LeBrun: Malkin, Pens still struggling to find common ground on contract

[KrisLeturnover]

Seems as if Hextall and Geno's camp are still having issues getting a deal done with free agency just 4 days away.

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[Mighty Makar]

Welcome to Colorado.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

I still have a hard time seeing him in another jersey, but he was always the likeliest out of the late 2000's Big 3 (Crosby, OV, Malkin) to not finish his career with the same team.

 

[SomeDude]

Oh, good, another Malkin thread.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

70 games over the past two seasons seems to have put some doubt in Pittsburghs mind to commit.

He was still ppg this past season, Malkin on a new team with a chip on his shoulder? Could be entertaining.

 

[Turin]

in other words

JP Barry is crying to the media about an extra year and Hextall is waiting to blink for the 4th year.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Do it Avs

 

[TGWL]

If Penguin is going in a rebuild in 3 years when Crosby's contract is up, it makes no difference to sign Malkin for 5 years, right?

 

[ss53mech]

I, like some other Pens fans, want Malkin back. I also don't think the team needs him back if his contract demands are unreasonable. The last few seasons haven't been world beaters and Malkin has been trending the wrong way. Due to loyalty to the player I wouldn't ask him to take a sweetheart deal, but I'd ask him to take a fair one. I do wonder who to think is being unrealistic with the contract. Is the player asking for more term than appropriate, more AAV than he's reasonably worth, or is the Org/GM not valuing the player fairly. We may never know.

All of the above is why I probably wouldn't make a good GM.

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Montreal offers:

7 years 31.5 million

4.5 million per year average cap hit

Heavy front loaded salary contract, will be easy to trade to a salary floor team in the future

 

[ss53mech]

If Penguin is going in a rebuild in 3 years when Crosby's contract is up, it makes no difference to sign Malkin for 5 years, right?

I feel like you are baiting, but I'll play along. While Malkin and Letang aren't direct comparable because of many factors in a strictly window/projection based thing it's kind of close. Two key differences between signing them long term IMO: Letang may still be an asset as the window closes for Pittsburgh. Meaning he might still hold minimal positive value in 3 years. Malkin's trends indicate he'd be a negative value asset by that time. Item 2 and the far more relevant one, Letang took a significant cut from market AAV with that term. If Malkin was willing to do the same, I might even entertain it. But I'd put Malkin at like 6m market AAV meaning he'd have to come down to like 4-4.5 for me to sign him long term.

Again, probably why I'd be a horrible GM.

 

[The Nuge]

After giving Letang 6 years, you’re going to try and force Malkin to go short term? That makes no sense. Just give him his term. The team only has a couple years left anyways

 

[CraigsList]

After giving Letang 6 years, you’re going to try and force Malkin to go short term? That makes no sense. Just give him his term. The team only has a couple years left anyways

My thoughts too. Just pay the man 7.5 x 4.

 

[Sypher04]

Montreal offers:

7 years 31.5 million

4.5 million per year average cap hit

Heavy front loaded salary contract, will be easy to trade to a salary floor team in the future

And Malkin’s agent laughs in their face

 

[Empoleon8771]

Malkin's agent is desperately trying to push the media to get the Penguins to give him an extra year. Nothing to see here.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I'm gonna be annoyed if we lose Malkin over one year.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I'm gonna be annoyed if we lose Malkin over one year.

I pretty much guarantee you that they're not going to lose Malkin if the difference is only 1 year with the same AAV.

Just like that horrendous Rossi article about how "disrespected" and "distraught" Malkin feels, this is just JP Barry trying to push the Penguins into caving into Malkin's demands.

If Penguin is going in a rebuild in 3 years when Crosby's contract is up, it makes no difference to sign Malkin for 5 years, right?

Crosby came out when Letang signed his deal and said he wants to play for longer than his current contract.

 

[Connor McConnor]

Did I just see Pens fan putting a market value of Malkin at 6aav and long term at 4.5? LOL

Malkin could easily get 7-8m on open market. If he wants 7x4 just give it to him

 

[Empoleon8771]

Did I just see Pens fan putting a market value of Malkin at 6aav and long term at 4? LOL

Malkin could easily get 7-8m on open market. If he wants 7x4 just give it to him

The current negotiation is that the Penguins are at $6 million a year for 3 years, while Malkin would be fine with that AAV if it came in at 4 years instead. That's at least according to the Athletic.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Did I just see Pens fan putting a market value of Malkin at 6aav and long term at 4.5? LOL

Malkin could easily get 7-8m on open market. If he wants 7x4 just give it to him

What playoff team is giving him 8 million a year. He is hurt way to often takes dumb penalties and basically a power play specialist only now

 

[jmelm]

After giving Letang 6 years, you’re going to try and force Malkin to go short term? That makes no sense. Just give him his term. The team only has a couple years left anyways

Because Letang might be the best conditioned player in the NHL, and can play into his mid 40’s if he chooses to, just like Chelios did.

Malkin OTOH *might* be capable of playing 3 more years.

No NHL contender or even above average team is going to give Malkin a 4 or 5 year contract. I wonder just how many really good teams would offer him even 3 years?

And if he’s truly still a productive player after 3 years, there’s nothing to preclude him signing another 1 or 2 year deal at that point.

 

[Joe Rogan]

"I want term on my contract"

 

[jmelm]

Malkin's agent is desperately trying to push the media to get the Penguins to give him an extra year. Nothing to see here.

Exactly. This is pure “negotiating through the media” to try to pressure the Pens.

Play great hockey for 3 years Geno, and the Pens or other teams will be happy to sign you for a year like Joe Pavelski. And if you want to retire at that point, the Penguins will give you a cushy hockey ops job anyway if that’s what you want.

 

[Jacob]

After giving Letang 6 years, you’re going to try and force Malkin to go short term? That makes no sense. Just give him his term. The team only has a couple years left anyways

Why not? He’s a year older and has had far more injuries.

 

[Legion34]

It’s painful to Read a multi millionaire hall of famer texting for sympathy like that.

Makes him look very childish