Pittsburgh Penguins lock down Evgeni Malkin as new contract is announced

​General Manager Kyle Dubas locked the 39-year-old superstar into a fresh $5.5 million contract for the upcoming campaign.

​This aggressive front office move keeps Malkin off the open market ahead of July 1 and stops any free agency speculation completely cold before it can even begin.

​He made it entirely clear he wanted payback after an intense first-round playoff battle against the Philadelphia Flyers this spring.

​The front office confirmed the hype early Tuesday morning with a direct announcement aimed right at their deeply loyal fan base.

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The Core Stays Intact For Another Heated Run

​Many analysts assumed Pittsburgh would tear down the roster and rebuild the entire lineup from scratch this summer. They were flat-out wrong about the direction of this franchise.

​Malkin is outright defying age and conventional expectations on the ice right now. With 61 points in just 56 games last season he continues to drive significant offensive output for the Penguins.

​He stepped up in the postseason to prove he can still handle the physical grind of heavy hockey. Netting 19 goals during the regular schedule proves he still has an elite scoring touch around the net.

​He controls the middle of the ice through crisp passing and brings a punishing edge to the neutral zone on every single shift.

​Over his NHL career the big center has racked up 533 goals and 1407 total points while maintaining an intimidating style of play.

​His plus-13 rating last year shows he is not a defensive liability despite taking on massive minutes against top opponents. Walking away from that exact level of consistent production would leave a massive hole in the top six for Pittsburgh.

​Finding a replacement with such solid execution on the open market is impossible at that exact price point.

Pittsburgh is officially gearing up for another intense run and betting big on their proven core stars.