The 2024-2025 season, the season of all possibilities
In the NHL, the 2024-2025 season, which has just begun, is the season of all possibilities, as it marks, among other things: the 20th seasons of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, the 100th anniversary of the Boston Bruins, possibly the year in which Wayne Gretzky will be dethroned as the NHL's all-time leading scorer, a throne he has held since 1993, and for another legendary Russian compatriot, it's also a pivotal season.
I'm talking about Evgeni Malkin.
Malkin, simply brilliant
On October 12, 2024, Malkin, drafted just after Ovechkin in 2004, collected his 1,300th career point. He is only the 37th player in history to reach this prestigious milestone. On October 16, 2024, just four days later, the hockey virtuoso scored his 500th career goal. As if this evening wasn't rich enough in emotions and feats of arms, also on October 16, 2024 Sidney Crosby amassed his 1600th career point.
What's even more impressive than these staggering numbers is that when Sidney Crosby scored his 500th career goal on February 15, 2022, only one player collected an assist on the game: Evgeni Malkin. When Evgeni Malkin scored his 500th career goal, only one player collected an assist on the game: Sidney Crosby. Along with defenseman Kristopher Letang, they form the longest-tenured trio in Tour history. They are just entering their 19th season together. And yet they've clearly not finished shining.
The story of the man who never slowed down
It's a well-known fact that Malkin can shine. After playing his first NHL season in 2006-2007, for which he won the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year, the following year he reached the 2008 Stanley Cup Grand Final, a series the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings. However, the following season proved to be the right one, as in the summer of 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the precious trophy...
Again, against the Detroit Red Wings.
Malkin's triumph earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. That same year, he also won the NHL's top scorer award. In 2011-2012, he once again took the title of the League's top scorer, winning the Art Ross Trophy. As if that weren't enough, he also collected the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Trophy, both rewarding the League's most outstanding player, except that one is awarded by journalists and the other by his NHL peers.
However, it was in 2016 and 2017 that he was able to dip his lips in the Stanley Cup once again, as the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups. It was the first time since 1997 and 1998 that the same team had won the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years. Do you know who won the Stanley Cup in 1997 and 1998?
Once again, the Detroit Red Wings.
To find the previous team to win back-to-back titles, you'd have to go back to 1991 and 1992. Do you know who won the precious trophy in those years?
The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by, among others: Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Bryan Trottier and Paul Coffey.
Waiting to see what the future holds
While it's true that history itself is a wheel that turns, a movie that repeats itself, I can't wait to see the Penguins once again take home hockey's most prestigious trophy. If Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby can remind us of the irresistible duo of Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux, who will remind us of them in another 30 years?
I don't know, but I can't wait to find out, just as I can't wait to see what else Malkin can accomplish. I'm telling you, he's far from finished.
David Leboeuf
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