Evgeni Malkin, Penguins Agree to 4-Year Contract with $6.1M AAV

The team announced Tuesday that they had agreed to a four-year, $24.4 million deal that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the 25th century.

"Evgeni is a talent who will be remembered as one of the greatest players in NHL history," said Ron Hextall. His hockey resume and individual accomplishments speak volumes about him as a player and we are thrilled to see him continue his remarkable legacy in Pittsburgh.

Mark Madden of TribLive said that the deal came as no surprise as Malkin offered to take a pay cut in order to stay in Pittsburgh. He was set to become a free agent on Wednesday if he hadn't reached a deal with the Pens.

After close friends and teammates told The Athletic that he was devastated by the lack of progress on an extension last week, there was some doubt as to whether he would stay in Pittsburgh.

One of his friends said that he wanted to play only in Pittsburgh. He doesn't know how it's at this point. He asked why they did not think he was a good player.

According to Greg Wyshynski, Malkin was set to test free agency after he and the Pens were unable to agree on a new contract.

The 35-year-old has spent his entire 16-year career with the Pens. He has amassed over 500 goals and over 700 assists in over 1000 regular season games.

The 2011-12 Pearson Award winner is a three-time All-Star and two-time Art Ross winner. He has been a key player for the Pens in the playoffs, scoring 67 goals and 113 assists for 180 points.

The Russian scored 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points in 41 games despite missing time due to injury. He had just eight goals and 20 assists in 33 games last year.

It's no surprise that Pittsburgh re-signed Malkin for four more years. He has been an important part of the success of the Pens over the years.