Evgeni Malkin Free-Agent Landing Spots: Top NHL Fits Amid Growing Rumors

Even though it ended with a six-game playoff loss, the 2025-26 season was a pretty unexpected success for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

They overcame every preseason expectation and made the playoffs, while also developing a couple of younger players with a real future in Pittsburgh.

Now comes an offseason full of some big questions, mostly revolving around what sort of direction they take for next season and beyond.

The biggest of those questions is what they do with franchise icon -- and pending unrestricted free agent -- Evgeni Malkin.

Prior to this season it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that it would be Malkin's final season in Pittsburgh. He was 39 years old, the team was in the middle of a rebuild, and it just seemed like Malkin's game was starting to slow down to the point where it would make sense for him to either retire, or for the Penguins to move in a different direction.

But then the Penguins not only succeeded on the ice, Malkin was a major part of it. Despite the fact he is going to be 40 years old next season, he can clearly still play and produce offensively.

That has not yet fully convinced Kyle Dubas that another year is a good idea.

Malkin wants to return. Penguins players, including captain Sidney Crosby, want him to return.

Management does not seem as convinced.

Malkin said this past week that he wants to play one more year in the NHL, and that he will play somewhere else other than Pittsburgh if the Penguins do not want him back. So let's take a look at some possible destinations for Malkin for the 2025-26 season.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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Let's be honest, this is the most logical destination.

Malkin has more value to the Penguins than he does almost any other team, and the Penguins can probably get him for a cheaper price than any other team can. He might actually take less money to stay here, and he has already switched positions by moving from center to wing.

He just wants to be here, and that matters a lot.

He also still has some use as a player.

If he was no longer productive. If the Penguins had better internal options. If the Penguins could get assets back in return for him. If the Penguins were dealing with some sort of salary cap crunch.

All of those things would make sense for the Penguins to say, "okay, we had a great two decades together, time to go). But none of that is the case. They gain nothing by letting him go, he would not be blocking anybody next season, and he is still one of their better options based on the likely free agent market. He developed an instant chemistry with Egor Chinakhov following his trade from Columbus, and while the Penguins do have some younger players that will be knocking on the door, they also have several other roster spots that will open with the likely free agent departures of Anthony Mantha, Noel Accairi and perhaps Connor Dewar. There are roster spots. They also have one of the best salary cap situations in the league going into this offseason. There is nothing that could or should prevent one more year.

It might get dragged out, but a return to Pittsburgh seems to be the most logical and sensible outcome here.

But until pen gets put to paper on a new contract, it is not guaranteed.

Philadelphia Flyers

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This would be weird, but it would not be the first time a Penguins legend and icon moved across the state.

Jaromir Jagr did it.

Why couldn't Evgeni Malkin do it?

It would also make some sense from a hockey standpoint.

As good as the Flyers season was this season they still have a major need for more offense and some more spark on their power play. It might also be interesting to see if putting Malkin with fellow Russian Matvei Michkov could help bring a little more out of the Flyers' young star. They are still working with him to get him to reach his full potential, and putting somebody like Malkin with him, or at least in his presence, could be beneficial.

Washington Capitals

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Do the Capitals need another older player toward the end of their career?

No. Probably not.

Would that stop them from potentially pursuing Malkin? Also no, probably not.

Mostly, though, it would just be fascinating to see Ovechkin and Malkin team up together for one year in the NHL just to see what it would look like.

They were the No. 1 and 2 picks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, two of the best players from this era, and two of the best Russian-born players to ever step foot into the NHL. And while they once had a fierce individual rivalry on and off the ice, those bridges have since been mended to the point where they would probably welcome the opportunity to play together.

Detroit Red Wings

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The Red Wings might be in a dire push this offseason to do something to get themselves back into the playoffs. General manager Steve Yzerman already acknowledged the team is not good enough and that he needs to do more.

Making some sort of a blockbuster trade would be the most sensible option given the free agent market.

But if he can not do that, or still wants to dip into the free agent market to help complement whatever else he does, Malkin would not be the worst potential option.

They need more top-six scoring help, and Malkin can still play and score at a top-six level offensively.

Malkin scored 19 goals in only 56 games this season.

Only three Red Wings players scored 19 goals in a full season.

Montreal Canadiens

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Another situation similar to the one with Philadelphia. You have a young team on the rise that is trying to take a step toward serious Stanley Cup contention.

It is also a team that needs more middle-of-the-lineup scoring, while there is also a young Russian player here in Ivan Demidov that would probably welcome the opportunity to play alongside somebody like Malkin.

Malkin also brings winning and championship experience to a team that is trying to get to that level.

The Canadiens are not far off, and while their young core group of players is one of the best in the NHL they still need a little more around it to help complement it. Malkin could be a reasonably affordable short-term option.