Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Evgeni Malkin's 'Very Deep Thoughts' on the End of His Career in the NHL Addressed by Kyle Dubas
Evgeni Malkin's NHL career is coming to an end soon, and now GM Kyle Dubas has opened up on the Penguins superstar's thoughts after a tough season.
Evgeni Malkin has been a model of consistency throughout his career in Pittsburgh, playing a key role in all three Stanley Cup's won by the team during his tenure, but as he approaches 40, it's clear that his time in the league is coming to an end.
We don't quite know when that end will be, as Kyle Dubas has reportedly been open to bringing him back beyond next season, but for Penguins fans that have watched him for 20+ years, it will be an emotional time as Geno's career comes to an end.
Evgeni Malkin Has No Issue Living in Sidney Crosby's Shadow
Now, Dubas has joined the Cam and Strick podcast to address his superstar veteran among other topics, with the Penguins General Manager having this to say about Malkin.
I don't know if he calls anybody anything. He is an interesting character, and much more aware than I think people give him credit for. And Especially near the end of last season, you know just a lot of very deep thoughts about the game in general that he doesn't really talk about as much publicly that I thought was very much interesting, and I've been able to get to know him more these two years here.
He's probably the most underrated player maybe to ever play. Maybe because he's head Is always in the shadow of Sid. But at his best, one of if not the best players in the league and he's won everything you could win. Way more competitive at his age than most people give him credit for and I think especially when he gets a little heated, you see that vintage form. Turned 39 a week ago, and still capable of some very special moments and a very good player. He gets talks about the least, but he probably prefers it that way.
He's probably the most underrated player maybe to ever play. Maybe because he's head Is always in the shadow of Sid. But at his best, one of if not the best players in the league and he's won everything you could win. Way more competitive at his age than most people give him credit for and I think especially when he gets a little heated, you see that vintage form. Turned 39 a week ago, and still capable of some very special moments and a very good player. He gets talks about the least, but he probably prefers it that way.
Where will Malkin play beyond 2025/26?
Perhaps once he retires we'll hear more about Malkin's deep thoughts on the game and life in general, as Dubas hints that he has many deep thoughts that aren't shared publicly, but one thing is for certain, and that is that if Malkin wants to play beyond 2025/26, he will do so as Dubas and the organization have the utmost respect for the veteran superstar.
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
AOUT 13 | 26 ANSWERS Evgeni Malkin's 'Very Deep Thoughts' on the End of His Career in the NHL Addressed by Kyle Dubas Is Evgeni Malkin the most underrated player in NHL history? | ||
| Yes | 16 | 61.5 % |
| No | 10 | 38.5 % |
| List of polls | ||