PHN has reported that there is only one team that Malkin would waive his NMC for and it is the South Florida Kitty Cats.
The Penguins won the Eastern Division and were looking like a force to be reckoned with come playoff time; however, the wheels quickly fell of the wagon as Jarry pulled a Bobrovsky and could not stop a beachball in the post season. The Isles lit up Jarry like a Christmas tree and made it look way too easy. This is forcing the Pens to shop around to provide an immediate fix in net if they want to be relevant in the playoffs moving forward.
As you may recall, goaltending was an issue early on this season for the Penguins; however, it seemed like Jarry and DeSmith figured it out and were back on track before entering playoffs.
As the Penguins core (read Crosby) is getting older, the Cup window is closing quickly. This will force the Penguins to make big moves to try to get Crosby one final playoff run in Pittsburgh or else the fear is that he will ask to be traded to get one more Cup before retiring.
For all my “trade Bob” talks, this one may make the most sense.
There was speculation that Malkin has not been 100% since his injury earlier this season and he even missed games 1 and 2 against the Islanders before coming back and putting up 1 goal and 4 apples in the remaining 4 playoff games.
Furthermore, as I have harped on quite a bit, Bobrovsky has lost his luster and the coaching staff’s confidence in Florida.
Both players could really benefit from a change of scenery. Not to mention they both have very similar cap hits – Malkin $9.5 million and Bob $10-million per year. The biggest difference is that Malkin only has 1 year left on his contract versus Bob’s 5.
With Pitt trying to find a solid goalie and the Cats needing additional scoring, it would make sense they work out a deal sending Bobrovksy to the Penguins in exchange for Malkin. I could also foresee throwing Jarry or DeSmith in the trade as well to make things go through.
With Spencer Knight being the Panther’s goalie of the future (and possibly present), they are looking for someone who will assist his development. Dreidger because of his familiarity would be the best option; however, a Jarry Knight combo could be very solid for the Cats moving forward while not hindering Knight’s confidence or progression.
Additionally, getting to play with talent like Hubby or Barkov could reignite the fire that Malkin once had. With Malkin not having to be the #1 or even #2 guy, it could take a lot of pressure off of him to perform and let him enjoy playing. Much like Phil Kessel when he left Toronto for the Penguins.
What do you think? Malkin for Bob? While being weird to see Malkin in anything but a Penguins jersey, I am excited about the spark it could add to the Panthers. What do you guys think?