News Article: Malkin Opens up about 18-19 season

[Shady Machine]

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

Right. There was a tiny rush to judgment in this thread. I think the truth is probably more nuanced. Also, keep in mind, if Malkin denied it and the "team sources" where the one pimping Malkin wanting Phil out, MAYBE there is an agenda there?

I don't doubt Malkin was frustrated with Phil and considered asking for a trade, but I think Phil was only a part of it. Who knows though. I'm just some dude on the internet with no knowledge of the situation.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Like I mentioned too, Geno's not comfortable with his English, and we Slavs in generally tend to be rude when talking in English. So, I can totally see a situation where Geno is just bluntly saying "This is a problem. Fix it" to GMJR, and ol' Grandpa Itchyass took it the wrong way.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Right. There was a tiny rush to judgment in this thread. I think the truth is probably more nuanced. Also, keep in mind, if Malkin denied it and the "team sources" where the one pimping Malkin wanting Phil out, MAYBE there is an agenda there?

I don't doubt Malkin was frustrated with Phil and considered asking for a trade, but I think Phil was only a part of it. Who knows though. I'm just some dude on the internet with no knowledge of the situation.

Everyone on the team should ask for a trade if JJ's not dealt.

 

[PensandCaps]

thank you kessel for the two cups. but it seems like he actually is a locker room distraction

 

[HandshakeLine]

Everyone on the team should ask for a trade if JJ's not dealt.

JR'd probably do it.

 

[Empoleon8771]

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."

Yeah, Malkin may not literally say that, but that also comes off as bad if he does verify that comment

I'll trust the multiple sources on that one. That's a pretty heavy accusation to make, I don't think that would have been included had Rossi not had really good sources on that.

Right. There was a tiny rush to judgment in this thread. I think the truth is probably more nuanced. Also, keep in mind, if Malkin denied it and the "team sources" where the one pimping Malkin wanting Phil out, MAYBE there is an agenda there?

I don't doubt Malkin was frustrated with Phil and considered asking for a trade, but I think Phil was only a part of it. Who knows though. I'm just some dude on the internet with no knowledge of the situation.

I think they discussed that a little in the article too, with his family living in Miami and Gonchar spending a lot of time in Dallas. You're right that it wasn't just "I hate Phil, get rid of him or me"

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

JR'd probably do it.

 

[Beauner]

Right. There was a tiny rush to judgment in this thread. I think the truth is probably more nuanced. Also, keep in mind, if Malkin denied it and the "team sources" where the one pimping Malkin wanting Phil out, MAYBE there is an agenda there?

I don't doubt Malkin was frustrated with Phil and considered asking for a trade, but I think Phil was only a part of it. Who knows though. I'm just some dude on the internet with no knowledge of the situation.

The article basically confirmed that it wasn't all Phil. Malkin was pretty bad in his own right and he was angry at himself and in turn lashed out at others. Not to mention his separation from his family.

But Phil was a massive problem and it just wasn't working anymore. And Malkin probably knew that in order for him to be at his best, Phil had to go.

 

[Peat]

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

Rossi's the only guy getting this sort of openness from Malkin. I don't want to whole-heartedly defend him and everything he does, but no Rossi means we just don't get these type of articles at all.


Anyway, my reading of the difference between what Rossi's saying and what Malkin's saying...

a) Geno might be lying. Wants to preserve his friendship with Phil. Doubt it, but don't know.
b) The sources might be lying. Build the "We had to trade Kessel narrative". But the stuff about Geno being frustrated at Kessel's complacency and not wanting him on his line is just as equally damning and doesn't come with Geno's denial, so why embellish? So I doubt that too.
c) Geno never actually said "Its me or Phil" but his words to Gonchar left very little doubt about what not wanting Kessel on his line - the one place left for Kessel in Pittsburgh at that point - hence the sources saying that's what he said, as that's what it meant to them. Which seems the most plausible to me.

In any case, who cares that much? It's done and nit picking aside, what Malkin's said/let Rossi write here is excuse enough for the org trading Kessel without deciding on what exactly Malkin said.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Everyone on the team should ask for a trade if JJ's not dealt.

I'm actually curious about things like this. Do other players think Johnson is as bad as analytics suggest he is or fans think he is? I don't think any player would go to a GM to demand a bad player gets moved, but do these players privately want these guys to get shipped out?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Rossi's the only guy getting this sort of openness from Malkin. I don't want to whole-heartedly defend him and everything he does, but no Rossi means we just don't get these type of articles at all.


