Evgeni Malkin wants to play another season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He didn’t do that ambition any good via his actions in Thursday’s 5-1 home loss to Buffalo.
Malkin is often petulant and occasionally selfish but took both concepts to an insane level of self-indulgence when he slashed the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin across the face.
Malkin got a five-minute major penalty and was ejected. Friday evening, he was suspended for five games.
Malkin’s stupidity led to a power-play goal and a 2-1 Buffalo lead. The rattled Penguins never got back in the game.
More important, the Penguins were already trying to survive four weeks without Sidney Crosby, their captain and catalyst. Now they face a concurrent stretch without Malkin, the team’s No. 2 scorer behind Crosby.
Malkin is a big reason the Penguins are unexpectedly planted in a playoff spot.
But now he’s toppled a big domino in a potential collapse.
Penguins president of hockey ops/GM Kyle Dubas had just said a new deal for Malkin would be discussed “later,” as in not immediately like Malkin wants, and not in public, at least not by Dubas.
But Malkin took things very public by whacking Dahlin.
It’s quite obvious to connect Malkin’s slash to frustration over his contract situation. Malkin wears his heart on his sleeve. And this time his idiocy.
Sure, Malkin got cross-checked. So, drop the gloves and fight. He took the costliest action.
He also put Dubas on the spot less than 24 hours before the NHL’s trade deadline. Dubas has got to be boiling.
Malkin is 39, but his performance (47 points in 45 games) certainly merits consideration for another season.
But the Penguins have 21 games left. What if Malkin hits a wall, or gets badly hurt, or the Penguins miss the playoffs, or go out meekly in the first round? There are plenty of factors to consider and a lot that has to play out. There’s no need for Dubas to decide now.
This isn’t about nostalgia or gratitude. (See McCutchen, Andrew.)
Nobody doubts Malkin’s massive contributions to the cause during his tenure: three Stanley Cups, two scoring titles, an MVP, a playoff MVP, best rookie and countless moments both clutch and spectacular.
This is about trying to make the playoffs after three seasons not, and that task being made more difficult by Malkin’s absence piled on top of Crosby’s. To say nothing of the bad vibe from Malkin’s contract problem being visited upon the team.
It’s a distraction of which Cameron Heyward would be proud.
Worse, actually. Heyward’s endless hold-in hasn’t yet involved whacking anybody across the face.
Crosby has to feel that Malkin erred egregiously.
But Crosby wants Malkin to return next season. More transfer of conflict.
It might sound silly to blurt worst-case scenarios.
But there’s no minimizing what Malkin did or the potential trickledown.
But, hey, no biggie.
Just win both games this weekend: Philadelphia on Saturday, Boston on Sunday, both at home.
Then, when Malkin returns from suspension, just hope it doesn’t happen again.
Because the new contract isn’t coming anytime soon, and the boo-boo face isn’t leaving.
