Penguins A to Z: What does Evgeni Malkin have left?

With the Penguins’ 2021-22 season coming to a quick ending in the first round of the playoffs, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until the 2022-23 season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Evgeni Malkin

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 35

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 195 pounds

2021-22 NHL statistics: 41 games, 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists)

Contract: In the final year of an eight-year contract with a salary cap hit of $9.5 million. Pending unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.

(Note: Malkin’s contract includes a no-movement clause.)

Acquired: First-round draft pick (No. 2 overall), July 26, 2004

Last season: In the days following his team’s dismissal from the playoffs last month, Evgeni Malkin was optimistic.

About himself and his value.

“I believe I’m still a good player,” Malkin said during the team’s end-of-season media availability on May 17. “And I believe good players sign good contracts.”

In the final year of his existing contract, Malkin proved he was still a good but flawed player.

After missing the first 34 games of the season due to a right knee injury that required offseason surgery to correct, Malkin returned to the lineup Jan. 11 and led the Penguins to a 4-1 road win against the Anaheim Ducks by collecting two goals and an assist.

Malkin was a fairly steady offensive producer upon his return and even carved out a nine-game scoring streak that was halted by a two-game absence in early February due to a bout with covid-19.

While Malkin returned to a point-per-game pace after falling below that level during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, nearly half of his points (nine goals, 11 assists) came on the power play.

Working with something of a revolving door of linemates throughout the season, Malkin’s five-on-five play was labeled as “sporadic” at one juncture by coach Mike Sullivan.

Arguably the low point of Malkin’s season came during a 3-2 home win against the Nashville Predators when he more than earned a four-game suspension for cross checking Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki in the mouth.

In the lineup for the final four games of the regular season, Malkin managed to generate five points (three goals, two assists) over that span.

During the Penguins’ first-round series loss to the New York Rangers, Malkin produced six points (three goals, three assists) with five coming in five-on-five situations. His most notable score during the playoffs was a goal in the third overtime period of a 4-3 road in Game 1.

The future: In roughly two and a half weeks (July 13), Malkin is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his outstanding career.

Both Malkin and Penguins management seem genuinely interested in avoiding that possibility but everyone involved acknowledges he could very well be suiting up for another team once the 2022-23 season opens.

He’ll be 36 on July 31. And he has had each of the past two seasons disrupted by a major knee injury.

Penguins management has indicated to Malkin’s representation that it has concerns over his physical well-being at this stage of his career and that returning on a contract with a similar salary cap hit is not feasible for the franchise’s interests. Additionally, given his sporadic play this past season alone, it’s more than reasonable for the Penguins, or any other team, to be cautious in what they offer Malkin, either in salary or term.

When speaking with media May 17, Malkin suggested he would like to play three or four more seasons in the NHL. And even if his play was disjointed in 2021-22 — to say nothing of his offensive figures being buoyed by power-play numbers — he played a pace that would have equated to a 40-goal scorer over a full 82-game campaign.

He might be very far removed from being the player who won individual trophies more than a decade ago. But he’s still a very dynamic, albeit inconsistent, player in the world’s best league.

But how much does he have left?

Follow the Penguins all season long.