The Evgeni Malkin news Penguins fans were hoping wouldn’t come

It hasn’t been officially announced, but according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, this is it, we will witness Evgeni Malkin’s unofficial farewell tour this season.

The 2025–26 campaign marks the final year of his contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. At 39, with nearly two decades of NHL experience and a resume that includes a Calder Trophy, a Hart, a Conn Smythe, and three Stanley Cups, Malkin has nothing left to prove. But still, it’s bittersweet to watch the curtain starting to fall on one of the most electrifying players of his generation.

The Penguins haven’t said a word. Neither has Malkin. But the writing is on the wall.

The team is expected to struggle this season and remain far from the dominant force it once was with captain Sidney Crosby, Malkin, and defenseman Kris Letang leading the charge. With Pittsburgh likely drifting toward the draft lottery with a chance at projected first overall pick Gavin McKenna, this farewell tour may not have the playoff push or fairy tale ending fans would hope for. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t matter.

Malkin enters the season needing just 54 points to reach the 1,400-point milestone, an elite threshold that only a handful of players in NHL history have crossed. It’s a reminder of just how consistently dominant he’s been, even if his greatness has often been understated in the shadow of his more famous teammate.

While Malkin has never demanded the spotlight, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t earned it.

From his impressive rookie year in 2006 to his Conn Smythe-worthy playoff performance in 2009, to the countless nights where he simply took over games with the Geno flare, Malkin has been the soul of the Penguins in his own right. So if this is truly the end, let’s not let it slip by quietly and make sure he gets the farewell he deserves.

Let’s treat every goal, every assist, every no-look pass and broken-English interview like the gift it is. Because someday very soon, there will be no more Geno on the ice in Pittsburgh. And that day will leave a void that stats alone cannot quantify.