Speculation: Evgeni Malkin

[The Feckless Puck]

Okay, so there's this:

https://twitter.com/hope_smoke/status/466184707001298944

Now, let me preface this before anyone decides to carpet-bomb my face - I don't think there's a chance in hell that a) the Coyotes would go after Malkin or b) even if they did, they would be able to put together a reasonable package for both teams.

BUT - given the lack of a real star player outside of Shane Doan in this metro market, getting one of the five best hockey players in the league might be a pretty big kick in the ol' pants.

SOOOOOOOOO. Let's see some of that insane, gleefully-mind-warping HFBoards theorizing - how would you pry Malkin loose from the Pens?

Click to read more...

 

[IPreferPi]

Pens would ask for the kitchen sink for Malkin, and rightfully so. I would imagine they'd hold firm on OEL+, or some ridiculous combo of Hanzal + Boedker + Domi + 1st.

Geno isn't the problem in Pittsburgh - he has shown up in the playoffs while Crosby hasn't recently. Their biggest problem is Bylsma.

 

[XX]

Hanzal + Boedker + Domi + 1st.

Probably about what it would take. If you just consider Malkin a replacement for Hanzal, it doesn't seem that painful. But it's still not something this organization can afford to do depth wise. That exact lack of depth is what is really killing the Peguins beyond their idiot coach.

Draft players like Malkin. Don't trade for them.

 

[IPreferPi]

Draft players like Malkin. Don't trade for them.

Yeah, we are absolutely not in the position to gut our team even if its for a superstar forward. We need to hit this type of gamebreaking talent in the draft. Easier said than done, of course, but it's pretty much the only cost effective way to do it.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

A team which lacks organizational depth cannot go after a trade for a 1st line anything. The only way is through the draft.

If we were a very good team at drafting over the years then we'd have enough talent to really offer something enticing but we don't draft well so we can't afford to deal.

 

[Sinurgy]

Before everyone assumes the only option is giving up arguably every A asset in the organization, remember what Joe Thornton fetched when he was traded in a similar situation. While the asking price will be astronomical, that doesn't mean the final cost will be. If I'm DM I put a reasonable offer on the table and see what happens. You're not going to steal Malkin but a fair price is entirely possible.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

that was ages ago and a totally different situation

Pittsburgh didn't finish in last place and Pittsburgh fans aren't clamoring to move Malkin.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

We'd be better off putting in an offer for Rick Nash. He scored tons of goals in our arena, I know he's not a playoff hero, but I can imagine him and Doan on the same line and how much space would Ribeiro have then.

 

[IPreferPi]

Before everyone assumes the only option is giving up arguably every A asset in the organization, remember what Joe Thornton fetched when he was traded in a similar situation. While the asking price will be astronomical, that doesn't mean the final cost will be. If I'm DM I put a reasonable offer on the table and see what happens. You're not going to steal Malkin but a fair price is entirely possible.

Except Thornton was undoubtedly on his way out in Boston, dogged with criticism about his character, leadership ability, and inability to step it up during the playoffs (the last two certainly still apply to this day as the Sharks continue to underperform in the playoffs). Malkin has consistently stepped up to the plate admirably at crunch time, especially whenever Crosby has been a non-factor. Not the same situation.

 

[IPreferPi]

We'd be better off putting in an offer for Rick Nash. He scored tons of goals in our arena, I know he's not a playoff hero, but I can imagine him and Doan on the same line and how much space would Ribeiro have then.

Nash is a pretty overrated forward who's been coasting on reputation after tying for the Rocket Richard award. We'd be calling for his head like we have with Ribeiro when he becomes as ice cold in the scoring department as he has been during these playoffs.

 

[XX]

We'd be better off putting in an offer for Rick Nash.

Only if they can put McMillan's heart and desire inside that husk of a person that calls itself Rick Nash.

 

[CC96]

lol, Dreger is just trying to make Leafs fans' heads explode with the idea that Malkin might be available. Anyway, even if Geno was made available, I doubt we would have the assets to land him.

 

[IPreferPi]

Yeah, Pens HFers just rejected my Hanzal + Boeds + Domi + 1st offer, haha.

 

[Sinurgy]

that was ages ago and a totally different situation

Pittsburgh didn't finish in last place and Pittsburgh fans aren't clamoring to move Malkin.

Neither did Boston, they traded Thornton only a quarter of the way through the season and the fans clamoring is irrelevant. The point is a top player (who went on to win the MVP that season) was traded in his prime and it didn't take a kings ransom.

Except Thornton was undoubtedly on his way out in Boston, dogged with criticism about his character, leadership ability, and inability to step it up during the playoffs (the last two certainly still apply to this day as the Sharks continue to underperform in the playoffs). Malkin has consistently stepped up to the plate admirably at crunch time, especially whenever Crosby has been a non-factor. Not the same situation.

