PITTSBURGH — As reporters gathered around Evgeni Malkin's dressing room stall at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex for the first time since pandemic restrictions were lifted, the Penguins center was clearly ready. Once he finished untying his skates following a morning workout and scrimmage, Malkin quickly started cracking off jokes.
"Sid's available," Malkin joked, pointing toward captain Sidney Crosby, his longtime foil when it comes to deflecting media attention. Malkin later tried to pawn the group off on next-door neighbor Jason Zucker before reluctantly agreeing to answer two questions.
"No more," Malkin continued, a wry smile at this point poking through.
With the Penguins opening training camp Thursday following a busy offseason where management chose to keep the band together, re-signing Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell to contracts, the big Russian undoubtedly represents the most attention-grabbing piece.
In large part due to his substantial list of trophies and accolades — the Hart, Conn Smythe, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay among them — but also settings like this, where his honesty, humor and ability to stir the pot are on full display.
"He's such a presence," Brian Dumoulin said. "He's a guy you want to be around."
The intrigue with Malkin also remains no small thing because it appeared for parts of the offseason, including right before he ultimately re-signed with the Penguins, that he might actually move on, to the Florida Panthers or another NHL club in need of a player who scored 20 goals and produced at better than a point-per-game pace last season.
Rumors percolated that Malkin was unhappy with the situation. There's been widespread speculation that Malkin felt underappreciated by his employer.
Malkin, predictably, downplayed this or the idea that he might have left instead of signing what became a four-year, $24.4 million contract, one that ensured the 36-year-old center will retire a Penguin. Had 'em all the way, Malkin seemed to convey. He, Crosby and Kris Letang stayed in constant communication, Malkin said, either through text message or FaceTime.
As the outside world wondered whether Malkin might move on, he insisted that he remained confident things would inevitably work out.
"I believed we would sign here and that I'll stay here forever," Malkin said. "It wasn't easy, but we understand each other. We talked every day. My agent did a nice job. I did my best. I'm glad to stay here — great organization, great team. We're focused on making the final again, trying to win."
Malkin described the hiccups that existed during negotiations as "small details" more than anything. He also continued to express his admiration for Pittsburgh as a city, seemingly comparing it to his hometown of Magnitogorsk in Russia.
"It's my second hometown, for sure," Malkin said. "I don't want to move to any team, any city. I'm glad to stay here. It's amazing. Four more years."
The layers to pick away at the Malkin story don't stop with uncertainty that surrounded his contract extension. There's also his knee. Malkin had reconstructive surgery on it before the 2021-22 season, which was the largest factor in him playing just 41 games.
This offseason, Malkin said he intentionally took it easy, visiting his parents back home and working out some in Miami, where he spends the offseason. He returned to Pittsburgh a couple weeks before the start of the camp for informal skates and to build chemistry with younger and new teammates.
"It's the most important thing right now," Malkin said of his knee. "I feel fine. I rested a little bit more this summer."
It might be best to describe how Malkin views his knee as cautious optimism. His skating stride Thursday featured its typical burst, though this setting differs plenty from what Malkin will experience during the regular season.
Only then will he truly know how it will hold up and whether he'll be able to contribute more consistently during 5-on-5 play than he did last season. (Nearly half of Malkin's points came on the power play.)
"I believe in myself and believe that I'm still a good player," Malkin said. "I believe in my teammates. I'm here to win. I will be ready for the first game."
So will his running mates, Crosby and Letang, obviously. The idea of that — of those three returning for a record 17th season together, the most for any trio in NHL history — led to another of Malkin's jokes, where he cut off my attempt at a question about the Penguins running it back with the same veteran core.
"We're not veterans," Malkin interjected. "We're still young."
Young at heart, maybe.
It also doesn't matter.
Malkin remains a top talent, a premier pivot capable of taking over a game. It's also true that Malkin has plenty to prove and might be more motivated than ever, if he indeed feels like the Penguins low-balled him or didn't show him the proper respect during negotiations.
But sort of like Malkin tried to say from the outset, we don't need questions to arrive at that conclusions. We'll know when the games star. Then and only then will the Big 3 have a chance to say something substantive about management's decision to stick with this group.
"Age is nothing," Malkin said, turning serious. "We have great experience, which is important. New guys here, young guys, we try to help them. It's what we've done the last 16 or 17 years. Nothing has changed too much. Just be leaders. Be strong. Stay positive, too.
"We know it's not easy. Every team tries to beat us. But we try to focus every game, play the right way and help the team to win."
