I have a sneaking suspicion that Malkin is growing at least frustrated in Pittsburgh, to the point where he at least implied to JR that he'd be open to a move. You saw it in his play this year and you read about it in stories from after the season (the "Ruhwedel can skate it out" one sticks out to me). I don't think JR was just being reckless when he said what he said, he wouldn't have said that had Malkin been 100% committed to playing in Pittsburgh. Malkin has complete control over any transaction due to his full NMC and NTC, I imagine JR isn't going senile and forgetting that.
He has been with the Penguins for 13 seasons at this point. He has won basically everything he can win in Pittbsurgh, and likely everything he probably will end up winning. I wouldn't be surprised if Malkin just wants a change because it's growing stale, both the team and himself. I don't think JR is throwing out that kind of language willy nilly unless Malkin is telling him something that this board doesn't know.