Evgeni Malkin

Malkin is a product of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey program. Prior to being drafted, he made his Russian Superleague debut in the 2003–04 season as a 17-year-old.[4] He also made his international debut for Russia during the 2003 U-18 World Championships, where he skated on the top line with Alexander Ovechkin. The team went on to claim the bronze medal.

After his first professional season in Russia, Malkin was drafted second overall (behind national teammate Alexander Ovechkin) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.[10] However, a transfer dispute between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) delayed his Pittsburgh debut;[4] though he would have stayed in Russia for what would have been his rookie season with the Penguins in any event due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout. On 7 August 2006, it appeared the 20-year-old Malkin had come to a compromise with Metallurg and signed a deal that would have kept him in Russia until May 2007. However, Malkin stated he signed the one-year contract not as a compromise, but because of the immense "psychological pressure" his former club exerted on him.[11] Desiring to play in the NHL, he left Metallurg Magnitogorsk's training camp in Helsinki before it began on 12 August.[4] It would later appear the team had taken Malkin's passport away to prevent him from leaving, but it was eventually given back to him, and Malkin was allowed to pass through Finnish customs. Meeting with his agent, J. P. Barry, the two quickly departed and waited for Malkin's visa clearance from the U.S. Embassy.

In order to legally leave the team, on 15 August, Malkin invoked via fax a law allowing him to cancel his one-year contract by giving his employer two weeks' notice.[12] Having untied himself of obligations in Russia, he was able to sign an entry-level contract with the Penguins on 5 September 2006.[13]

Malkin smiling during a practice with the Penguins in 2006.

Following his first NHL game with Pittsburgh, on 19 October 2006, Malkin's former Russian hockey club filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NHL and the Penguins in the United States District Court for the southern district of New York.[14] The lawsuit claimed Malkin should not be permitted to play in the NHL because he is still under contract in Russia. The claim also sought unspecified damages as well. The motion for an injunction was denied on 15 November 2006, ensuring Malkin would continue play in the NHL that season.[15] The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed on its merits by the District Court on 1 February 2007.[16]

In his first pre-season game with the Penguins, on 20 September 2006, Malkin collided with teammate John LeClair and dislocated his own shoulder, which forced him to miss the start of the season. Subsequently, his NHL debut would be delayed until 18 October, against the New Jersey Devils, in which he scored his first goal against Martin Brodeur.[17]

Malkin set a modern NHL record when he scored a goal in each of his first six games. No player had achieved this feat since the NHL's inaugural season in 1917–18, when Joe Malone scored at least 1 goal in 14 consecutive games to start his NHL career (Malone, however, had played in the National Hockey Association, the predecessor league to the NHL).[18] Malkin's streak was eventually stopped in his seventh game by the San Jose Sharks.[19]

Playing on a team with another highly touted prospect, Sidney Crosby, Malkin finished his rookie season with 33 goals, 52 assists and 85 points in 78 games played, leading all first-year players and capturing the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, the second Penguin to win the award after Mario Lemieux. Malkin was named alternate captain for the Penguins shortly after.

When Malkin arrived in the United States, he spoke little English, but through the help of fellow Russian teammate Sergei Gonchar, he eventually started to give short, simple interviews in the language.[20]

During his sophomore season (2007–08 season), Malkin scored 106 points, the second-highest amongst NHL players that season.

In his sophomore season, Malkin recorded his first NHL hat-trick, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, on 3 January 2008. He earned another three-goal performance several games later, on 14 January, against the New York Rangers. Midway through the season, when more heralded teammate and captain Sidney Crosby went down with an ankle injury, Malkin seized the opportunity to lead the Penguins, scoring 44 points in the 28 games Crosby was absent.[21] In total, Malkin completed the season second in NHL scoring with 106 points, six points behind Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals for the Art Ross Trophy. Malkin continued to dominate into the Stanley Cup playoffs as the Penguins made it to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored three points against the Detroit Red Wings in the finals, totaling 22 points overall, but the Penguins were defeated by Detroit in six games.

