NHL Trade Buzz Peaks: The Evgeni Malkin rumors are starting to get loud again, and this time it comes straight from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, who says there are clubs that would love to add the Pittsburgh Penguins star if he is willing to consider it.
Malkin has a full no-movement clause, meaning nothing happens unless he personally signs off.
Evgeni Malkin holds all the leverage
Kypreos wrote that “there are teams that would dearly love to land Evgeni Malkin,” but added that Malkin is “in full control of the situation with a no-movement clause” in the final season of his contract.
It is also not hard to see why contenders would sniff around, even at 39, he has been a driver for Pittsburgh when healthy, and he recently returned from a 15 game absence with eight goals and 21 assists in 26 games.
Minnesota Wild chatter, and the Penguins dilemma
Kypreos named the Minnesota Wild as a team who could make a deal happen.
Kypreos pointed to the idea of Wild general manager Bill Guerin “laying low in the weeds” and wondering if Kirill Kaprizov could help recruit Malkin for a playoff run.
However, Pittsburgh still being in the mix halfway through the season makes a big difference here.
The Penguins have been hanging around the playoff picture, and Kypreos noted that could keep management from ripping anything apart.
If it ever did get real, it would be end of an era, a franchise icon with three Stanley Cup rings, plus major hardware like the Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe, and Art Ross, possibly choosing one last chase somewhere else.
Over his 20-year career, Malkin has amassed 523 goals and 853 assists for 1,376 total points across 1,240 games played, all with the Penguins.
He ranks 26th all-time in points, and second all-time among Russian players, behind only Alex Ovechkin (1,661).
