NHL News: Sidney Crosby teammate Evgeni Malkin makes tough admission on Penguins' poor start

The Pittsburgh Penguins have started off the NHL season with the wrong foot. The Black and Yellow have lost 11 of their opening 17 games and sit near the bottom of the standings. On that note, Sidney Crosby’s key teammate Evgeni Malkin made a tough admission and issued a strong message to the fanbase.

The Penguins and its fans have long grown accustomed to silverware and competitive teams. However, as the team’s core reaches the twilight of their careers, the organization has failed to surround them with depth and young talents, the results are clear.

The Penguins have failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the past two seasons, and judging by the way the 2024/25 season has started, it looks like fans in Steel City will have to wait another year. Malkin made a blunt revelation on the team’s poor performance, adding onto a strong admission made by Crosby.

“We need to stop looking at each other. We need to play with each other,” Malkin said. “It’s a simple game right now. Every team plays simple, straightforward. Play in the offensive zone, behind the net, play tough.”

Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on December 04, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Malkin issues apology message to fans

The Penguins struggle in almost every department. Pittsburgh has conceded the most goals among every NHL franchise this season. The Pens are in the bottom-10 for points percentage with .412. The team is in debt on their home-ice, as well. Malkin has issued an apology to fans for their disappointing results at the PPG Paints Arena.

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“We need to play better at home. I want to say sorry to the fans. They deserve a better game. I hope we together find a good way and win and start building the team better.”

Crosby’s admission after blowout loss to Dallas

The Dallas Stars steamrolled the Penguins 7-1 in what was a bloodbath for Crosby and Pittsburgh. After the game, the legendary captain sent a strong message on the team’s performance.

“I don’t think this game reflects how we’ve played lately,” Crosby said. “It’s frustrating; when you look at wins and losses, we’re not where we want to be. But I think leading up to this, we were doing a lot of good things.”