Value of: Malkin

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

THIS IS NOT a thread about me wanting to trade Malkin, nor do I think the Pens will do that. This is completely hypothetical.

IF, for some reason, Malkin wanted out of Pittsburgh, what would you trade for him? I'm just curious.

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[Qwijibo]

If he wanted out he’d likely only have certain teams he’d be willing to go to. Factor in the limited destinations plus the flat cap and you’d end up getting pennies on the dollar for him. It would be like when Kessler wanted out of Vancouver but only wanted to go to a couple places. They got very little for him in the trade

 

[bobholly39]

One of the most untradeable players in the league in my opinion.

You'd have to pay a king's ransom to pry him out of Pittsburgh. And there's too much risk there (injuries, age) for most teams to do so.

Maybe a team with an old core who wants to go all-in one more time and jeapordizes its future big time. Not sure who that would be. If anything - Pittsburgh fits that description more than any other team

 

[qqaz]

Phenomenal player. Super underrated. His ppg was off the charts last season. Almost any roster would suddenly look like a contender if they added Malkin.

But @bobholly39 is right to call him "untradeable". Pit would be admitting to a rebuild, and what does that say to Sid?

Plus, you can't trade him for nothing. But who can pay a price he's worth and fit his cap hit?

I'd love to see him on a different team, to see what he can do. Could he drag the Panthers or Coyotes (or whoever) into contention for a couple years? Super cool to think about.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

For better or worse I do not see a scenario in which the Penguins trade Geno. It's not even the NMC as much as it is him earning the right to dictate how he spends the rest of his career as an organizational legend. The Penguins won't ask him to waive that NMC and if he does it it'll be because he wants to go somewhere specific. If he wants to be traded then he will be, but I can't imagine Malkin having any desire to uproot his life to enter the hired veteran hand role after starting a family with his personality and trophy case. It's hard to imagine Malkin in anything other than a Magnitogorsk, Penguins, or Team Russia jersey and the fact he hasn't worn a jersey of a different team since, well, I don't know what teams he played for as a child but he's exclusively worn one of those 3 jerseys since at least 2002. Hell, the fact that he went back to play for Mettalurg Magnitogorsk during the 2012 lockout kinda says it all considering how much drama and controversy there was around getting him to Pittsburgh barely 6 years prior.

I'm not saying Evgeni Malkin will spend the rest of his career as a Penguin, but I am saying Evgeni Malkin controls the reigns of where he spends the rest of his career. There's no reason for him to spend his late 30s chasing a Cup when he already has 3 and a young family. Little Nikita will be starting school around the time his current contract runs out, so you'll forgive me for thinking that a man who has spent his entire career with one Russian team and one North American team is unlikely to suddenly desire change. As to if Pittsburgh or Magnitogorsk is more likely in 2022-23, that is a question I expect will be ruminating in Malkin's mind until a choice is made. I expect Magnitogorsk, but that may just be to avoid the "disappointment" of not getting an asset for a guy who has already paid out dozens of times over and owes us nothing.

As a Penguins fan I'm ridiculously thankful for the luck involved in landing both Geno & Sid in back-to-back drafts. It's insane to get franchise players in back-to-back drafts in the first place, but to get franchise players in consecutive drafts with that kind of loyalty (or aversion to change) is almost as lucky of a break as landing players of that talent level in the first place. With the cap situation moving forward I really can't imagine him being a deadline option in 2022 being much of a thing (most teams in a situation to add a player of Malkin's caliber aren't going to have the cap space to take him and then there's the question if Malkin would waive for said team in the first place), so if he is going to be dealt it's next off-season or bust IMO. Short of the Penguins falling off of every cliff imaginable next season I can't imagine Geno asking for a move.

Now watch as Malkin does play out the rest of the contract in Pittsburgh and then signs as a UFA in Florida or something in 2022. If he does, good for him. When you've done as much for an organization as Evgeni Malkin has for the Penguins, you get to control how you depart. It's hard for me to imagine Malkin departing Pittsburgh any other way than his contract simply expiring. The when is a bigger question than the if to me, and it's going to come down to how he wants to raise his family.

FWIW as much as I can't picture Malkin in another NHL jersey...Florida is the only one that doesn't immediately make my brain crash. Like many players Malkin spends most of the off-season around Miami...but considering even his wife has recently said she imagines him playing his final season in Magnitogorsk I wouldn't be expecting that to happen if I were a Panthers fan, but it's the most plausible coda to his NHL career that doesn't involve Pittsburgh at this point in time.

 

[Gurglesons]

Probably a very light trade to be honest.

For Florida? I’d say something like Weegar, Heponiemi and a 2nd.

 

[DarthProbert]

Necas, a first, and a D prospect. Losing Necas would hurt, but gotta give to get. Would bump up the plusses if Pitt would take Trochek over Necas(if Pitt wanted a proven C over a prospect C who's played W in the NHL).

 

[Jerkbait]

He will most likely retire in pitt unless he wants out but we all know he has been part of the problem...an almost untradable problem. ... if he wanted to go I could see something like..

A young top/23 D man , high draft pick, roster forward player and prospects

 

[HabsTown]

It was reported a few years back that Malkin (& his father) said it’s Pittsburgh or Montreal, that‘s it. He’d go back in Russia otherwise.

I could believe that. It might have changed over the years too.

 

[Darren McCord]

Probably a very light trade to be honest.

For Florida? I’d say something like Weegar, Heponiemi and a 2nd.

