Report: Malkin willing to take pay cut, only wants to play for Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins icon Evgeni Malkin is willing to take a pay cut on a potential new contract and isn't interested in playing elsewhere, reports The Athletic's Josh Yohe.

Malkin's in the final season of a four-year deal that pays him $6.1 million annually. He's spent his entire 20-year career with the Penguins but was viewed as a possible trade candidate entering the 2025-26 campaign with Pittsburgh rebuilding.

However, the Penguins have been one of the surprises of the season and enter Wednesday's action holding the third playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division with 57 points.

Malkin's dealt with injuries this year but has managed 35 points in 33 games when healthy. He's third on the Penguins' all-time scoring list with 1,381 points, trailing Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux.

His bounce-back campaign may compel Pittsburgh's front office to offer him a new deal, which it wasn't considering after last season, Yohe notes. Malkin collected 50 points in 68 games in 2024-25 as the Penguins missed the playoffs.

Malkin's representatives plan to meet with Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas during the Olympic break, per Yohe.