It is certainly possible that Evgeni Malkin goes to free agency on Wednesdsay after failing to come to terms with the Pittsburgh Penguins on an extension. Talks between the team and the player reportedly haven’t gone well to date, with Malkin wanting more than three years on an extension and the Penguins hesitant to give him that. But, there might be good news on the Malkin front as reports have surfaced the two sides are at least closing the game.
As per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, he tweets: “Hearing there’s been a bit of progress in the last 24 hours in talks between the Penguins and Evgeni Malkin’s camp led by veteran agent J.P. Barry.” Things are out in the clear quite though. He adds, “However, still work to be done to get an extension done. Still a tough one to call two days out from free agency.”
Pittsburgh has reportedly gone from a $6 million AAV on a two-year deal and has bumped up their offer now to include the third year. If the Penguins get to four years, Malkin will certainly sign.
If Malkin does leave the Penguins, this will be the first time he’s played for a different franchise and it’s no the way anyone likely wanted this marriage to end. On the way out, Malkin was under the impression the Penguins lost faith in him. While the team committed to Kris Letang on a new six-year deal, they weren’t willing to extend him anywhere close to the same courtesy. This is despite the fact that players came to bat for Malkin.
Craig Button noted that Malkin is still a really good player and averaged a point-per-game in the NHL after he returned from injury last season. If the Penguins believe they can still contend, Button said the Penguins should have found a way to get a deal done with Malkin. That it wound up ending in a split, this is an unfortunate end. A bombshell story by Rob Rossi of The Athletic on Friday detailed how hurt Malkin was by all of this. Rossi said, “He [Malkin] doesn’t understand how it’s at this point with him not being signed.” He doesn’t know why the Penguins don’t think he’s a good player any longer.
Needless to say, Malkin will be a motivated individual heading into the 2022-23 NHL season.
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