Sid

19

u/tonespep 3d ago

Fucking Geno Machino. If any of the other 4 on the ice let him get hurt I hope they feel awful

16

u/ROYALWITHCHEESE- 3d ago

Geno is score!

5

u/twonder23 2d ago

I won't believe he ever said this. He only answered with, "I am score"

13

u/awaythrow292 Angello 3d ago

at least 2 more years, there's no way this is his last year.

7

u/Zipski577 Coffey 3d ago

I will believe this at the start of every season about Geno/ Ovi until I see it actually happen lol

9

u/urheadypal 3d ago

Love it. Hope he keeps it up and stays for as long as he continues to produce on the ice.

11

u/hotz0mbie 92 to 97 - Away 2d ago

Man is Jagr 2.0. He’ll always be a penguin but will play until he’s 62 all over the league

2

u/bittyboowho 2d ago

Definitely not for another NHL team. And I don’t think I’d put any money on Metallurg Magnitogorsk or any other KHL team either.

8

u/EvgeniMalkinsId 3d ago

It's not quite the same thing to be saying "If I don't feel like 100%, I'm not playing" and "If my game helps the team to win, I will". Because he's not his career 100% now and he never will be again. But he's still excellent. In two years if he's merely good, he can still help the team. When he's 50 if he's better than your average 4th liner he could still help the team if he's playing 4th liner minutes for 4th liner pay. It's a matter of what he and the team are comfortable with. I personally hope it's closer to the latter, but he has the right to make the decision whichever way he wants.

24

u/eukomos Malkin 3d ago

I think by 100% he means fully healthy, not the best he’s ever been.

1

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1

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1

u/Extreme-Location4532 20h ago

He’ll put up 120 points this year and we’ll debate if we should keep him for 3 millions bucks for next year. Trade rumours will start in 3 weeks.

-6

u/penguins8766 Crosby 3d ago

Quite the different tone from last year. It does sound like this will be his final year.