B/R Open Ice: Frank Seravalli on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evegni Malkin, would he welcome a trade this year, and could a deal work with the Florida Panthers be worked out, where the Panthers could still fit in Aleksander Barkov if he’s able to return in the playoffs.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“The first names that you’d come upon in trying to trade for a center, if one is ultimately available, is Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s entering the final year of his deal. Everyone expects this to be the swan song season for Malkin the Steel City, with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, the other two pillars of that group over these last 18 to 19 years. They got a special visit from Marc-Andre Fleury in the preseason over the weekend.
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But is this it for Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh? And if so, where does he go? Does he move at the deadline? Is he willing to accept a trade somewhere?
I would have to think that the Florida Panthers would be on that list. Not just because they’ve been one of the most successful teams, but also because Evgeni Malkin makes his offseason home in the Miami area. So he is nearby, and that would be a very strong fit, particularly as the contract lines up.
Malkin plays for the year. They could probably set it up in a way with retained salary that they could still use Barkov in the playoffs if they decided to go down this path. And if the Florida Panthers had something to offer the Pittsburgh Penguins to make them interested. And if Malkin was interested in making this happen, that you could probably set it up cap-wise, in a way that still allows you to keep Aleksander Barkov for the playoffs.
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