Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin looks forward after missing the playoffs for the first time
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Having won it three times already in his spellbinding existence as an NHLer, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin would like to see another Stanley Cup championship.
But for the time being, he will have to enjoy someone else’s success.
Namely, his new linemate, Reilly Smith, a trade acquisition from the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights.
“He’s a Stanley Cup champion,” Malkin said. “I hope he shows me his ring.”
Smith was one of a multitude of changes the Penguins made this past offseason, from management down to the lowest reaches of the roster. Malkin, one of the most important figures in the history of the franchise, was largely an observer of those alterations.
“Every day, I wake up and I read something new,” Malkin said. “It’s so new for me. We changed a lot this (offseason). I hope it (helps) the team be stronger, be better. We (are) not happy, last year, for sure. This organization, owners, coaches, players, we (are) here to win. Last season (was) very disappointing for us. Now, we look forward. New teammates, new faces here. We try to be better every day.”
A big part of that presumed improvement is defenseman Erik Karlsson, acquired in one of the largest trades in NHL history last month. Last season, with the San Jose Sharks, Karlsson won the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the league’s top defenseman. Posting an obscene 101 points (25 goals, 76 assists) in 82 games, Karlsson became the first defenseman in more than 30 years to reach the century mark in offense.
Through the first three days of the team’s training camp in Cranberry, Karlsson and Malkin have been skating together in one of the team’s three groups.
“Norris winner last year,” said Malkin, himself a claimant of a handful of scoring and MVP titles. “The best defenseman in the league. … He’s an amazing guy, an amazing player. But we need to work every day.”
Presumably, some of that work will involve the two of those players being on the ice at the same time in even-strength scenarios.
For much of their shared tenures with the Penguins, Sidney Crosby, the team’s other franchise center, and All-Star defenseman Kris Letang have been on the ice together in even-strength situations as much as possible. That emphasis only increased when Mike Sullivan took over as head coach in 2015.
Over the past three seasons, Crosby and Letang have skated 1,767 minutes, 46 seconds of common five-on-ice time, according to Natural Stat Trick. In contrast, Malkin has logged 588:39 with Letang over that span.
In fact, Malkin has skated more with defenseman Marcus Pettersson (593:45) since the start of the 2020-21 season.
Sullivan stopped short of saying one specific defenseman would be bolted on one specific forward this season. But he noted there wasn’t necessarily a bad option with either of the combinations.
“To have two guys to be able to utilize in those situations, I think is exciting for us as a coaching staff,” Sullivan said. “There’s probably nobody more excited than (Malkin) because now we have two defensemen that we can put behind those guys, and they have a unique ability to drive offense. We’re fortunate to have both of those guys.”
Assuming he does take to the ice with Karlsson regularly, Malkin’s realizes he needs to carry his portion of the freight as well.
“He’s probably (the) fastest defenseman in the league,” Malkin said. “He likes to play with the puck. He plays a ton of minutes. He gives me a chance every game probably. We need to help each other. Not just give him puck and say, ‘Oh, score 100 points again.’ We need to help each other, play hard in the (defensive) zone. We don’t want to be a minus every game and score five goals. Be smart (in) every zone and help each other.”
Individually, Malkin had a strong 2022-23 campaign. With 83 points (27 goals, 56 assists) in 82 games, he finished second in scoring on the team, a team that missed the playoffs for the first time in his 17 years as an NHLer.
“It’s like five months already,” Malkin said. “The season, last year, it’s over. Now, it’s new faces here. We try and be positive, try and joke around. Training camp, it’s hard. We (have played) scrimmage games a couple (of) days. Try and help each other, try and be positive, and look forward.”