Is Evgeni Malkin sort-of done as an elite player?

[InfinityIggy]

Maybe, but it’s also been like 20 games.

 

[Wings4Life]

He hasn't been an elite player more than sporadically since years anymore.

Wrong. Malkin was top 10 in points per game just last year (the 10th time of his career).

 

[TheTotalPackage]

He may not have another Art Ross in him, but when Malkin seemingly has an off-year (by his standards), only to come back roaring the following season(s). Making talk like this seem silly in hindsight because he proves it wrong. But yes, Father Time is working against him now.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Last year he was 10th in Hart voting, 14th in points, 6th in pts/gp. He also had 37 pts in 43 games the season before he swept the Hart/Pearson/Ross with 109 in 75. Wouldn't count him out yet.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

i think he's just having a bad season. Last year he was still elite. Probably didn't stay in shape during COVID

 

[Kairi Zaide]

He hasn't been an elite player more than sporadically since years anymore.

I mean, I dunno. That looks pretty elite to me (on top of his non-advanced stats). And it's from last season.

 

[bobholly39]

He just had an extremely productive season last year. I think it's too soon to call, he can still bounce back

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

That entire team just looks like they've given up. I'm sure Geno (and Sid) could definitely light it up, with a coaching change.

Quinn for Sullivan, 1-for-1 trade of Irish Boston coaches

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

Classic reactionary hfboards thread. Malkin led the league in 5v5 points per game last season and was on pace for about 100 points.

The story around him in the off-season is that he didn’t do a full workout regimen in Russia during the off-season. That’s at least partially on him, but I would expect that he reverts to his old form by next season if not by the latter half of this season.

 

[Fataldogg]

Didn't he just have 74 points in 55 games last season? Or something along that line.

It takes more than one off season, during a strange COVID season, for me to rule him out. This is Malkin we are talking about. I'm sure he will still be very good player for another few years.

 

[Turin]

People are so slow to give Malkin credit and so quick to crap on him. Guy has been a 100 point player two of the last three seasons. Give him some time to adjust, he’s a big guy who wasn’t able to train properly this year.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm not counting out a borderline generational player who was elite a season ago.

From what I've seen, he's been even more inconsistent this season. He still has some shifts that no other player on the ice can have because he's more talented than all of them. But there seems to be even more games where he's absolutely invisible.

Might be a bad start and could be the start of his decline. We'll see, but it'd be stupid to count out Malkin.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

Well I am taking the guy with 12 points in 20 games and the guy who just last year was at 100+ points Malkin.

Let's hold off on him joining this all star team.

Malkin has not scored 100 points in almost 10 years.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

His heart is in Pittsburgh but his mind is in Florida @Gurglesons

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Malkin has not scored 100 points in almost 10 years.

Pace you are correct I shoyld have said pace.

He was a top 5 forward last season let's not write him off.

 

[LeafGrief]

Malkin will put up an elite season at 39. He's just having a bad year.

 

[Gurglesons]

His heart is in Pittsburgh but his mind is in Florida @Gurglesons

Malkin for Bob then given our trade history?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

No, he is still scary as hell in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick

 

[Turin]

Malkin has not scored 100 points in almost 10 years.

Nitpicking like this is a bad look.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Malkin for Bob then given our trade history?

No I wouldn't be that cruel.
If Malkin did want to leave, what's his cost this offseason with one year left?

 

[Gurglesons]

No I wouldn't be that cruel.
If Malkin did want to leave, what's his cost this offseason with one year left?

9.5 million.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

9.5 million.

Yes I got that much so far, but his value in a trade?

2021 1st + 2022 2nd + ???

 

[Beauner]

He, Sid and the entire team in general remind me exactly of how they played before Johnston and Therrien were fired.

Listless. Directionless. Frustrated. Fire Sully, then see where Malkin's at. I still think he has the elite-ness within him.

 

[molon labe]

Crosby (18 points in 20 games) and Malkin (12 points in 20 games) have both looked bad, but Malkin moreso.

Hard to get a read on it now. They're getting older, there was no preseason this year, playing tough defensive teams every night (6 games against the isles just in the last 2 weeks), and Sullivan seems to be lost.

Malkin had 74 points in 55 games last season so I don't think he just fell off a cliff in less than a year. Not going to write either of them off as elite players until we get back to a normal season. If they're still underperforming then maybe yea time has caught up to them.

He also commented early on how much different it is playing in empty arenas. It is hard for some guys to manufacture the adrenaline and energy from playing in front of 18k people.

These two are really solid points.

Geno gets frustrated against stingy teams - and that's all we're getting on a nightly basis. Unless someone on the Isles gets stupid and aggravates him - he sorta just looks like he's out to lunch in those games.

He also surges off crowd energy and always has. Geno is at his best when he's bullying people around - pissed off - and pushing the pace. Was no surprise that he looked fantastic a few games back (the cringey 'waking the bear/poking the bear' call/thread) when he was angry....angry Geno=score. Plus, the amount of interference allowed by the league this year has stymied a lot of the run and gun playstyle and it's just dead quiet in the arenas. I wouldn't gauge a whole lot of anyone based on this season.

 

[Kranix]

He, Sid and the entire team in general remind me exactly of how they played before Johnston and Therrien were fired.

Listless. Directionless. Frustrated. Fire Sully, then see where Malkin's at. I still think he has the elite-ness within him.

Hextall won't fire Sullivan until next year I bet. He's way too careful to do it mid-season.