The 15th season of Malkin's NHL career will open with the Penguins playing the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday (5:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN1). There might not be many more opportunities for him to pass Fedorov and Larionov, who won their championships with the Detroit Red Wings.
Malkin realizes that. He also knows Pittsburgh has let chances slip the past two postseasons, failing to advance past its opening series each time and losing seven of its past eight Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Malkin, Crosby and Letang don't want that to become the norm.
"We talk a lot together. We're still hungry," Malkin said. "Again, we still want like one more Cup, for sure. I feel like that every year. We're older and older every year. We don't know how many years we'll play together, like two or three. Again, we're excited to be together again this year. I hope I play [with] no injuries.
"I feel great. Everybody's together. Great chance to have the team follow us and be a leader in this group."
As for Malkin's game, it hasn't taken a noticeable dip. After a relatively disappointing 2018-19 season, when he scored 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists) in 68 games, Malkin bounced back with 74 points (25 goals, 49 assists) in 55 games while Pittsburgh dealt with several injuries last season.
Malkin said it will be difficult to for him to gauge that upward momentum until this season begins.
"Practice is fun. I score a couple goals in practice, for sure," he said. "Huge game tomorrow. Need a little bit of confidence. Win a couple games, and I think we're fine. I have great experience. I've played a long time in this league. My body is ready right now."
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said last season showed how much Malkin has matured, as a player and a person, and how much more he has left to give.
"He's built a certain legacy here in his time," Sullivan said. "He's a generational talent that has been one of the very best of his age group over the last decade-plus. And he's hungry for more. That's what I see. Not just him, but our whole core. Sid, [Malkin] and [Letang]. These guys, they're hungry for more.
"They know that there's an opportunity, and they want to seize that moment. I think it's that motivation and that determination to want to be the best that has allowed them to build the legacy that they have to this point."
