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St. Louis Blues Should Target Evgeni Malkin

By Kate Cimini |

The rumor going around about NHL trades right now centers around one Russian center, Evgeni Malkin.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who appeared on Sportsnet 960 Friday morning, Malkin is frustrated and unhappy in Pittsburgh and could be open to a trade. And if so, the St. Louis Blues need to make a bid for him ASAP.

Today’s Slapshot’s Chris Nichols went through the effort to type out Friedman’s comments earlier in the day. Per TSS,

“When you get knocked out of the playoffs and the day after your president comes out and says, ‘Look, we’re no t firing Mike Johnston, we’re not firing Jim Rutherford, we’re not trading Evgeni Malkin, and we’re not trading Sidney Crosby.’Now I can understand you coming out and saying the first two, but why would you need to say the next two. Why do you have to tell everybody we’re not trading Malkin or Crosby. And that’s when the sale rumors went wild. Because are the Pittsburgh Penguins a more valuable team to buy with Crosby and Malkin in the lineup or out of the lineup. And I think the answer is b. So that’s when everybody started to say, ‘Okay, something is going on here.’“And look – they’re not trading Crosby. But I will tell you this – there have been rumors about Malkin’s happiness. About whether or not he wants to stay. I think that was directed exactly at them. I have no idea if the Penguins are going to trade Malkin. I would suspect no until a sale gets done. But I can tell you this – there are people around the league who have been saying they’ve been hearing rumors Malkin is not happy and would welcome a change of scenery.”

Rumor-y indeed. There’s no solid indication here that Malkin is on the market, just speculation. And we all know how much I love pure speculation. (Hint: it’s a lot. Gives you something to chew over, you know?)

But if Malkin is indeed being shopped around by the Penguins, the St. Louis Blues should absolutely make a play for him, just based on his chemistry with Russian winger Vladimir Tarasenko at IIHF Worlds in May.

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Tarasenko and Malkin scored a combined nineteen points in nineteen games, with Malkin scoring the sole goal for Russia during the gold-medal game against Canada. They demonstrated an excellent ability to work together (despite Malkin knocking Tarasenko over in his exuberance to celebrate netting a shot).

Malkin is one of the best players on the Penguins, posting 70 points during the regular season, 28 of which were goals. Malkin was moved around a bit this season, spending some time on Crosby’s wing but eventually making his way back to the 2C position and averaging just under 19 minutes TOI/game. He had a Corsi For% of 54.9%, which would put him among the top ten Blues players and he’s known as an offensive force, even if he’s perhaps a bit mercurial in his moods.

The Blues might have centers for days, but no one quite of his caliber, though his shot suppression still leaves something to be desired. Should Malkin join St. Louis in their quest for the Cup the Blues would have a true top line with Malkin and Tarasenko making up two thirds of it. While Backes has been rumored to be moving back to the wing, left wing would be a new position for him, leaving that position open to speculation.

Malkin’s only downside for St. Louis would be his massive, massive contract. He’s signed through 2021-22, with a cap hit of $9.5 million a season. Could the Blues make it work? Absolutely. Would it take a lot of shuffling? Yes. But would it be worth it? I have no doubts.

It, however, still remains to be seen if Malkin is actually being floated by Rutherford and co., or if this is one of those suppositions that comes from, and goes, nowhere.

Next: Blues Rumors: Blues Interested In Craig Anderson

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