Penguins GM Kyle Dubas leaves door open for Evgeni Malkin’s return to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke at length about his team, its future and what’s next for its stars Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Details are scarce, but Dubas seemed to leave the door open for future Hall of Fame forward Evgeni Malkin, whose contract expires this summer, to re-sign with the team. The main factor in Malkin’s favor is that the Penguins’ top young forwards need more development.

Dubas was asked directly if he anticipated Malkin returning next season.

“We had a great exit interview with Evgeni directly, and great conversations with him and his agent, J.P. Barry,” Dubas said. “With the season he had, where we’re going, I don’t look at it like he’s blocking anybody out. We would love to have him back. We’ll continue to work with J.P. on it.”

Malkin, who turns 40 in July, enjoyed a bounce-back season with 19 goals, 42 assists and 61 points in 56 games. The decision whether to bring him back has been a hot-button topic among fans, which Dubas acknowledged on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Malkin said if he doesn’t get a new contract in Pittsburgh, he will consider playing elsewhere: “I want to play one more year in the NHL. If not Pittsburgh, I hope some team.”

Dubas has always known he’d eventually be responsible for breaking up the Penguins’ so-called Big Three of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Malkin.

“I knew when taking this job that it’s obviously a special thing that the three of them have played together for such a long time,” Dubas said. “At some point, it’s me that’s going to have to make somebody or the fans unhappy with certain decisions that come. I knew that when I decided to come here. We always have to do what’s best for the Pittsburgh Penguins, whether it’s unpopular or makes people unhappy. That’s how we have to operate, regardless of who they are or how long they’ve been here.”

Still, Dubas is keenly aware of fans’ attachment to Malkin: “I knew this is a special situation because of the nostalgia of it,” he said.

“He’s a special player,” Dubas added. “Most people in this room have seen it for far longer than me.”

Dubas noted some of the reasons for Malkin’s success in his 20th season in Pittsburgh, including a strong on-ice relationship with Egor Chinakhov and Tommy Novak in the second half of the season.

“He (Malkin) shifted away from center after the (December) injury,” Dubas said. “Played on the wing. He and Tommy and Egor had great chemistry. That helped reduce the load on him. He’s one of the great players of all time. He’s very proud. All of that played into the season he had.”

Dubas mentioned Letang only in reference to his legendary conditioning. Crosby and Erik Karlsson, the Penguins’ two biggest names and best players last season, will be entering the final season of their contracts in 2026-27. Dubas chuckled when he was asked about potential contract extensions. Clearly, those conversations haven’t taken place yet.

“It’s not been a front-burner topic for us,” Dubas said. “Maybe it’s something we talk about later in the summer. Sid is in a different category. When most players get into their late 30s, it tends to become a year-to-year thing. I don’t know if that’s how they’ll want to handle it. As for Erik, the players voted him team MVP. And Sid is Sid.”

Additional observations

• As you can see, the headline from Dubas’ news conference is that he’d love to have Malkin back — but there was still a strange tone to the subject overall.

In analyzing his team’s season, Dubas made two separate references to Malkin’s March suspension, which kept him out of the lineup for five games. Dubas also noted Malkin’s December injury and said that Malkin played better after sitting out those two stretches. On one level, it was a compliment to Malkin. On another, it came across as if Dubas doubts whether Malkin is capable of playing effectively for an entire season.

Dubas specifically mentioned Crosby and Letang’s genetics that allow them to log a lot of games as they age.

“Geno is built differently,” Dubas said. “The time off served him well.”

• Does this mean Malkin is coming back?

Without a doubt, that wasn’t Dubas’ plan last summer. However, three things have since happened: Malkin exceeded expectations this season, young forwards such as Ville Koivunen failed to meet expectations, and fans are clamoring for Malkin to return.

Tuesday seemed like a welcome turn of events for fans wishing for Malkin’s return, though I also find it curious that no deal has been reached yet.

• Crosby noted at the conclusion of the season that he was in the “year-to-year” phase in terms of how much longer he will play.

I wouldn’t be shocked if he enters next season without a new contract, and I don’t think there’s any reason to panic if that’s the case. That wouldn’t be an indication that the franchise doesn’t want him or that he doesn’t want to play for the Penguins. I think he just meant what he said. He’s going to be 39 in August, and he knows full well that performance can drop rapidly at that age. Of course, he’ll do everything in his power to fight that. As Dubas said, “Sid is Sid.”

I’m guessing Crosby will play for two or three more years, but I believe him when he says he’s taking things year to year.

That said, he had a very good season and was noticeably cheerful throughout the campaign. He enjoyed himself.

