EDMONTON, Alberta — Evgeni Malkin has danced around the question for months. His intent obvious in the hopeful underbelly of his tone, but the words obfuscated just enough to avoid a declaration.

Now, he’s saying the quiet part out loud.

Thursday, after the Pittsburgh Penguins snapped a four-game losing streak to the Edmonton Oilers and ran their post-holiday charge to 10-2-2 with a resounding 6-2 win, Malkin was in a pretty good mood.

He notched a pair of points, including a 120-foot breakaway in which he pulled away from defenders and beat former teammate Tristan Jarry with a quick backhand move.

The 39-year-old Malkin is in the final year of a four-year deal that carries a $6.1 million cap hit. When former general manager Ron Hextall signed Malkin to the deal, it was questionable if Malkin could fulfill all four years.

Months away from the end of the deal, the Penguins are reborn under coach Dan Muse, and Malkin is regaining that unique galloping stride that made him a fearsome center bearing down on defensemen for 20 years.

And he does not want to be done. One more year.

“I never said I wanted to retire; it was all you,” Malkin cracked to a trio of reporters, including this writer, who approached him following the game.

“I feel great. I like how we’re playing,” said Malkin. “It’s fun to win. Tomorrow we have a day off. The rookie dinner is coming. I think we have a great team. We stay sane. Level. We have a chance to win every game.”

Sources close to Malkin told Pittsburgh Hockey Now over the summer that Malkin had not decided on his future, despite reports that the team and GM Kyle Dubas had indeed made their decision.

The Malkin side wanted to see how this season progressed.

Thus far, this season is going quite well. In 35 games played, Malkin has more than a point per game (39 points), including 12 goals and 27 assists.

Those sources in July said there would be a couple of check-ins through the season, but an expected uptick in seriousness to gain more insight on Malkin’s future during the Olympic break.

However, Malkin finally said it with some clarity Thursday. Yeah, he left no doubt that he wants to keep playing.

“I don’t know (if this is the best I’ve skated in years). I hope you see–it’s not easy, but I do my best,” Malkin said. “I know I want to play one more year. I want to show I’m a good player.

“I want everybody to see I can play next year. It’s my goal right now.”

Presumably, when Malkin says show everybody, he very much means Dubas.

And that ball is now squarely in Dubas’s court.

The organization’s reaction or willingness to extend a player who will turn 40 over the summer remains unclear. After all, this was supposed to be the beginning of a transition away from the aging core.

Yet, after an about-face following the NHL holiday break, the Penguins are no longer punting away leads or struggling to finish chances. They are finding their stride and have polevaulted to second place in the Metro Division, putting more and more distance between themselves and falling rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils. And the Washington Capitals.

This season was supposed to be a goodbye. The organization created connecting bobblehead giveaways to honor the Core Three, with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, as Malkin’s contract runs out.

Even with a recent move to the wing, Malkin is adding ink to the scoresheet consistently. In fact, the move to the wing may make Malkin even more valuable as he adds more lineup versatility.

The surging team is having its best season in several years, and the star players remain essential cogs.

Malkin wants another year.

And he’s earned it, too, not by his resume and career stats, but by his play this season.

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