News Article: Malkin Opens up about 18-19 season

[Beauner]

In Moscow, Evgeni Malkin opens up about his lost season,...

Paywall but here's some relevant cliff-notes:

-Malkin had private fights with Sully mainly about ice-time, and more public bouts with Kessel. Geno admits both stemmed from his own internal frustration and poor play

-He basically requested a trade if Kessel stayed on the team.

-Speaking of trades, when the JR comments about Malkin's future came out, Sid was pissed and made it clear to management "it's me and Geno"

-He felt more isolated and lonely than usual with his family splitting time between Russia/Miami and Gonchar spending lots of time in Dallas. He also feels like he can't open up and show his true self to younger guys since he's still not comfortable with his English. Also the constant Pittsburgh rain didn't help.

-He wants to finish his contract here then extend for 3 more years. While not a direct quote, Rossi mentions his desire to spend 20 years in the leauge with one team.

-He's been training super hard and eliminating the bad habits that led to his lackluster season. His goals are a top-5 scoring finish and obviously winning another cup.

Click to read more...

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Speaking of trades, when the JR comments about Malkin's future came out, Sid was pissed and made it clear to management "it's me and Geno"

Thank god we have Sid.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Re: Kessel

I'm honestly pretty shocked about that, but it makes sense, I think.

And Russians (and Slavs in general) tend to have a hard time opening up, and the language barrier doesn't really help. I'm glad we have Galy for that, if nothing else-- kind of like Jagr and Hrdina in the early 90s. I feel for Geno. Соболезнование, товарищ!

 

[Empoleon8771]

-Malkin had private fights with Sully mainly about ice-time, and more public bouts with Kessel. Geno admits both stemmed from his own internal frustration and poor play

-He basically requested a trade if Kessel stayed on the team.

This is actually shocking, to be honest. I thought Malkin and Kessel got along well, at least off the ice. Yeah, they may have had serious problems when playing together, but I can't imagine that makes him demand a trade.

I don't think there are many Kessel truthers left at this point, but this is a fantastic point to bring up to the people who just say "Kessel put up points". Kessel was so bad outside of his point production that he nearly pushed Evgeni Malkin to demand a trade.

-He wants to finish his contract here then extend for 3 more years. While not a direct quote, Rossi mentions his desire to spend 20 years in the leauge with one team.

This is actually really encouraging to see, I was assuming he was done after this contract but I'd love to get him extended.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

In Moscow, Evgeni Malkin opens up about his lost season,...



-He basically requested a trade if Kessel stayed on the team.

-Speaking of trades, when the JR comments about Malkin's future came out, Sid was pissed and made it clear to management "it's me and Geno"

.

Am I reading it wrong to conclude that the team was going to choose between Kessel or Geno. Then JR threw out those comments and actually considered trading Malkin over Phil?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Thank god we have Sid.

A-f***ing-men.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Am I reading it wrong to conclude that the team was going to choose between Kessel or Geno. Then JR threw out those comments and actually considered trading Malkin over Phil?

No, I think Kessel was guaranteed to go and Malkin saying "it's me or him" with his bad season made the Penguins question Malkin's future here.

 

[Beauner]

Am I reading it wrong to conclude that the team was going to choose between Kessel or Geno. Then JR threw out those comments and actually considered trading Malkin over Phil?

It read like Malkin was fed up with Kessel and basically told management to choose one. Rossi didn't state what management was thinking but it also mentioned Malkin was annoyed at JR's comments.

So I'm not sure if JR actually considered trading Malkin over Phil, but I guess he didn't shoot it down right away either.

edit: Emp explained that better

 

[HandshakeLine]

No, I think Kessel was guaranteed to go and Malkin saying "it's me or him" with his bad season made the Penguins question Malkin's future here.

The fact that the organization even questioned Malkin's future here is some high level stupidity to begin with.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It read like Malkin was fed up with Kessel and basically told management to choose one. Rossi didn't state what management was thinking but it also mentioned Malkin was annoyed at JR's comments.

So I'm not sure if JR actually considered trading Malkin over Phil, but I guess he didn't shoot it down right away either.

edit: Emp explained that better

Didn't JR come out and say he was thinking about trading Malkin, though?

 

[Beauner]

Didn't JR come out and say he was thinking about trading Malkin, though?

I don't think he ever said that. He just wouldn't commit to saying he was in their long term plans. Which was equally stupid, but...