• One of the most compelling moments of Dubas’ news conference came when he talked about watching a couple of playoff games that didn’t involve his team. The Sunday after the Penguins were eliminated, Dubas watched Montreal beat Tampa Bay in Game 7 of its first-round series and Colorado beat Minnesota in Game 1 of its second-round series.

Montreal won 2-1. Colorado won 9-6.

“I questioned if our team could contend in that environment defensively,” Dubas said of the Tampa Bay-Montreal game. “Then, I flipped over and questioned if we could contend offensively (in the Colorado-Minnesota game). We have a long way to go. I don’t kid myself. We have a long way to return to being a contender.’

• Dubas mentioned that the 30-somethings on his roster can still play. He also noted how thrilled he is with 19-year-old Ben Kindel’s development.

The Penguins, though, need help from younger talent. Dubas understands that reality.

“What we were lacking was players in their late 20s, mid-20s, that were real difference makers,” he said.

He then made a pitch to those players who could be searching for a new team.

“You can look at us and see very clearly that you’re going to be supported by a great coaching staff,” he said. “I think Pittsburgh is great place to play, a great place to grow and have a family. I think it should be one of the most appealing places to any player that has a choice in this matter.”

• I hope you haven’t purchased too many Anthony Mantha jerseys. It sure doesn’t sound like the 31-year-old forward is returning to Pittsburgh.

Dubas praised Mantha and his 33-goal season, a career high. However, he said that a meeting with Mantha about his future indicated that the unrestricted free agent was “clear with his plans” — and that it would remain private.

To me, that sounds like Mantha is looking to capitalize on his big season this summer, which, of course, is his right. I don’t foresee that happening in Pittsburgh.

• Dubas remains optimistic about Harrison Brunicke’s future and backed up how the organization handled the prized 19-year-old defenseman prospect this season. He was a healthy scratch for much of the season before returning to Team Canada for the World Junior championships and later to his junior team.

“It started to get wobbly for him,” Dubas said of Brunicke’s handful of NHL games.

Dubas, though, believes Brunicke’s time in Pittsburgh will serve him well down the road. The Penguins are thrilled with how Bruncike is currently performing with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, which is in the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

• Dubas told an impressive story about Bill Zonnon, one of Pittsburgh’s three first-round draft picks last June.

When Zonnon’s junior season concluded and he was about to sign with Wilkes-Barre for the postseason, he was set to sit down with Amanda Kessel and the Penguins. The meeting’s objective was to detail the specifics of the Penguins’ system, which is different from what Zonnon had played all year.

It wasn’t necessary. Independently, Zonnon had been watching Wilkes-Barre from afar and training himself on the system. He’s already good to go, and he’ll make his AHL debut on Tuesday night.

• Don’t expect Dubas to do anything foolish in unrestricted free agency.

He said that those signings, which might look good in July or August, could leave him kicking himself by the end of next season. Dubas has been burned before on July 1, and he doesn’t sound eager to let it happen again.

• Dubas said the organization isn’t down on Koivunen and fellow forward prospect Rutger McGroarty.

He mentioned that while McGroarty’s skating has “always been the thing with him,” he sees it improving and expects him to compete for a job at the start of training camp in September.

Dubas also saw improvement in Koivunen’s game, even though the early stages of his season were disappointing.

• Dubas said the decisions to bring back Connor Dewar and Ilya Solovyov were pretty easy.

Dewar, in Dubas’ eyes, is similar to Blake Lizotte, and he wants to keep those two together on the fourth line. Solovyov told Dubas he’s going to stay in Pittsburgh to work on his conditioning all season, which impressed Dubas and made it an even easier decision to sign Solovyov to an NHL-minimum contract.

• Dubas didn’t make it sound likely that 27-year-old veteran goaltender Stuart Skinner, a pending unrestricted free agent, will return. He praised Artūrs Šilovs for solidifying the Penguins’ net in the postseason. He also made it clear that he’s excited about 22-year-old Sergei Murashov and 24-year-old Joel Blomqvist.

“My full expectation is that Sergei and Joel will be competing for a roster spot (in September),” Dubas said.

• Dubas said building next season’s team will require young players in the system to take big steps. He also said he intends to pursue players via trade, as he has done in recent months with Chinakhov and Elmer Söderblom.

Dubas said he’s continuing to figure out ways to bring top-tier talent to Pittsburgh by any means necessary.

• In a vulnerable moment, Dubas admitted his work is far from over.

“I think it’s one of the burdens you carry with this job,” he said. “You’re never happy until you’ve won. For some of us, it’s a quest that goes on forever.”

Dubas made it clear he loves coach Dan Muse and his staff and that the team is moving in the right direction. But he’s still hungry.

“Have we made progress? Yes, we have,” he said. “Have we aspired to where we want to be? Not even close.”