This is a joke right? Your forgot the

 

[Gurglesons]

This is a joke right? Your forgot the

No. His injury history, age and NTC will basically erase any real value he has.

 

[Darren McCord]

No. His injury history, age and NTC will basically erase any real value he has.

No way Malkin was 5th for pts per game last year. I get he's had some injury trouble and has a NTC but he's still not going to be traded for scraps. Him going to Florida would make they an instant contender. Even Iginla got a first while he was older and less of a player than Malkin when he was traded.

 

[Gurglesons]

No way Malkin was 5th for pts per game last year. I get he's had some injury trouble and has a NTC but he's still not going to be traded for scraps. Him going to Florida would make they an instant contender. Even Iginla got a first while he was older and less of a player than Malkin when he was traded.

That's not scraps. It's a blue chip prospect, a top four D and a pick.

 

[BannedFromCDC]

Brock Boeser
Jay Beagle
Adam Gaudette

 

[Darren McCord]

That's not scraps. It's a blue chip prospect, a top four D and a pick.

Meh I'll take back on Weagar, but he still is 26 and has yet to play a full 82 game season. So if Malkin is injury proned what makes Weager better right now.

Heponiemi is like 150lbs and only had 14pts in 49 AHL games. I get he is 21 but that is a disappointing rookie year. I wouldn't call him a blue chip prospect.

And with Malkin on the Panthers that 2nd is closer to a third.

So I still think it would be a crap return for him and a unlikely.

 

[Anthony5967]

That's not scraps. It's a blue chip prospect, a top four D and a pick.

Guy is a 26 year old depth d-man that had a solid 45 games and is suddenly deemed a top-4 d? Come on. Heponiemi isn't a blue-chip prospect either.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

I can see DW leveraging the future for one last kick before a rebuild and offering Hertl.

Think that would be a solid basis for a good hockey trade.

Pens get a guy who is cheaper, younger, and a great player

SJ gets the older, more expensive, and better player trying to get a cup before couture and burns fall off.

Not saying it’s the best idea for SJ, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

 

[Gurglesons]

Guy is a 26 year old depth d-man that had a solid 45 games and is suddenly deemed a top-4 d? Come on. Heponiemi isn't a blue-chip prospect either.

Must not watch the Cats.

I’m a Penguins fan.

 

[Gurglesons]

I can see DW leveraging the future for one last kick before a rebuild and offering Hertl.

Think that would be a solid basis for a good hockey trade.

Pens get a guy who is cheaper, younger, and a great player

SJ gets the older, more expensive, and better player trying to get a cup before couture and burns fall off.

Not saying it’s the best idea for SJ, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Lol. No chance Malkin returns a Hertl.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

Lol. No chance Malkin returns a Hertl.

DW is always in when a superstar is available for trade, SJ is still in win now mode, and DW knows if the sharks bomb again next year, he’s probably canned. Also nothing else SJ could realistically offer and I could see DW pulling a desperation move like that if he can’t find any other ways to improve the team.

 

[Darren McCord]

Must not watch the Cats.

I’m a Penguins fan.

Meh if I am the Pens it is still not enough. Malkin is not on a bad contract and is still playing well outside of the mess that was the Playoffs this year. To move him now, unless he refuses to play, it still starting with a first or young center prospect. I wouldn't be interested in a dman for unless your moving Letang for a center which seems more like a lateral move.

Without Malkin the Penguins have no center depth.

 

[Gurglesons]

Meh if I am the Pens it is still not enough. Malkin is not on a bad contract and is still playing well outside of the mess that was the Playoffs this year. To move him now, unless he refuses to play, it still starting with a first or young center prospect. I wouldn't be interested in a dman for unless your moving Letang for a center which seems more like a lateral move.

Without Malkin the Penguins have no center depth.

Well that’s the issue with trading Malkin or Letang. Their trade value is at the lowest it’s ever been and they are still the 2nd and 3rd best players on the team.

 

[WSS11]

DW is always in when a superstar is available for trade, SJ is still in win now mode, and DW knows if the sharks bomb again next year, he’s probably canned. Also nothing else SJ could realistically offer and I could see DW pulling a desperation move like that if he can’t find any other ways to improve the team.

DW would be looking to add Malkin to play with Hertl who is also 8 years younger than Geno. I truly don’t see any way Doug could pay the price the Pens would command for Geno while also fitting him under the cap with all of the inflated contracts we have. A Vlasic/Couture/Burns would have to go the other way.

 

[Darren McCord]

Well that’s the issue with trading Malkin or Letang. Their trade value is at the lowest it’s ever been and they are still the 2nd and 3rd best players on the team.

I think that's being a little overblown. They both had terrific seasons outside injuries.
Malkin was 5th in ppg
Letang was 12th for defense in ppg

I think things are being overblown due to the miserable play in series. The team is in bad shape but the individual players value hasn't plummeted. In fact I think Malkin's value is even higher than last year. He had a much better season overall.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think that's being a little overblown. They both had terrific seasons outside injuries.
Malkin was 5th in ppg
Letang was 12th for defense in ppg

I think things are being overblown due to the miserable play in series. The team is in bad shape but the individual players value hasn't plummeted. In fact I think Malkin's value is even higher than last year. He had a much better season overall.

Nobody is paying premium value for Letang or Malkin with their trade protection, age and cap hits.

And if they are Pittsburgh is taking back cap dumps which doesn’t align itself with why Rutherford would be moving Malkin or Letang.