Penguins GM Covets Malkin Return Next Year

Kyle Dubas drops the not-so-subtle hint that he'd love Evgeni Malkin back in the Pittsburgh fold for 2026-27, even as whispers of a buyout or trade linger in the background. The Penguins cling to their aging core while younger legs push for ice time, and Dubas knows retaining a future Hall of Famer changes everything for their rebuild timeline. This summer shapes up as a crossroads for a franchise that's won Cups but now stares down irrelevance without bold retention plays.