Anyway, my reading of the difference between what Rossi's saying and what Malkin's saying...

a) Geno might be lying. Wants to preserve his friendship with Phil. Doubt it, but don't know.
b) The sources might be lying. Build the "We had to trade Kessel narrative". But the truth is as equally damning and doesn't come with Geno's denial, so doubt that too.
c) Geno never actually said "Its me or Phil" but his words to Gonchar left very little doubt about what not wanting Kessel on his line - the one place left for Kessel in Pittsburgh at that point - hence the sources saying that's what he said, as that's what it meant to them. Which seems the most plausible to me.

In any case, who cares that much? It's done and nit picking aside, what Malkin's said/let Rossi write here is excuse enough for the org trading Kessel without deciding on what exactly Malkin said.

I simply hate Rossi's writing, his preening, and I really despise his bootlicking (though he's better than Yohe, at least). If he's friends with Geno, that's at least something redeemable, but it doesn't excuse the other crap.

I think that "c" is definitely the most plausible scenario. It just boggles my mind that this team doesn't really understand how to communicate effectively between the players, the coaches, and the front office on any level. My whole reading of this is that Malkin voiced concerns and frustrations, the front office ran with them in one direction, the coaching staff didn't bother to help or correct things, and the whole locker room was imploding while the FO focused on other things. It doesn't inspire me with confidence, but on the other hand, I do feel like Geno's going to have a monster season and I remain convinced that Sid is the best captain this team's ever had.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

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.

Yeah this is exactly it.

I think it seems pretty obvious that Malkin was far past fatigued with the nonstop squabbling between Sullivan and Kessel. And who can blame him. And knowing Malkin, especially... there was less than zero chance that he was going to go up against Sullivan. For one he respects him too much. It's also telling that there seems to be some indication that Malkin was concerned about Kessel's hunger and didn't want to be associated with that same attitude as his full time linemate. That bodes very well for this year combined with some other things we have been reading and seeing.

I still have lots of reservations on how the team has set up it's second most important player this year after so much bellyaching about how much better he has to be. But it's tough not to get excited about an angry Geno with a huge chip on his shoulder looking like he just got done pulling tanks out of the bottom of the Volga by hand all Summer long.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'm actually curious about things like this. Do other players think Johnson is as bad as analytics suggest he is or fans think he is? I don't think any player would go to a GM to demand a bad player gets moved, but do these players privately want these guys to get shipped out?

Do you ever feel like your coworkers aren't pulling their own weight and your life would be better if they weren't at your workplace, even though you personally like them?

It's a pretty common thing, IME.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The article basically confirmed that it wasn't all Phil. Malkin was pretty bad in his own right and he was angry at himself and in turn lashed out at others. Not to mention his separation from his family.

But Phil was a massive problem and it just wasn't working anymore. And Malkin probably knew that in order for him to be at his best, Phil had to go.

Line Stats - Natural Stat Trick

Malkin and Kessel actually had good underlying numbers together last year when a certain dubious variable was removed.

I'm actually curious about things like this. Do other players think Johnson is as bad as analytics suggest he is or fans think he is? I don't think any player would go to a GM to demand a bad player gets moved, but do these players privately want these guys to get shipped out?

Not sure. Unfortunately, there's really no way we can find out.

All we have is the numbers and the GM providing air cover.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Do you ever feel like your coworkers aren't pulling their own weight and your life would be better if they weren't at your workplace, even though you personally like them?

It's a pretty common thing, IME.

No, mostly because I don't pay attention to what my coworkers do

I can see justifications for situations where that would be the case (like Malkin and Kessel), but I have a feeling that players would have to be directly impacted all of the time for them to start having those feelings. Like if you played with JJ for an entire year and he was just rolling around on the ice, I could see it then. But a 1st liner's reaction to a 4th liner is absolutely trash for your team? I'm just not sure.

 

[HandshakeLine]

(While I do complain about Rossi, I will add that I think this is a decently insightful article, so maybe, like JJ, Rossi can finally move beyond his abysmal record this year.)

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

And yeah... holy shit Crosby is awesome. I always had faith that he wasn't going to be happy with all those shenanigans but it's nice to actually read.

We're very spoiled.

 

[HandshakeLine]

No, mostly because I don't pay attention to what my coworkers do

I can see justifications for situations where that would be the case, but I have a feeling that players would have to be directly impacted all of the time for them to start having those feelings.