Malkin's sophomore season culminated in a Hart Memorial Trophy nomination as NHL MVP—the award was given to Ovechkin—and First team All-Star honors. On 2 July 2008, with one year left in his entry-level contract, he signed a five-year, $43.5 million contract extension with Pittsburgh.[22]

Malkin began the 2008–09 season by scoring his 200th NHL point with an assist to Sidney Crosby on 18 October 2008. The goal was also Crosby's 100th career goal and 300th career point. Crosby had a team trainer cut the puck in half so both players could commemorate the moment.[23] Voted as a starter to the 2009 NHL All-Star Game later in the season, Malkin won the shooting accuracy segment of the Skills Competition, initially shooting four-for-four before beating Dany Heatley three-for-four in a tie-breaker. After having finished runner-up to Alexander Ovechkin the previous season for the Art Ross Trophy, Malkin captured the scoring championship with 113 points. He became the second Russian-born player to win it, after Ovechkin, and the fourth Penguin, after Mario Lemieux, Jaromír Jágr and Crosby. However, he would once again be runner-up to Ovechkin for the Hart Trophy, although this time garnering a few more first-place votes. In 2008, he had just one first-place vote (out of 134 votes) and 659 points to Ovechkin's 128 first-place votes and 1,313 points.[24] In 2009, Malkin had 12 first-place votes (out of 133 votes) and 787 points to Ovechkin's 115 first-place votes and 1,264 points.[25]

Malkin, along with his parents (left), during the Penguins' victory parade for their 2009 Stanley Cup victory.

On 12 June 2009, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup after defeating the Detroit Red Wings 2–1 in Game 7 of the Finals. Malkin tallied 36 points (14 goals and 22 assists) to become the first player to lead both the regular season and playoffs in scoring since Mario Lemieux accomplished the feat in 1992. His 36 points were the highest playoff total of any player since Wayne Gretzky amassed 40 points in 1993. Malkin received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, becoming the first Russian-born and Asian-born player to do so. He is also just the second player in franchise history to win both the Art Ross and Conn Smythe trophies in the same year. The other Penguin to accomplish this feat was Hockey Hall of Famer and team co-owner/president Mario Lemieux (1992).

Malkin played 67 games in the 2009-10 season and recorded 28 goals, 49 assists and 77 points. Malkin and the Penguins came into the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup champions and defeated the Ottawa Senators in six games in the first round but then were upset by the eighth seeded Montreal Canadiens in seven games in the second round.[26]

Towards the end of the 2010-11 season, on 4 February 2011, after missing five games due to a left knee injury and sinus infection, Malkin returned to play against the Buffalo Sabres. At the start of the second period, Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers collided with Malkin against the end-boards, injuring his right knee. He was helped off the ice and went straight to the dressing room, unable to return to the game as he suffered both a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). On 9 February, it was announced Malkin would undergo knee surgery. The Penguins estimated his recovery period as six months, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2010–11 season and playoffs, but stated he should be ready for training camp in September.[27] According to then Penguins' general manager Ray Shero, Malkin sent him a text message after the incident occurred stating, "I'm sorry." In Shero's words, "I told him he had nothing to apologize for."[28]

Malkin played with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL during the 2012–13 NHL lockout.

Malkin had a bounce-back season in 2011–12. With post-concussion syndrome limiting team captain Sidney Crosby to just 22 games, Malkin led the Penguins on a line with newly acquired winger James Neal.[29] Despite missing seven games due to lingering effects of his knee surgery, Malkin scored 50 goals for the first time in his career, including three hat-tricks, and won his second scoring title with 109 points. He was the only player in the NHL during the 2011–12 season to score at least 100 points.[30] Malkin would go on to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP for his performance in the season beating out Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, respectively. He also became the first player in the past ten NHL seasons to win two scoring titles, putting an end to a streak of nine different players over nine seasons leading the NHL in points. He also went on to win the Ted Lindsay Award for the most outstanding player judged by the NHL Players' Association, beating out Stamkos and Lundqvist for this award along with the Hart trophy.[31] Despite Malkin's impressive regular season, the Penguins were eliminated in the first round of the 2012 playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers. Malkin scored eight points in the six-game series. Following the Penguins' playoff exit, it was announced Malkin would again represent Russia at the 2012 World Championships.[32]

