Pittsburgh Penguins

Not Looking Good For an Evgeni Malkin Return to Penguins

It sounds like things are 50/50 that Evgeni Malkin returns to the Penguins next season. He and the organization haven’t talked extension.

by
NHL Trade Talk
June 30, 2022

Among the big free agents that will potentially be available on July 13th, Evgeni Malkin may be the biggest name out there. A player who has spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, negotiations have not gone well between the two sides and recently, as per Rick Dhaliwal, Malkin’s agent, JP Barry said: “They have a lot of players to sign and are up against the cap. Right now it is 50-50.”

Malkin would like to stay in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins seem only willing to go so far on an extension He believes he’s worth a certain amount and while he’s said to be open to taking a discount to stick with the team, general manager Ron Hextall is taking a hard line on negotiations and each side hasn’t spoken in some time.

Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins photo by Michael Miller

Josh Yohe of The Athletic writes:

“It’s impossible to say, but here’s what I know: Hextall is willing to sign him at a certain price. However, sources said the two sides haven’t been speaking regularly after initial talks when the Penguins’ season ended on May 15. Hockey people who speak with Hextall on a regular basis are very much under the impression that Malkin’s return to the Penguins is no sure thing.”

If Malkin decides to test his luck in free agency, where will he land? And, if he leaves, who will the Penguins chase as a potential replacement? And, if the Penguins know this is it for Malkin, will they try to trade his rights at the NHL Entry Draft on July 7? It’s hard to know if a team would be that interested that they would give up an asset just for the right to negotiate with Malkin before everyone else.

Like it did with Bryan Rust’s extension, things can change in a hurry and a deal can still get done. That said, something will have to shift in negotiations for that to happen.

Are the Penguins Deprioritizing Malkin?

Letang wants five years on a new deal, while the Penguins want three. He couldn’t have had a better contract year than he did. With 68 points in 78 games, his great offensive numbers and strong underlying stats are sure to get him paid. The Penguins are said to be prioritizing him over Malkin, as they see him as the more important player for their franchise moving forward, but it’s still iffy since Letang is looking to hit his last home run in the NHL as far as an extension goes.

Next: Kevin Fiala Traded By Minnesota Wild to Los Angeles Kings