They ask, we answer.
1. Could this be it for Malkin?
Evgeni Malkin, at 39 years old, is set for his 20th NHL season, the last on a four-year, $24.4 million contract he signed July 12, 2022.
The second-line center hasn’t publicly addressed his NHL future. On the Penguins’ end, general manager Kyle Dubas said a decision hasn’t been made.
“I talked to ‘Geno’ at the end of the year in the exit meeting and then followed up with him,” Dubas said. “I get it, it’s the last year of his
contract and it’s been a topic of discussion. But with the way we’re going to approach it, we’re going to go into the year. Then, as I told Geno in his exit meeting, then (agent) J.P. Barry when it started to kind of gather some steam, we’ll meet at the international break, at the Olympic break this year, see where Geno’s at and then meet after the year.”
Realistically, the answer is most likely yes. There are only two forwards older than Malkin signed to the NHL this year (Corey Perry and Alex Ovechkin). Malkin is in the winter of his career, going from 83 points in 2022-23 to 67 in 2023-24 to just 50 points in 2024-25. Those 50 points went for .74 per game — good for the average player but by far the worst of Malkin’s career.
Could Malkin find a late wind, score 70 points in 70 games and help lead a feel-good comeback story for the Pens and everyone agree to keep it rolling for next year? It would make for a great story but isn’t grounded in reality at this point. All good things come to an end at some point, and the end is looking like this season for Malkin and the Pens.
2. Can Crosby continue to defy time?
Crosby is still one of the better NHL centers after turning 38 on Aug. 7.
The longtime captain led Pittsburgh with 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) last season, reaching 90 points in a third straight season for the first time in his NHL career. He has averaged at least a point per game in each of his 20 seasons, passing Wayne Gretzky (19) for the most in NHL history.
For all the Penguins’ issues and problems, Crosby has been the safest of safe bets. He always performs, always adds his portion whether it’s in the faceoff circle, on the power play, or generating shots and chances for teammates. At some point, Father Time will win. And it’s troubling that at age-38, where Sid finds himself now, has often been the common age where even the all-time greats start taking a step back.
Still, would anyone in their right minds bet against Crosby recording at least a point per game for the 21st year in a row? He’s old, but still is as solid as ever. Call it inertia, call it being ready to peak his game for maximum sharpness in February for the Olympics, but here’s to betting Crosby’s age-38 season looks a lot like his age-37 year and a lot of the seasons that have come before it lately.
3. How does Muse follow Sullivan?
Muse was hired as coach on June 4 to replace Sullivan, now coach of the New York Rangers, after winning the Stanley Cup twice in 10 seasons with the Penguins.
Sullivan is still considered one of the League’s best coaches. Dubas also views him that way, saying as much following the season and again after Sullivan parted from Pittsburgh on April 28.
But Muse, 43, could better fit the current climate in Pittsburgh. There’s an emphasis on looking to the future and developing young players without short-changing veterans.
The classic Dad answer to this question: very carefully.
The more nuanced answer: Muse will be a fun x-factor to unleash on the roster this year. Maybe it was complacency, but it was pretty stagnant at the end for Mike Sullivan and the Penguins. NHL coaches don’t usually last five years in one place, Sullivan completed a stint of almost a decade in Pittsburgh. Sometimes it is time for something new.
But new doesn’t always mean different. Muse could well be the next Mike Johnston — good hockey mind but best served developing players at lower levels and not capable of grasping the intricacies of the NHL game. Then again, Muse could be the next, rising star coach if he manages to freshen up the veterans on the Pens while also bringing along the youngsters. More likely, he’ll be somewhere in the middle to not be a complete bum like Johnston but perhaps not be launching a 25-year NHL coaching career either.
It’ll be interesting to see how that one goes. On one hand, Muse is in a tough situation: the Pens aren’t expected to be very good and coaches of teams starting a rebuild don’t usually make it out of the rebuild. Muse wasn’t exactly hired with the expectation of winning, but he still will be judged upon it to the degree that all pro coaches are held up by their record. On the other hand, it’s a no lose situation: if the Pens are bad again, there’s an unimpressive roster that will rightfully explain why. In some regards, the bar is low enough that it will be easier for Muse to impress than it will for him to preside over a disaster. (And even if it’s a disaster, that will mean a good place in the draft lottery and possibility of a good pick, which wouldn’t be the worst end result for this specific season either).
