Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin records 800th career assist in victory over Red Wings

Now entering his 19th NHL season, Evgeni Malkin has accomplished nearly everything a hockey player could do. Multiple Stanley Cup championships, a Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy when they won in 2009. It’s been a magical career for the 38-year-old forward.

On Thursday night, Malkin achieved another milestone, becoming the 34th player in NHL history to record 800 career assists.

Malkin accomplished the feat at the beginning of the third period of Thursday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Already up 4-2 with an assist earlier in the game, Malkin had a hand on Erik Karlsson’s power-play goal, making it 5-2 and hitting the 800-assist mark.

The Penguins would end up beating the Red Wings 6-3 to get their first win of the season.

Along with his 800 assists, Malkin now has 498 goals and 1,298 points in his career. He has hit the 100-point mark three times in his career, with his highest point total coming in 2008-09, finishing with 113 (35 goals and 78 assists). In 2011-12, Malkin scored a career-high 50 goals.

Malkin has the most assists of any Russian player in NHL history, the second-most goals for any Russian and the second-most points.

Last season, the Penguins went 38-32-12 with 88 points, fifth in the Metropolitan Division and three points shy of the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Malkin wound up scoring 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points. His teammate Sidney Crosby, who is entering his 20th NHL season, led the team in all offensive categories, scoring 42 goals, 52 assists and 94 points.