Only way that's excusable is if those comments came hours or days after Malkin made that ultimatum. That's pretty intense for your 2nd best player to make you choose between him and your 3rd best offensive player. The choice is obvious of course but in that moment I wouldn't blame JR for thinking "uh, ok, wtf just happened" and blurting out nonsense like that to the media.

 

[Shady Machine]

Interesting about Malkin-Kessel if true. I don't know, that's pretty explosive stuff, but I guess if Kessel wouldn't play on line 3 and Malkin grew tired of him, there weren't many options.

 

[Peat]

Not gonna lie, reading this makes me feel pretty pumped up about this season. Don't poke the bear - well, they poked the bear. If we get the best possible Malkin, this year is going to be fun, and all the other questions are solvable.

This is actually shocking, to be honest. I thought Malkin and Kessel got along well, at least off the ice. Yeah, they may have had serious problems when playing together, but I can't imagine that makes him demand a trade.

I'm going to quote directly from the article on this:

"Their friendship is real, Malkin says.
But by the end of last season, everybody from ownership to management to coaches believed Kessel had to go for Malkin to stay.
Malkin declined to elaborate on how his on-ice relationship with Kessel fell apart. But it’s clear he grew tired of feeling caught between the ongoing Sullivan-Kessel rift, according to multiple team and league sources. Those sources also say Malkin had come to believe Kessel was content with two titles and mostly interested in his statistics. Malkin was worried he’d be seen the same way if Kessel remained his winger.
Multiple team sources say Malkin requested a trade if Kessel was to return.
Malkin denies that, but it doesn’t mean he wanted to play another game, let alone another season, with Kessel as his linemate."

 

[Empoleon8771]

The fact that the organization even questioned Malkin's future here is some high level stupidity to begin with.

I think trading Malkin would have been a bad decision, but I think people are looking at the idea of trading Malkin too emotionally. Combining the terrible playoff performance last year with wanting to get younger, trading Malkin, who is 33, makes a ton of money and is coming off a bad year, does have a justification. I think it's a bad decision and there are more arguments against it, but the thought of moving Malkin isn't as blasphemous as the thought of moving Crosby.

The argument of moving Malkin is in between the arguments for moving Crosby (non-existent, it's a downright stupid suggestion) and Letang (a legit justification, but the team isn't in a position to do it). There isn't a good justification there, but there is a way you can justify it and I could see those comments making sense after Malkin said "it's me or him".

I'm not going to bother getting into a huge debate about it though, because it's really not worth the effort.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I think trading Malkin would have been a bad decision, but I think people are looking at the idea of trading Malkin too emotionally. Combining the terrible playoff performance last year with wanting to get younger, trading Malkin, who is 33, makes a ton of money and is coming off a bad year, does have a justification. I think it's a bad decision and there are more arguments against it, but the thought of moving Malkin isn't as blasphemous as the thought of moving Crosby.

The argument of moving Malkin is in between the arguments for moving Crosby (non-existent, it's a downright stupid suggestion) and Letang (a legit justification, but the team isn't in a position to do it). There isn't a good justification there, but there is a way you can justify it and I could see those comments making sense after Malkin said "it's me or him".

I'm not going to bother getting into a huge debate about it though, because it's really not worth the effort.

No, I get that. But it's not like Kessel had a great year either, and if the front office was literally deciding between the two, wouldn't you go with the guy who can and has been strong away from the puck, a gamebreaker, and an elite talent many times over his career, versus a guy who's a slightly less elite talent, and less of a gamebreaker, and certainly less invested in the team? Not to mention the fact that Malkin is almost as much of the face of the franchise as Sid?

If I was Malkin, and my name was brought up in that same situation, I could totally understand how I thought the organization was being unfair.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I really hope he can build chemistry with Galchenyuk
That's what Malkin needs and it's hopefully what Galchenyuk needs as well. I really think that duo can work, unlike Phil and Geno!

 

[ImporterExporter]

We are so damn fortunate to have 87. I truly hope people take a moment now and then to appreciate the quality human being that wears the C for this team.

As for the rest of it, JR did very well in getting what he got for Kessel, IMHO. I've said it numerous times that moving Phil, especially given his tight no trade list, was difficult to say the least. And yet we returned a 25 year old scoring winger who profiles well next to Malkin and a former 1st round defensemen with Dumo upside in POJ. I know this board gets ridiculously hyperbolic with Sullivan and JR but that's a trade we should be relatively excited for. It was beyond clear that Kessel had worn out his welcome with the coaching staff and some of the players. No hard feelings at all but he had to go.

