Penguins have a $42.5 million lack of excuse for letting Evgeni Malkin leave
This might be more straightforward than everyone is suggesting.
Penguins have a $42. 5 million lack of excuse for letting Evgeni Malkin leave originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Pittsburgh Penguins are being coy about their plans for Evgeni Malkin. The all-time great center wants to return to Pittsburgh, but will they bring him back? That's less certain.
The reality, though, is that the Penguins really don't have an excuse. As of mid-May, the Penguins are slated to have the most available cap space in the entire NHL entering the 2026-27 season. According to Spotrac , Pittsburgh's cap space is about $42.
5 million at the moment. In other words, the Penguins are lacking an excuse to pass on Malkin. MORE: Sabres' story of this season is about all the chapters along the way This isn't a cash-strapped team that isn't sure it can afford a veteran for what will probably be a one-year deal.