Penguins/NHL
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Final determination on Malkin’s left elbow expected this week
Some Western Conference General Manager’s have believed that Evgeni Malkin could be had in the right trade. Maybe that’s why some Malkin chatter is circulating once again as it seems to every summer, the latest being an odd rumor yesterday from Steve Zipay of Newsday that the Blackhawks were “seriously kicking the tires” on a Malkin trade.
The chatter going around was that Mike Sullivan’s a big fan of Artem Anisimov and some talk in league circles is that the Chicago stuff came from some back channels in the Hawks organization who are tight with Sullivan.
At the end of the day, there’s nothing to them at this point and won’t be — at least not this summer —
Among the reasons why:
1. There’s the fact that those above Jim Rutherford, notably Team President David Morehouse who have made it clear to Penguin management again that ownership will not sign off on any Malkin trade for the second straight summer with the Penguins still officially up for sale.
2. Maybe, most importantly, major elbow surgery has been on the table for Malkin as an option that would sideline him for several months, possibly 9-12 months. The Penguins are sought a second opinion early this week in the hopes that Malkin can avoid the surgery. There’s still a chance he won’t need the surgery. [hide]That said, you think a team wants to touch that combined with the price it would take to pry Malkin out of Pittsburgh? Not to mention he has a $9.5 million cap hit.
The Penguins are headed down this path under Mike Sullivan of playing such a team game that it’s certainly possible that Evgeni Malkin gets traded in the next couple years as he enters his early 30’s while being a player who is often dealing with injuries.
The reality is his best days are behind him.
But, there’s no chance of a trade happening this summer for the reasons above.
The only storyline to watch with Malkin this summer is whether he’s going to miss a significant portion of the 2016-2017 season or not. The good news is a final determination is going to be made by team, outside specialists before July 1.
Possible elbow surgery for Malkin and potential retirement for Matt Cullen could see the Penguins go the free agent route for a buy-low free agent center to fill the gap. Maybe a former star forward to rebuild his value on a one year deal?
There’s a lot of connections between Jim Rutherford, Eric Staal and Staal’s agent Rich Curran. It won’t be a surprise to some in the know that a conversation or two happens this week with Rutherford kicking some tires on Staal due to the uncertainty of Malkin and gauge Staal’s interest in rebuilding his value on a one year deal.
Meanwhile, Penguin scouts love Detroit’s Darren Helm (who is rated high on the Penguins board) as a fit with his speed game but with Nick Bonino needing a new long-term deal and Helm expected to seek a three to four year deal worth north of $3 million per season, he’s not a financially ideal target.
The Washington Capitals wanting to get quicker in the bottom-6 are being talked about as a team that will target Helm, along with New York’s Frans Nielsen.
The final determination of whether Malkin needs surgery or not is going to have quite the impact on the Penguins off-season.
Stay tuned.
More Buzz
*The Official Expansion rules were released. Pertaining to the Penguins the key rule is players with no movement clauses have to be protected. Therefore, Marc Andre Fleury would officially have to be protected along with Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang. I saw some bloggers saying Fleury has a “modified no movement clause”. Modified no movement clauses don’t exist. There’s only a full no movement clause. What Fleury does have is a modified no trade clause.
Other Details from the NHL:
* Clubs will have two options for players they wish to protect in the Expansion Draft:
a) Seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender
b) Eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltender
* All players who have currently effective and continuing “No Movement” clauses at the time of the Expansion Draft (and who to decline to waive such clauses) must be protected (and will be counted toward their club’s applicable protection limits).
* All first- and second-year professionals, as well as all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection (and will not be counted toward their club’s applicable protection limits).
Player Exposure Requirements
* All Clubs must meet the following minimum requirements regarding players exposed for selection in the Expansion Draft:
i) One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons.
ii) Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2017-18 and b) played in 40 or more NHL games the prior season OR played in 70 or more NHL games in the prior two seasons.
iii) One goaltender who is under contract in 2017-18 or will be a restricted free agent at the expiration of his current contract immediately prior to 2017-18. If the club elects to make a restricted free agent goaltender available in order to meet this requirement, that goaltender must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the club’s protected list.
* Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a club’s player exposure requirements, unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection by the League.
— Awards Night: Jim Rutherford took home GM of the year…..Sidney Crosby finished 2nd for the Hart Trophy…….Mike Sullivan was 5th in Coach of the year voting…. *[/hide]
malkin’s going to have a career year next year
“The Reality is his best days are behind him”
I tend to remember this site saying, “Running out of time to get a big year out of Kessel”
Malkin doesn’t need surgery just announced by Penguins.
he will probably have it right after WC
I think he should just forego – i mean, if he can produce as much as the “best player in the world” with one less elbow, why have the surgery?
