REPORT: Evgeni Malkin to make a move that will PISS OFF a lot of Pittsburgh fans

PUBLICATION

Ryan
October 28, 2022 (2:00 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

Evgeni Malkin was the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, behind only his fellow Russian countrymen Alexander Ovechkin.

Malkin has been with the Penguins for 17 years now, and has been part of the trio that has brought a lot of success to Pittsburgh, along with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang.

This offseason it was thought that Malkin would be leaving Pittsburgh as they could not agree on a contract, but in the end, Malkin and the Penguins agreed on a four year deal with an AAV of $6,100,000.

To this date, Malkin has always been #71 for the Penguins, but this was never a number he wanted. It was reported by Rob Rossi of the Atheltic, that Malkin wants to change his number back to the number he was growing up.

«When I was growing up, I wear 11, When I was, like, 16 years old, I was with (the Russian Federation's) first team, and they give me a chance to play a game. I was asked, �What number you want?' I see one of the older guys wearing 11, and I'm sad because, you know, I can't take it � he's older, I'm a younger guy.

Seventy-one looks like 11, so I go with it. It looks similar, right? Seven looks like 1, and 71 looks like 11. I think so!

I think now that I'm signed back in Pittsburgh and only play here, my final year I change back to 11, I want back my 11. I want one year to play my original number.

We saw fans outraged a few years ago when William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs change his number, as fans had already bought his jersey and now it wasn't the correct number on it, and well, Malkin definitely has had more jersey sales in his career, so there will definitely be a LOT more fans upset.