Dubas Knows What He Wants to Do with Malkin
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio’s Morning Skate with Scott Laughlin and Gord Stellick and was asked about the latest involving the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeni Malkin.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Expectations Are That Evgeni Malkin Will Return Next Season
Scott Laughlin: “Any update Friedge, from what you’ve heard, with regards to Malkin? He’s on an expiring contract. We had been led to assume all throughout this process that Kyle Dubas was going to speak with the Malkin’s camp during the Olympics. It’s been really quiet for Malkin. Are we just assuming he’s coming back?”
Elliotte Friedman: “They did talk, and they did talk, and I’ve asked, but Dubas won’t address it. And, the thing about Malkin is he’s a total wild man, right? And I say it and with laughing respect. Whenever he says something, he goes for the maximum chaos. And you just can’t, like, it’s funny, like, I think he’s really hilarious, and you just can’t, you can’t figure it out.
Like, if he’s serious, or, like, he came out the other day, he’s like, Oh, I think (Alex) Ovechkin is playing again next year. Like, it’s the exact opposite of what everybody expected him to say and think. So, I just find he’s a really difficult guy to get a read on.
NHL Rumors: Status Quo for Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins
When Dubas shuts down like that. My history with him is he knows exactly what’s going on, and he just doesn’t want to say, and in this particular case, I think it’s because it’s probably got a lot to do with how Malkin feels, and he just doesn’t want to violate that.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the playoffs. Evgeni Malkin had a great season, putting up 61 points (19 goals and 42 assists) in a resurgence in a contract season. Malkin wasn’t sure if he was coming at the beginning of the season. He needed to see how his body felt. But with the youthful energy in the locker room, Malkin found the fountain of youth.
He made some comments coming out of the Olympics, where he was upset that talks weren’t happening until after the season. However, he came around after talking to Dubas. But as Friedman pointed out, Malkin is such a wild man, and you have no idea what he will say.
But Malkin wants to retire as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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