I wouldn't say undoubtedly, I specifically remember the trade taking the hockey community in general by surprise. I mean it wasn't out of left field because there were rumblings about Big Joe's ability to perform in the playoffs but few people thought they would actually trade a player of his ilk while he was just hitting his prime. I understand it's not the same exact situation, that's why I specifically said similar. The point is it's an example of a franchise level player who was considered one of the top players in the league at the time who was traded for a good return but not a godly return.

 

[0point1]

OEL

Breaks my heart anytime OEL is brought up in possible trade discussions.

 

[IPreferPi]

Breaks my heart anytime OEL is brought up in possible trade discussions.

Fortunately, 99% sure trading for Malkin is not a possibility for us - it's Inception-style limbo when it comes to dreamspeak.

 

[Sinurgy]

We'd be better off putting in an offer for Rick Nash. He scored tons of goals in our arena, I know he's not a playoff hero, but I can imagine him and Doan on the same line and how much space would Ribeiro have then.

I like Rich Nash but I think he's highly overrated. $7.8 million for a dude that hasn't even cracked 60 points since the 2010-11 season, no thanks!

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

The only chance we get Malikn if is we find a sucker for a GM there and even then it will be quite a payout along with Malkin wanting to come here. We have a better chance(although a very slight one) at trying to pay through the nose for Kane/Towes at the start of the 2015 free agency. In all likelihood, those 2 are Blackhawks for life and will be resigned to bigger deals than what they have now way before that free agency period starts.

It would be ****ing huge for us if we can sign those 2 or even just one of them.

 

[SniperHF]

Yeah, Pens HFers just rejected my Hanzal + Boeds + Domi + 1st offer, haha.

I'm not saying that package is enough, I have absolutely no idea. But the real return for Malkin will be substantially less than whatever 'value' he holds to Pens fans and his ranking among NHL players. There is simply no way to get that value back in a realistic trade.

 

[kihekah19*]

We'd be better off putting in an offer for Rick Nash. He scored tons of goals in our arena, I know he's not a playoff hero, but I can imagine him and Doan on the same line and how much space would Ribeiro have then.

Ribeiro creates space, he doesn't require it. It's up to his linemates to take advantage of what he creates.

 

[IPreferPi]

I'm not saying that package is enough, I have absolutely no idea. But the real return for Malkin will be substantially less than whatever 'value' he holds to Pens fans and his ranking among NHL players. There is simply no way to get that value back in a realistic trade.

Yeah Malkin's asking price will probably be less. But we'll probably never know it, especially since Malkin has a full NMC and has stated it's either the Penguins or Russia for him.

 

[Vip]

I'm not saying that package is enough, I have absolutely no idea. But the real return for Malkin will be substantially less than whatever 'value' he holds to Pens fans and his ranking among NHL players. There is simply no way to get that value back in a realistic trade.

Pretty much this. Malkin is amazing and warrants alot but they are never going to get what most Pens fans on here think is fair value. That's life.

Personally, I'd trade anyone on this team to acquire him. I don't care what it takes. Malkin takes our team to the next level. He draws in fans.

Someone on the main boards was speculating that the Pens have no depth and part of that is due to all of the cap space locked u[ with 4 players: Letang, Fluery, Crosby and Malkin. One of them has got to go.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Pretty much this. Malkin is amazing and warrants alot but they are never going to get what most Pens fans on here think is fair value. That's life.

Personally, I'd trade anyone on this team to acquire him. I don't care what it takes. Malkin takes our team to the next level. He draws in fans.

Just about any elite player would. I bet if we got a miracle from the hockey gods to land both Kane and Towes in free agency that we could get even more fans than with getting Malkin instead just by converting the majority of Blackhawks Fans here in Arizona to Coyotes Fans alone.

 

[IPreferPi]

Just about any elite player would. I bet if we got a miracle from the hockey gods to land both Kane and Towes in free agency that we could get even more fans than with getting Malkin just by converting the majority of Blackhawks Fans here in Arizona to Coyotes Fans.

We should all pitifully pray for a lost cause to the Hockey TPTB. You pray for us somehow landing both Kane and Towes, I'll pray for winning the McDavid sweepstakes.

 

[Vip]

Just about any elite player would. I bet if we got a miracle from the hockey gods to land both Kane and Towes in free agency that we could get even more fans than with getting Malkin instead just by converting the majority of Blackhawks Fans here in Arizona to Coyotes Fans alone.

That is what our team lacks. A legit scoring threat. Every other team has one. Thornton&co, Benn, Perry&Getz, Kopitar&co etc. Literally every team in our division has "that guy" that can put the puck in the net except for maybe Calgary. Who the heck do we have? Doan? Boedker?