If this year’s Evgeni Malkin trade rumors have teeth, these five teams could be ready to made a deal for the Penguins’ center.
It’s an annual rite of spring for Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin to surface in trade rumors. But this time around, after the Penguins lost in the first round of the playoffs, there have been multiple reports general manager Jim Rutherford is open for business.
According to Rob Rossi of The Athletic, immediately after that early playoff exit against the New York Islanders, Malkin and Sidney Crosby were considered the only untouchables on Pittsburgh’s roster. But the rumors around Malkin have not gone away, and on the 31 Thoughts Podcast last week Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet addressed the situation.
“I did get a call last night from somebody who has heard the rumors, and he thinks that they are not media make-up. He thinks they are legit. Malkin didn’t have a great year. He wasn’t up to Malkin standards. And [this source] is wondering if they’re trying to rattle [Malkin’s] cage a little bit. Just to say, “you know Evgeni, last year wasn’t you. We want you to be you,” and maybe this is a way of doing it. Malkin has a no-movement clause, and the word is he’s at least thinking about would he agree [to waive it]. ”
By his standards Malkin did have a down year this year, with 21 goals and a -25 plus/minus in 68 regular season games as he missed time to injury again. But he did still average more than a point per game (72 points).
As Friedman cited, Malkin has a no-move clause he would have to waive. But reports of a fractured relationship with Penguins’ coach Mike Sullivan may push him toward considering the possibilities elsewhere, and it’s obvious something isn’t quite working with the team as currently constructed. Among possible trade chips for Rutherford, Malkin would probably fetch the best return.
A $9.5 million cap hit for each of the next three seasons, as well as age (32; 33 on July 31), will necessarily narrow the market for Malkin.
But these five teams should be in the mix to make a big move this offseason, and stand as desirable spots for Malkin to consider.
5. New York Rangers
Via Friedman, the Rangers have surfaced as a possible suitor for Malkin. They have gone into a much-needed rebuilding phase, but after two straight years out of the playoffs they appear ready to resurface with a veteran star to lead the way.
Despite his drop-off on the surface, Malkin’s underlying numbers were still quite good this past season. His Corsi For and high danger Corsi For percentages were above 50 percent, and he was also in elite-level percentiles in shot contributions and shot assist as well as zone entries and zone entries with the puck (h/t to Blue Line Station). So the risk attached to his age can be set aside with a deeper, analytical look.
The Rangers have the room to take on Malkin’s cap hit, and it would become even more palatable if they can send some salary back to the Penguins in a trade for him (Kevin Shattenkirk, Brady Skjei).
One possible hangup is Rutherford wanting to avoid trading Malkin within the division. But ultimately the situation is mostly in Malkin’s hands, if he’ll wave his no-move clause for the Rangers and they can offer the best deal.