With the 2012–13 NHL season delayed due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Malkin went to Russia and played for Magnitogorsk, his former team, who had joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) since he last played there.[33] By the time the lockout ended in January 2013, Malkin was second in KHL scoring with 23 goals and 65 points in 37 games.[4][34] Though he missed the final part of the KHL season, he still finished third overall in scoring.[35] A concussion and shoulder injuries limited Malkin to 31 games during the NHL season, rather than the 48 scheduled, in which he scored 33 points (9 goals, 24 assists). In the 2013 playoffs, Malkin and the Penguins faced the New York Islanders in the first round, eliminating them in six games.[36] Malkin had an excellent series, recording 2 goals and 11 points in the 6 games.[37] In the next round, the Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators in five games, with Malkin scoring two more goals and five points.[38] The Penguins were then swept in the conference finals against the Boston Bruins.The entire Penguins team was kept to two goals in the four-game series, with Malkin held off the scoresheet and posting a −5 plus-minus rating.[39]

Malkin with the Stanley Cup following Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals in Nashville. It was the second-consecutive championship and third overall of Malkin's career.

In the 2013–14 NHL season, Malkin was held out of 22 games, missing two games with a lower body injury on 5 December, nine games with another lower-body injury on 15 December, and then 11 games with a foot injury on 25 March. In the 60 games he was healthy, Malkin scored 72 points (23 goals, 49 assists), second on the Penguins behind only Sidney Crosby. In his second-to-last game of the season, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Malkin had two goals and two assists for four points.[40] In the playoffs, the Penguins met the Columbus Blue Jackets in Round 1, eliminating them in six games. Malkin was unable to score for Pittsburgh in the first five games, and only managed four assists in that time, causing Penguins fans to worry, especially since Crosby was being held off the scoresheet as well. But Malkin broke through with a hat-trick in Game 6, propelling his team to Round 2.[41] In Round 2 against the New York Rangers, Malkin and the Penguins were eliminated in seven games, despite holding a 3–1 lead in the series. The Penguins only managed three goals in the last three games.[42] Malkin had a solid series, scoring three goals and seven points in seven games, leading the Penguins.

Malkin was an integral part of the lineup that helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups during the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons. He led the 2017 playoffs with 28 points.[43] He also became the 29th player in the history of the NHL to record 150 points in the playoffs.[43]

On 12 March 2019, Malkin scored his 1,000th NHL point against the Washington Capitals with an assist on a Phil Kessel goal, becoming the 88th player in league history to reach the mark.[44]

On 12 July 2022, after initial reports that he would be heading to free agency, Malkin signed a four-year, $24.4 million contract extension to stay with the Penguins.[45] He played his 1,000th NHL game on 23 November against the Chicago Blackhawks, joining Sidney Crosby as the only players to play all 1,000 games with the Penguins.[46] His other longtime teammate Kris Letang would join him later that season. Malkin finished the 2022-23 season playing in all 82 games with 83 points recorded (27 goals, 56 assists). Despite Mlakin's individual dominance, the Penguins would miss the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and would mark the first time for Malkin himself in his career to miss the playoffs.[47]

Bold indicates led league

• First player since 1917–18 to score goals in each of his first six NHL games (first accomplished by Joe Malone, Newsy Lalonde and Cy Denneny in inaugural NHL season)[53] (18 October – 1 November 2006)
• Longest point streak by a Russian player in the NHL – 15 games (accomplished twice) (surpassed Dmitri Kvartalnov of the Boston Bruins – 14 games in 1992)[54]
• Most consecutive postseason games with multiple points for the Pittsburgh Penguins – 6 games (9–23 May 2009)
• Most playoff points in a single season by a Russian player – 36 (2008–09)
• First Russian player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (2009)