I think npl and stan are having problem to log in to this site
Another thing that is being left out of all the expansion draft discussion is that Vegas will be allowed to make trades before the expansion draft, this could play a big factor in the Fleury situation because if the Pens do hold him they have the ability to work out a trade with Vegas if Fleury is the goalie they want, basically it adds another potential trade partner because if he’s their target they may have no option but to trade for him so that the Pens don’t trade him to someone else first who would protect him.
I find it funny that every time the trade Malkin BS starts we hear a plethora of excuse of why it will never happen but never in those excuses is Mario’s pledge, the 1 where Mario vowed that there would never be another star player traded from Pittsburgh while he was in charge.
this bum shouldve been traded at least 2 years ago and i said it before the more we keep malkin more he looses value every year he is not crosby and never will be
thanks to this organzation on sale BS that they are keeping him so long
He’s a bum – even though he produces just as much as sid with half the number of elbows available.
Malkin doesn’t require surgery on his elbow, he will undergo rehab.
Then injure it in the WCs and miss training camp and play injured the rest of the year.
Transgender on NHL award show? Why not.
It’s everywhere now it’s the new trend. Got to get used to it we even have Transgender posters here like npl that thinks he has now become a Sam
Yandle 7 years 44.45m with the Panthers
And DePaoli, if you weren’t so damn lazy, you could do some research on what the Penguins could do with the extra cap space if Malkin was on LTIR all season.
Prediction time…..with a couple conditionals to it. IF Fleury is traded AND Malkin is out for over 9 months (regular season), the Penguins will miss the playoffs.
DePaoli. I love your BS Malkin trade rumors. Would you care to put some money where your mouth is? My proposed bet is that I bet you Sullivan is fired from the Penguins before Malkin gets traded.
Remember the last 6 offseasons when sam predicted malkin would get traded and was wrong?
Sydney Crosby had the best hockey of his career in the playoffs. Malkin’s best days are behind him. Yet, they put up the same PPG in the playoffs while Malkin averaged 3 minutes of time less than Crosby.
Half the points malkin did was on power play and assisted by non other then sid
Then you are admitting that Syd and Malkin produced the same amount of PP points as well as overall points? Thank you, Sam! I do agree that it is staggering how similar their numbers are.
Possible but sid is more a complete player and helpful to his team then malkin. As I said before genos days are behind him since 2 years ago they should’ve dumb that bums ass long time ago but some Clowns in the organization are holding on to him due to the franchise on sale
Sam, it sounds like you would have made moves that were different than the moves that led to the Stanley Cup. That’s true for a lot of folks if you think about it.
Sydney played the more complete part – fine. Malkin played the less complete part. They both played vital parts in winning a Stanley Cup.
You’re an idiot.
Same production! Half the elbows! Sam couldn’t look like a bigger fool.
(By the way, Sid’s best days are behind him too. His production has fallen off a cliff. Shhhhhhh – don’t tell Sam)
Didn’t I fucken destroy your PP argument already by showing Sid put up just as much of not more than the guys you bitch about on the PP? You may not recall because you avoided it significantly. Fuckface
Is Malkin the guy that gets whatever wingers are the worst? Not only does he, but he is perfectly content leading a third line. Crosby and other superstars wouldn’t put up with not being treated like a superstar. Yet as a third liner, he puts up the same PPG as Sydney Crosby in the playoffs while Crosby averages 3 minutes more of ice time on average. Crosby & Malkin are the best one-two in hockey; yet, as mentioned above, he is used as a third line center in the year they take the Stanley Cup.
And have leagues most expensive 3rd line center
Sam is ever impressive with arithmetic. Thank you, Sam! Fine work.
You guys have to realize that the “third line” changes depending on sam’s argument. When he wants to shit on Kessel, THATS the third line. The truth is, this team didn’t have a third line. And he’s too dumb to understand that. Same production! Less games! Less elbows!
Apparently that is a plan that works- so what the fuck is your point hater?
Curious…are AHL goalies safe from the Expansion Draft?
Yes, AHL players are safe.
No.
Malkin injured or not won’t changed anything for the pens they proved that last year. He can now go on vacation and continue stealing paychecks something that he has done a habit of for the last few years
Malkin produced as much as the conn Smythe winner with one less elbow. That’s pretty impressive. Stole pay checks! Same productions! Less games! Less elbows!
Sam, kind of surprised with the new log ins for TIOPS you are still able to get in actually surprised several of you are able now that I think of it.
Hack
Fraud