It\u2019s not that Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin stepped on Alex Ovechkin\u2019s news \u2013 the longtime Washington Capitals winger and NHL all-time goals leader announced Monday that this will, in fact, be his last season before retirement \u2014 but Malkin, in addressing the news from his Russian countryman and fellow future Hall of Famer, threw out a mini-bombshell.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s done everything. He\u2019s played 22 years. He understands the league really good. It\u2019s not easy,\u201d Malkin said of Ovechkin after the Penguins morning skate at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. \u201cSame with myself. I don\u2019t know \u2014 maybe it\u2019s my last year, too, but I still love this game, but, again, it\u2019s not easy to play every game, every night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Malkin, 40, who signed a one-year contract for this season but is not committed anywhere after 2026-27, offered only that hint that he might also retire. Mostly he talked about Ovechkin.<\/p>\n
Ovechkin and Washington will host the Penguins on Wednesday night in a national TV game.<\/p>\n
It was unknown last season if Ovechkin would retire at the end of the season. When the Penguins and Capitals played in the final game of the regular season, the Penguins pretty much treated it like a farewell to their long-time rival.<\/p>\n
Ovechkin decided over the summer to return.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard because he\u2019s a legend,\u201d Malkin said. \u201cFans love him. But again, he\u2019s done everything for the team, for the league. I hope he plays good this year, no injuries, just stay healthy, score goals and enjoy the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ovechkin, who turned 41 last month and still has a cannon of a shot, is first all-time with 929 goals after he passed Wayne Gretzky in April 2025.<\/p>\n
Ovechkin and Malkin were selected Nos. 1 and 2 overall, respectively, at the 2004 draft. An NHL lockout wiped out the 2004-05 season, and Malkin did not arrive to Pittsburgh until 2006-07 after playing in Russia.<\/p>\n
So when the NHL resumed play in 2005-06, with a new salary cap and a push to promote the league like never before, it was Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby, then 18, and Ovechkin who were tagged as the future of the NHL and tapped for many marketing ventures.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely felt that,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cYou don\u2019t really have anything to compare it to at 18 years old. Now you do. It was a big responsibility. The good thing about being young is maybe you\u2019re just learning yourself, learning to understand it. Looking back, I think I can just speak for myself, but I think I put a lot of pressure on myself and felt like there was a lot of responsibility given the situation, being a young player, too. You always felt like maybe you had to do extra as a young player. There are some things you probably didn\u2019t feel like you deserved or should do because you hadn\u2019t proven a thing or played a game and you\u2019re doing all this promotional stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is our favorite promotional NHL venture that involved Crosby and Ovechkin:<\/p>\n
Ovechkin beat out Crosby for the Calder Trophy their rookie seasons. Back then, Crosby and Ovechkin had a bit of a prickly relationship. Their mutual respect came later.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cYou come into the league at 18 years old and before we even met we were built up against each other. It\u2019s kind of a natural thing to happen, but with how competitive that we are \u2013 especially coming in trying to prove ourselves \u2013 it would have been difficult to be too close, I think, given just some of the playoff matchups and history there.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the years, obviously have developed a friendship with him, and I have a ton of respect for him. You play against someone that long and you\u2019re compared and see each other enough, I think that\u2019s something that builds over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few years into their NHL careers, the relationship between Malkin and Ovechkin soured, apparently because of an offseason incident in Russia. Ovechkin on several occasions got overly physical in games against Malkin. The two resolved their issues with the aid of other Russian players at the 2009 All-Star Game in Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember it was a tough situation, but it\u2019s all behind,\u201d Malkin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not perfect all the time. Same like me and Sid. We\u2019re human. It\u2019s hard to be always perfect \u2014 we all know Sid\u2019s perfect but I\u2019m not,\u201d Malkin said, with a good-natured jab at Crosby.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes (Ovechkin and I) talk a little bit more. Sometimes it\u2019s a tough situation. But it\u2019s good. Now we have families. We\u2019re good friends. I always support his family, support him. I\u2019m glad we\u2019re still friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knowing Ovechkin plans to retire in a matter of months brings some emotion, said Malkin, who also has been teammates with Ovechkin for Team Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he retires, it\u2019s a sad day for everybody, but again, he\u2019s a legend and it\u2019s always fun to play against Washington, against him, play as teammates,\u201d Malkin said. \u201cGood friends. I give him some positive vibes, and I hope he remembers this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags:Alex Ovechkin<\/a> Evgeni Malkin<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> Shelly Anderson<\/a> Sidney Crosby<\/a><\/p>\n