I dunno. I don't want to make my experience universal or argue from anecdotal evidence or anything, but I just got off a project where I was translating a book with a colleague who I like very much, and who I also do not want to work with ever again under any circumstance. I'm not going to go to the bosses about how I don't want to work with her, and I'll still buy her a drink when we all hang out, but I really don't want to do anything professional with her again.

 

[Gurglesons]

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

Does anyone in the hockey world have a better relationship with Malkin?

 

[Empoleon8771]

I dunno. I don't want to make my experience universal or argue from anecdotal evidence or anything, but I just got off a project where I was translating a book with a colleague who I like very much, and who I also do not want to work with ever again under any circumstance. I'm not going to go to the bosses about how I don't want to work with her, and I'll still buy her a drink when we all hang out, but I really don't want to do anything professional with her again.

I feel like that's a case of being directly impacted, so that falls into the Malkin-Kessel category and that makes sense. But would a 1st liner feel that way about a 4th liner that is horrible? I'm just not sure.

Like if you had a person in the unit that does kinda crappy work, but it doesn't impact you beyond it being in your unit, would you really want them gone or would you be indifferent?

 

[Peat]

I simply hate Rossi's writing, his preening, and I really despise his bootlicking (though he's better than Yohe, at least). If he's friends with Geno, that's at least something redeemable, but it doesn't excuse the other crap.

You're just a hateful person

I think that "c" is definitely the most plausible scenario. It just boggles my mind that this team doesn't really understand how to communicate effectively between the players, the coaches, and the front office on any level. My whole reading of this is that Malkin voiced concerns and frustrations, the front office ran with them in one direction, the coaching staff didn't bother to help or correct things, and the whole locker room was imploding while the FO focused on other things. It doesn't inspire me with confidence, but on the other hand, I do feel like Geno's going to have a monster season and I remain convinced that Sid is the best captain this team's ever had.

Story of humanity innit. And tbf to both the Front Office and the Coaching Staff, they've got pretty limited options in season. My guess is they tried things, they didn't work, and both ended up with a "This is your season, your glory, if you want it fix it because we can't fix it for you" mentality.

Out of season? Rutherford's outburst was dumb, but I don't blame angry people for being dumb and I'd be upset if he wasn't angry. At least he's mainly calmed down and things now looked reasonably sunny.

I'm actually curious about things like this. Do other players think Johnson is as bad as analytics suggest he is or fans think he is? I don't think any player would go to a GM to demand a bad player gets moved, but do these players privately want these guys to get shipped out?

I'd guess a lot of players are a lot lower on analytics than us. I also think it probably sits ill with players to see guys shipped out after a single season, as that's less of a chance than they'd want themselves.

But I'm sure that privately, yeah, a lot of the time they're hoping for weak links to get dropped/traded, even when they're friends. I'm sure you had your days when you heard a guy wasn't playing and you were silently going "Oh thank gods." It'll be the same thing.

 

[Shady Machine]

Do you ever feel like your coworkers aren't pulling their own weight and your life would be better if they weren't at your workplace, even though you personally like them?

It's a pretty common thing, IME.

I have the opposite problem. You all suck, I hate you, but I guess you are pretty good at your job and my boss won't get rid of you.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I feel like that's a case of being directly impacted, so that falls into the Malkin-Kessel category and that makes sense. But would a 1st liner feel that way about a 4th liner that is horrible? I'm just not sure.

Like if you had a person in the unit that does kinda crappy work, but it doesn't impact you beyond it being in your unit, would you really want them gone or would you be indifferent?

But losing games isn't effecting the 4th liners? I feel like those are the players who should feel the brunt of a player like JJ's f*** ups even more.

Or to put it another way, you don't think the bench got mad watching Craig Adams botch another zone exit or clearing attempt for the 200 millionth time, even though he's not on their line?

 

[Shady Machine]

I feel like that's a case of being directly impacted, so that falls into the Malkin-Kessel category and that makes sense. But would a 1st liner feel that way about a 4th liner that is horrible? I'm just not sure.

Like if you had a person in the unit that does kinda crappy work, but it doesn't impact you beyond it being in your unit, would you really want them gone or would you be indifferent?

JJ sunk all ships.

 

[Beauner]

-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.

I'm surprised this isn't getting more discussion. If true, good news as many thought he'd for sure head back to Russia after his current deal is up.