Longtime teammate Sidney Crosby preferred not to think Friday about Game 4 potentially being Malkin’s last with Pittsburgh. The Penguins already have a lot on their plate trying to become the fifth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-7 series (4-209). Considering the consequences of not being able to do that, including Malkin’s uncertain future, can wait.
“I don’t think that does any good, to be honest with you,” Crosby said. “I think it’s just all about what’s best suited to go out there and be at your best and enjoy it. Ultimately, as a player, this is the best time of year, and it’s not an ideal situation, but at the same time, we would have took this last year (after missing the playoffs for third straight season).
“So I think it’s just a matter of having the right approach, enjoying it, and just making sure we focus on what’s in front of us here.”
Regardless of what happens Saturday, Malkin’s legacy with Pittsburgh is secure. He ranks third in Penguins history with 1,407 regular season points (533 goals, 874 assists) in 1,269 games, behind only Crosby (1,761 points) and Mario Lemieux (1,723), and he’s second in playoff scoring with 183 points (69 goals, 114 assists) in 180 games, behind Crosby (202).
Approaching his 40th birthday on July 31, Malkin has enjoyed a rebound season in which he had 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 56 regular-season games, his first season averaging at least a point per game since he had 83 points in 82 games in 2022-23. And though Pittsburgh has struggled offensively in the first three games against Philadelphia, scoring only four goals, including just one at 5-on-5, Malkin has continued to produce with a team-leading three points (two goals, one assist).