Bryan Rust, Kris Letang and Casey DeSmith all received contract extensions from the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer, but star center Evgeni Malkin has yet to work out a deal with the franchise and appears headed toward free agency next week.

Close friends and teammates of Malkin told The Athletic's Rob Rossi that the veteran is "devastated" by the lack of progress on an extension to return to the Penguins.

"He wants to play only in Pittsburgh," one of Malkin's friends told Rossi. "He doesn't understand how it's at this point with him not being signed. He's said, 'They don't think I'm a good player—why?'"

A current teammate of Malkin added: "It bothers me how this is happening. It's a bad look. From what I know of what's happened, Geno deserves better."

The situation has gotten to the point where Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has visited Malkin at his home in South Florida.

"Sid didn't go to convince Malkin to sign," a source told Rossi. "He wanted to check on his friend. He was worried about how hard this is on Geno with Geno not feeling wanted anymore."