Here is what a leader looks and sounds like, three Cups later and still wanting to get better. . . Steelers, take note!
https://www.pensburgh.com/2018/9/16...enguins-training-camp-news-season-preview-nhl
Evgeni Malkin spoke to the media on Sunday in a 7:52 second exchange. That’s a lengthy interview by his standards, and his focus was on display.
“I don’t want to be a guy who wins three Cups and stops playing, just be a nice guy,” Malkin said. “I want to be a good player, next five years, next six years. I want to try my best and try to dominate every game. I want to be like a leader should be, a top center in this league the next five, six years for sure.”
Malkin, 32, is advancing “aged” status for an elite hockey player, but he is coming off a 2017-18 season where his numbers in goals (42), assists (56) and points (98) were all personal bests since his 2011-12 campaign. Also, Geno’s 78 games were the highest they’ve been since 2008-09 - a year he won the scoring title and Conn Smythe trophy.
Malkin still has it in him - he scored 28 goals (in 42 games) from January 1 - end of regular season, the most in the league in the second half of the season. His 62 points in that time period only trailed Connor McDavid by one point for league’s best.
Big Gene mentioned with a longer summer he was able to take a bit of time off and started skating 3-4 times a week starting in mid-July. That has ramped up to almost every day over the past couple of of weeks.
“I feel so much better this year and I have more confidence right now, I feel unbelievable.”
It definitely feels like Malkin is “man on a mission” this season and is excited to get the season going. Much like Sidney Crosby, he’s a guy who has pretty much won everything individually and collectively that there is to win, yet there’s a noticeable hunger and drive this year.
“Sid [is an] unbelievable player...I look to him every day and he’s still hungry. He’s work[ing] hard every day. He’s our leadership and I’m trying to be the same. I’m trying to show my best level, I know I am [part of the] leadership and everyone look to me right now.”
