Evgeni Malkin is already thinking about the future, the one where the hockey star in the family isn't the four-time All-Star forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins but his 4-year-old son, Nikita.

The younger Malkin certainly seems to be on his way. The elder Malkin posted a picture on Instagram this week with Nikita decked out in full Penguins gear. Spending an extended amount of time with Nikita during the four-month pause to the NHL season created by the COVID-19 pandemic gave Malkin an appreciation for the energy it takes to wrangle a preschooler.

"He spends so much energy every day," Malkin said on Tuesday.

Like father, like son.

While many of his teammates are still trying to find their footing during training camp as they prepare for a playoff meeting with Montreal early next month, the 33-year-old Malkin is already at full speed.

"You guys can see it when you watch in practice every day," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "The level of intensity... it's contagious throughout our team. All of our leaders have brought that ... but Geno has set the standard as far as bringing his work ethic to the rink every day."

Pittsburgh has needed it, particularly with captain Sidney Crosby currently out due to an undisclosed injury. The three-time MVP left an intrasquad scrimmage over the weekend. He missed practice Sunday and sat out a scrimmage on Monday. Sullivan, citing the NHL's privacy policy, has declined to offer any details on Crosby's status, making Malkin's energetic play all the more valuable.

Malkin helped carry the Penguins during Crosby's extended absence last fall following surgery to repair a sports hernia and was leading the team in points (74) by a wide margin when the league shut down in mid-March. He spent most of the "pause" in Miami with his wife and family, trying to stick to his summer workout regimen while adding more in-line skating to the mix with the local ice rinks shut down.

Associated Press