Contrary to his habits, the president of hockey operations at the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brian Burke, decided to comment publicly on the contract negotiations with center player Evgeni Malkin.

"We haven't been able to get along," the 67-year-old told the Tribune-Review newspaper on Tuesday. We made him an offer we were comfortable with. There are stories that have come out claiming that we didn't offer him a four-year pact. It is completely false. As for the details and the amount, we never talk about that kind of thing.”

The day before, the TSN network learned that the 35-year-old Russian was going to test the free agent market. Malkin has just completed an eight-year deal, worth $9.5 million a year.

Although the forward will benefit from his full autonomy, Burke has not closed the door on a return to Pittsburgh.

"The window is still open, but the timing is problematic," he said. Once the market opens, we have to do our best to improve our club. Everything will depend on the "timing".

"No one here says 'we don't want Evgeni back' or 'it's awful, what is he thinking?' There is none of that. It's more a matter of windows of opportunity."

Malkin, a holder of three Stanley Cup rings, spent his entire National League career with the Pens. He was the organization's first-round pick (second overall) in the 2004 draft.

In his career, he amassed 1,146 points in 981 games and notably won two Art-Ross trophies, awarded to the top scorer on the Bettman circuit. Malkin had 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points in 41 games in 2021-22.