Pens should trade Malkin

[A.E]

THN.com Playoff Blog: Penguins must trade Malkin
By John Grigg

On the heels of Montreal’s stunning upset of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia becoming just the sixth NHL team to force a Game 7 when down 3-0 in series, I have some thoughts.

First, I think there’s only one thing to be done in Pittsburgh: trade Evgeni Malkin. This is not a commentary on Malkin’s post-season – although chances are I wouldn’t be writing this if the Pens were still alive – and it’s not a new thought.

Jaroslav Halak did outplay Marc-Andre Fleury, especially in Game 7, but in a larger sense the Canadiens did exactly what they needed to do to the Pens – take away the center of the ice. And now Sidney Crosby, Malkin and No. 3 center Jordan Staal are taking heat. Not all the heat by any means, but heat nonetheless.

That Habs’ plan worked to the nth degree and exposed the Pens’ ugly underbelly. Take away those three guys and there’s basically nothing left up front to scare anyone. Pittsburgh’s best scoring options quickly become blueliners Sergei Gonchar – who will more than likely price himself out of Pittsburgh this summer – along with the still-maturing Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski.

And we all saw how well that worked.

Trading Malkin would do a number of things for the Pens. First, it would net Pittsburgh a winger to play with Crosby; God only knows what type of numbers he could put up with something more than an average player to pass the puck to.

Second, it would open up more ice time for Staal; who, although he didn’t put up great numbers, was a beast in the playoffs and looks to be on the verge of becoming a player more akin to older brother Eric than the third line checker he’s been pigeon-holed as.

Also, a Malkin trade frees up cap space; $8.7 million to be exact. That’s a lot of cake. And having Staal’s $4 million as No. 2 center money makes a lot more sense these days. The $8.7-million difference could be spent shoring up a blueline that has just three players signed to it next season.

There’s the other problem in Pittsburgh: the Pens have just 16 players signed for next year and around $11 million to spend, depending on where the cap lands. The Pens could use the extra dough Malkin’s cap hit represents.

And the best part is that Pittsburgh doesn’t have to trade Malkin. The Pens could shop him around for the best deal and if nothing came up simply hold onto him. There are worse things than having Evgeni Malkin on your team.

Here’s an idea a couple of us came up with. I repeat, an idea we came up with. Not a rumor. Malkin and a fifth round pick to Edmonton for the first overall selection, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson and Sheldon Souray.

Malkin is the star attraction Edmonton has been looking to build around and plays center, a place the Oilers need help. And it would allow Malkin to get out from under Crosby’s shadow, giving him a chance to fully blossom as the leader of his own team.

Pittsburgh would net Taylor Hall with the No. 1 pick, an 18-year-old scoring winger most feel is already NHL ready; just the type of sniper Crosby needs patrolling his wing. Paajarvi-Svensson is another young talent who plays the wing. He’s a speedster in the mold of Phil Kessel. He may not have 40-goal talent, but he’d look good eventually playing alongside No. 2 center Staal.

Souray would replace UFA Gonchar. Souray also has publicly made it clear he wants out of Alberta. The Oilers are handcuffed by Souray’s salary, injury history and the fact he went public with his desire to leave. This trade gets Souray’s $5.4 million off Edmonton’s books and nets them a star in return, while allowing Pittsburgh the two-season luxury of not having to put too much pressure on Letang and Goligoski to score.

Yes, Edmonton gives up a potential star in Hall and a good-looking prospect in Paajarvi-Svensson, but you have to pay for a player who, don’t forget, is just a year removed from the Art Ross and Conn Smythe Trophies. It’d be a good old-fashioned hockey trade and a win for both sides. -THN

I first read the title and was thinking: "WTF?" But after giving it some thought, this guy actually has a point. You have to read more into this than just: "Trading away Malkin." If you think about Malkin's value and what that value could bring to the Penguins, especially in the form of an offensive threat to compliment Crosby, it makes sense.

 

[playmaker7]

I tried to think of it from a positive standpoint...but honestly, I can't

Trading Malkin would allow the Pens to get a winger for Crosby...but honestly that can be done through free agency while keeping Malkin. Shero wasn't even looking to land Crosby a winger this season because he's capable of scoring and turning average players like Pascal Dupuis into a threat. With Malkin, the Pens have the deepest center position in the league with 3 first line potential centers leading lines onto the ice.

