With Evgeni Malkin at 498 career goals entering the season, becoming the 48th player in NHL history to reach 500 has loomed large on the horizon. He joked about it in training camp, saying his expectations for himself are, “score two goals!”
But with four helpers in his first three games, Malkin has quietly hit two other impressive milestones.
On Thursday in Detroit, he became the 34th player in NHL history to record 800 assists, joining Sidney Crosby (1,006) and Patrick Kane (813) as the only active players with 800 assists. He is the first Russian-born player in NHL history to reach this milestone.
“For me, it's all about partners, you know?” Malkin said that night. “I play with lots of guys, probably most guys retired [smiles], but I'm still playing. I always have fun with anybody. We always have a great team here. It’s good signing amazing players. I play with Sid on power play, probably I give him the most assists in my life. But again, it's a great milestone for me… and like, I need more, probably.”
Malkin got a couple more on Saturday in Toronto, becoming the 37th player in NHL history to reach 1,300 points (498G-802A). He tied Hall-of-Famer Jarome Iginla for the 36th-most points in league history. Only Ovechkin (1,551) has more points than Malkin among Russian-born players.
Malkin was reticent to acknowledge that particular achievement following a tough 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs. But Head Coach Mike Sullivan made sure Malkin received the proper due.
“I think it speaks for itself. He's one of the greatest players of all time. He's clearly one of the best players of this generation,” Sullivan said. “We’re fortunate that we have two of them on our team. It's quite a privilege to watch these two guys perform… I know the Pittsburgh fan base feels the same way.”
Of course, so do his teammates. A number of them took to social media to show some respect for Malkin’s accomplishments, with players like Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Michael Bunting reposting milestone graphics honoring ‘Geno’ on their Instagram stories.
The captain isn’t on social media, but talked about what his fellow franchise center has been able to do in the locker room after Sunday’s practice
“He got 800 assists the other night, 1,300 points… the next one is a big one too,” Crosby said. “I think he’s had a great start to the season, and obviously been doing it pretty well for a long time. So, those numbers are pretty impressive.”
Malkin, now the oldest player on Pittsburgh’s roster at 38 years old, has been vocal about how hungry he is to help this team win hockey games. “I don't want to be here the next two years just to like, play my game, score 500 goals, and do nothing after. I want to be here to win,” Malkin said. “My goal this summer and this season is to help the team to make playoffs, for sure. I don’t want to be on the outside of the playoffs. I think Sid thinks the same way, Tanger as well.”
That’s been evident in his play on the ice, as Malkin looks fast, and he looks strong.
“He's such a passionate guy. He's playing extremely hard,” Sullivan said. “I think when you look at what he's accomplished, along with the other guys that he's played with that we talk about all the time, his legacy is remarkable. To continue to play at an elite level like he has shown is just a huge credit to him and how hard he works. I think it stems from his love for hockey and his passion for the game.”
