Panthers HC Paul Maurice makes eye-catching Evgeni Malkin remark further fueling trade speculation

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice made a comment about Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin that drew attention. Malkin is in the final year of his contract with the Penguins. He is 39 years old and playing his 20th NHL season. Analyst Scott Maxwell had recently linked Malkin to the Panthers. Maurice’s remarks have now added to the trade speculation.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Maurice praised Malkin’s consistency and talent.

“They’ve been Hall of Fame good their whole careers,” Maurice said about Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

Maurice then proceeded to tell a story about watching Malkin practicing in Russia once. He was impressed by how hard Malkin worked, even without cameras around.

"I spent a little bit of time with Evgeni Malkin in Russia in the year that it was off," Maurice said. "And I was amazed at how hard he worked, because he didn't have to. Right? He's just better than everybody else in the league. "There's no cameras. And how hard he worked in practice, like he was a pure - he drove hard to be a great performer. He wanted to win, he wanted to score goals, he wanted to drive. And I think they have such a high expectation."

Over his 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin has won three Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. Maurice mentioned that Malkin and Crosby helped build a strong, successful team in Pittsburgh.

"And then, [Penguins are] a historic team, like from '09 straight through to their two Stanley Cups, just an incredibly fantastic team and depth, and those two men driving it, of course," Maurice said.

According to Maurice, the Penguins now have young players and a good chance to compete again.

"Then they have a couple years now, I would imagine it's just a tremendous amount of excitement," Maurice said. "They got some really good young players coming in the future, and they're probably really fired up because now they have got a chance to win again. And that's gotta be very, very exciting for them."

Scott Maxwell suggests Panthers' interest in Evgeni Malkin

Earlier this month, Analyst Scott Maxwell shared his opinion on Evgeni Malkin’s future with the Penguins. He said the team might not re-sign him after this season. Writing for Daily Faceoff, Maxwell linked Malkin to the Florida Panthers.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins, likely not looking to re-sign him [Malkin] after this season," Maxwell wrote. "Whether Malkin does so with the Panthers themselves as they look to bandage the hole left by Aleksander Barkov, or with another contender ... teams will certainly consider acquiring the 39-year-old,"

In 2025-26 season, Malkin has started with two goals and eight assists in seven games. He scored in wins against the San Jose Sharks and the LA Kings. Last season, he was limited to just 50 points, and the Penguins missed the playoffs for the third straight year. But his strong start hints at a positive year for the Penguins' playoff hopes.

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Edited by Ankit Kumar