Malkin deserves every cent he's being paid and I hope he'll play in Pittsburgh until he's no longer affordable...hopefully for his career but IDK if thats possible.

 

[The Guid]

for what it's worth, how exactly is that a "good, old-fashioned hockey trade" and a win for both sides?

 

[playmaker7]

for what it's worth, how exactly is that a "good, old-fashioned hockey trade" and a win for both sides?

Give me Ovechkin and you're getting somewhere and what is described ^

Other than that...I'll keep Malkin in black and gold.

1st overall pick, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, and Sheldon Souray is a win for the Oilers IMO

Taylor Hall is raw talent, MPS looks like he'll be good but it'll be years before he's even grazing Malkin numbers if he can ever get that good...and Sheldon Souray is unnecessary...

 

[The Guid]

for the same reason they're having trouble in Pittsburgh...who's Malkin going to pass to? Sure he can score, but he doesn't have much help around him. He, alone, won't save that team.

It just seems to me that it would be going against the whole rebuilding thing but, maybe I'm biased and don't want to see Hall in Pittsburgh.

 

[playmaker7]

for the same reason they're having trouble in Pittsburgh...who's Malkin going to pass to? Sure he can score, but he doesn't have much help around him. He, alone, won't save that team.

It just seems to me that it would be going against the whole rebuilding thing but, maybe I'm biased and don't want to see Hall in Pittsburgh.

I don't either unless he's going to drop to their pick. I'd much rather see Austin Watson, Jared Tinoradi, Tyler Toffali, or even Maksim Kitsyn in Pittsburgh.

Malkin can score and pass and he's proved that. Off year but that happens to every player. He still performed like a star as a second line center. With Guerin and probably Ponikarovsky gone, Malkin will probably get 2 new linemates next year with one of them probably being Eric Tangradi. I'm hoping the other is a scoring winger UFA

 

[A.E]

I tend to agree with the article...take Crosby & Malkin out of the game, series over. Its something to think about. Another thing to think about, and again, pointed out above...Malkin frees up a lot of cap for the Pens.

You can have the deepest center position in the league but what good does it do when you have a high turnover rate at every other position?

 

[playmaker7]

I tend to agree with the article...take Crosby & Malkin out of the game, series over. Its something to think about. Another thing to think about, and again, pointed out above...Malkin frees up a lot of cap for the Pens.

You can have the deepest center position in the league but what good does it do when you have a high turnover rate at every other position?

You're right. They did put Ottawa out in Game 6 without using Malkin and Crosby while down 3-0 to win 4-3 in OT.

To answer your second part...it wins you Stanley Cups...just not this season. Something apparently was working and if I'm Ray Shero...I don't do much with this team in the offseason...

 

[stewza]

Both teams say no to his proposal imo.

 

[A.E]

You're right. They did put Ottawa out in Game 6 without using Malkin and Crosby while down 3-0 to win 4-3 in OT.

To answer your second part...it wins you Stanley Cups...just not this season. Something apparently was working and if I'm Ray Shero...I don't do much with this team in the offseason...

Yeah, Staal took over that 3rd period which begs to point of: Get Staal more time on the ice.

Me personally, I'd deal Staal, Columbus has wanted him for a long time...but that's just me. I like the Pens but no, I don't think they can simply remain the same and be any sort of a lock to win the Cup next season.

 

[stewza]

Yeah, Staal took over that 3rd period which begs to point of: Get Staal more time on the ice.

Me personally, I'd deal Staal, Columbus has wanted him for a long time...but that's just me. I like the Pens but no, I don't think they can simply remain the same and be any sort of a lock to win the Cup next season.

If Staal was on the market Shero would be getting calls from 29 teams.

 

[playmaker7]

Yeah, Staal took over that 3rd period which begs to point of: Get Staal more time on the ice.

Me personally, I'd deal Staal, Columbus has wanted him for a long time...but that's just me. I like the Pens but no, I don't think they can simply remain the same and be any sort of a lock to win the Cup next season.

It was Matt Cooke with those 2 goals and Pascal Dupuis with that GWG in OT

Staal is valuable. Keep all of them til they can't anymore. The Pens were just tired and it showed. They can win a Cup with this roster