Must-read Malkin Article

[netwolf]

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/329 ... l-penguins

A great article on Malkin. No clue why some people still feel the need to question or even outright attack his character.

[penny lane]

Fabulous!

“I understand now how hard it is for Sid,” Malkin said, referring to Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby. “He does such a great job. It is hard. I get it.”

Crosby, during the lockout, described the level at which Malkin has played as “awesome.”
“Geno, really, can do whatever he wants when he‘s playing his game,” Crosby said. “What he did last season was pretty incredible when you think about it.”

Evgeni's feels to the soul!

*every nhl player should spend a week, a day in Sid's shoes. we'll see how the new captain in philly handles himself.

[the wicked child]

Geno

[AlexPKeaton]

Humble roots, likes his mama's cooking, well liked by his teammates, and not wanting the spot light. Pretty much the perfect superstar.

[Idoit40fans]

Lets be realistic here. Its not hard to figure out why people question him. Hes a european, thas definitely the reason.

[Malkamaniac]

Lets be realistic here. Its not hard to figure out why people question him. Hes a european, thas definitely the reason.

No doubt about it, and no matter what he does/says someone is always going to feel slighted by Malkin because of it.

[penmyst]

Nothing surprising there.

Malkin seems the sort of guy that isn't an egomaniac. Which is a good fit on a team with a player like Crosby, who being the "face of NHL hockey" draws all the attention everywhere the Pens go. Malkin arguably equals Crosby in talent and output, but gets lesser recognition for it here in NHL land. Some guys could get all butthurt over that, but Malkin never does. A rare find in this day and age...

[Pitts]

Lets be realistic here. Its not hard to figure out why people question him. Hes a european, thas definitely the reason.

No doubt about it, and no matter what he does/says someone is always going to feel slighted by Malkin because of it.

Still, there is the dangling carrot of a tax-free, whopping-cash contract in the KHL.

“(I will) not talk about it,” Malkin said of his future. “I play for Pittsburgh for two more years. Of course, I hope more. Many more.”

Well, we got 2 more years at least.

[nocera]

The thought of him going to free agency is terrifying.

[Pitts]

He won't get to free agency. Sid already set the bar for Malkin's next contract.

[It'sagreatdayforhockey!]

He won't get to free agency. Sid already set the bar for Malkin's next contract.

If Sid's salary is the penguins bar, then Malkin is going to Free Agency:
-If they limit Malkin to Sids cap hit, he loses $17mil over the contract vs Sid
-If they give Malkin Sid's yearly salary with no add on years his cap hit is 10.8mil


I'd say they have to go above Sid's cap hit somewhat to make things fair for Geno, based on the CBA changes.

[farnham16]

He'll go down as the greatest Russian hockey player of all time.

[tfrizz]

He won't get to free agency. Sid already set the bar for Malkin's next contract.

If Sid's salary is the penguins bar, then Malkin is going to Free Agency:
-If they limit Malkin to Sids cap hit, he loses $17mil over the contract vs Sid
-If they give Malkin Sid's yearly salary with no add on years his cap hit is 10.8mil


I'd say they have to go above Sid's cap hit somewhat to make things fair for Geno, based on the CBA changes.

James Mirtle has predicted that the NHL salary cap for the 2014-15 season will be $62.7-million*. Of that, they already have $23.7-million in cap space committed to only 4 players (Crosby, Neal, Martin, and Fleury). Even at an $8.7-million cap hit for Malkin, the Penguins would have 52% of their salary cap committed to only 5 players. I just don't see any way Malkin gets anything higher than that.



* Mirtle's prediction is based on [a] the NHL getting back to their $3.3-billion revenue in 2013-14, and [b] revenue growth of 5% annually.

[farnham16]

And Geno isn't going anywhere. The Pens picked him over Staal this offseason.

[Pitts]

And Geno isn't going anywhere. The Pens picked him over Staal this offseason.

It will probably cost them Letang or Fluery as well.

[stefanh]

He won't get to free agency. Sid already set the bar for Malkin's next contract.

If Sid's salary is the penguins bar, then Malkin is going to Free Agency:
-If they limit Malkin to Sids cap hit, he loses $17mil over the contract vs Sid
-If they give Malkin Sid's yearly salary with no add on years his cap hit is 10.8mil


I'd say they have to go above Sid's cap hit somewhat to make things fair for Geno, based on the CBA changes.

James Mirtle has predicted that the NHL salary cap for the 2014-15 season will be $62.7-million*. Of that, they already have $23.7-million in cap space committed to only 4 players (Crosby, Neal, Martin, and Fleury). Even at an $8.7-million cap hit for Malkin, the Penguins would have 52% of their salary cap committed to only 5 players. I just don't see any way Malkin gets anything higher than that.



* Mirtle's prediction is based on [a] the NHL getting back to their $3.3-billion revenue in 2013-14, and [b] revenue growth of 5% annually.

According to the CBA the cap can''t go under 64.3M in any year. Besides do you really believe the pens would lose Malkin and keep Martin in his last year.

If Malkin wants to stay with the pens a deal will get done and I expect the cap hit to be somewhere around 9.5M for the reasons mentioned above.

[knives of ice]

i really believe the pens will pay him the max salary if necessary. no way they'll let him walk unless something happens drastic the next two years or he just doesn't want to play here.

[Pens15]

I don't know who was attacking his character. Some folks have expressed concern over whether he'll stay with the Pens. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. To me it sounds like he's keeping his options open.

[Pens15]

i really believe the pens will pay him the max salary if necessary. no way they'll let him walk unless something happens drastic the next two years or he just doesn't want to play here.

I agree that they'll do everything they can, but if he wants to test the market they can't stop him.

A really good question is if they approach him this summer and he's not receptive (a la Jordan Staal) what route would they go then.

[Tico Rick]

Humble roots, likes his mama's cooking, well liked by his teammates, and not wanting the spot light. Pretty much the perfect superstar Pittsburgher.

QFT.

[shmenguin]

i really believe the pens will pay him the max salary if necessary. no way they'll let him walk unless something happens drastic the next two years or he just doesn't want to play here.

isn't the "max" something like 12 million? there's no way he's getting that

[bh]

I don't know who was attacking his character.

edog troll type people.

[Hawkeynut]

If that article really describes him then I cannot see Malkin trying UFA and going somewhere to be the star. Let's face it, if he is the big UFA catch in 2014, he will be in a huge spotlight. Playing alongside the media magnet of Crosby while being able to play as he sees fit in Pittsburgh seems like a perfect fit for a guy like Malkin.

Remember when we thought the Pens lost the lottery when they couldn't draft Ovechkin and had to "settle" for Malkin?

[DocEmrick]

I hate articles like this cause they fill my head with What-Ifs.

[no name]

If he doesn't sign a new contract next season you can't let him play out his last year... just saying.