 

[Peat]

No, I get that. But it's not like Kessel had a great year either, and if the front office was literally deciding between the two, wouldn't you go with the guy who can and has been strong away from the puck, a gamebreaker, and an elite talent many times over his career, versus a guy who's a slightly less elite talent, and less of a gamebreaker, and certainly less invested in the team? Not to mention the fact that Malkin is almost as much of the face of the franchise as Sid?

If I was Malkin, and my name was brought up in that same situation, I could totally understand how I thought the organization was being unfair.

I don't think the org was picking between the two, more Rutherford having a "Why choose when I can BLOW EVERYTHING UP" tantrum. But that's a guess.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It's also pretty crazy to me that Kessel managed to alienate all of the front office and at least some of the roster (it sounds like). I loved Phil when he was here, but man, if that isn't a problem in the locker room, I don't know what is.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I don't think the org was picking between the two, more Rutherford having a "Why choose when I can BLOW EVERYTHING UP" tantrum. But that's a guess.

f***ing baby boomers.

 

[Shady Machine]

Not gonna lie, reading this makes me feel pretty pumped up about this season. Don't poke the bear - well, they poked the bear. If we get the best possible Malkin, this year is going to be fun, and all the other questions are solvable.



I'm going to quote directly from the article on this:

"Their friendship is real, Malkin says.
But by the end of last season, everybody from ownership to management to coaches believed Kessel had to go for Malkin to stay.
Malkin declined to elaborate on how his on-ice relationship with Kessel fell apart. But it’s clear he grew tired of feeling caught between the ongoing Sullivan-Kessel rift, according to multiple team and league sources. Those sources also say Malkin had come to believe Kessel was content with two titles and mostly interested in his statistics. Malkin was worried he’d be seen the same way if Kessel remained his winger.
Multiple team sources say Malkin requested a trade if Kessel was to return.
Malkin denies that, but it doesn’t mean he wanted to play another game, let alone another season, with Kessel as his linemate."

Thanks for the quote, that's much more reasonable. Originally was thinking Malkin told Rossi "It's me or Phil" or something like that.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I'm going to quote directly from the article on this:

"Their friendship is real, Malkin says.
But by the end of last season, everybody from ownership to management to coaches believed Kessel had to go for Malkin to stay.
Malkin declined to elaborate on how his on-ice relationship with Kessel fell apart. But it’s clear he grew tired of feeling caught between the ongoing Sullivan-Kessel rift, according to multiple team and league sources. Those sources also say Malkin had come to believe Kessel was content with two titles and mostly interested in his statistics. Malkin was worried he’d be seen the same way if Kessel remained his winger.
Multiple team sources say Malkin requested a trade if Kessel was to return.
Malkin denies that, but it doesn’t mean he wanted to play another game, let alone another season, with Kessel as his linemate."

Judging from this excerpt, people seem to value the word of Rob Rossi and his sources over Malkin himself.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Judging from this excerpt, people seem to value the word of Rob Rossi and his sources over Malkin himself.

The most valuable words Rob Rossi could ever write would be "I quit."

 

[Empoleon8771]

No, I get that. But it's not like Kessel had a great year either, and if the front office was literally deciding between the two, wouldn't you go with the guy who can and has been strong away from the puck, a gamebreaker, and an elite talent many times over his career, versus a guy who's a slightly less elite talent, and less of a gamebreaker, and certainly less invested in the team? Not to mention the fact that Malkin is almost as much of the face of the franchise as Sid?

If I was Malkin, and my name was brought up in that same situation, I could totally understand how I thought the organization was being unfair.

That's just the thing we don't know though, was it Malkin or Kessel or was it "Kessel's definitely out, but we're not sure on Makin either"? I think you're right if it's picking Malkin or Kessel, but we don't know if that was ever a question. There flat out isn't an argument to keep Kessel over Malkin, but in a vacuum independent of Kessel, I can see a justification (albeit a bad one that has more cons than pros) to moving Malkin. Especially if Malkin made the "it's me or him" comment around when JR made his comments, I could see why JR wasn't 100% committed at that point.

 

[HandshakeLine]

If it's bad communication between the FO and Geno, that's one thing. But it really doesn't sound like Geno, a known heart-and-soul guy, is going "I demand Kessel be traded", more like "hey, I don't want to be dragged into Phil and Sully's fight, so figure it out!" But yeah, we don't really know.