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.
