A mock trade from Barn Hockey is asking whether Evgeni Malkin could finish the season with the Minnesota Wild.
It lands at an interesting moment. Malkin, 40, had three assists in the Penguins' 5-2 win in Los Angeles on Saturday night, and he has 14 points in 15 games this season.
Pittsburgh is still 6-9-2 and sits 3-6-1 over its last 10. Minnesota is 12-3-4 with a +20 goal differential, but it dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the Lightning on Saturday.
A seller with a productive veteran and a contender with a good record is the basic setup of any deadline rumor, and that is why this one spreads.
For context, Evgeni Malkin's trade list and the January deadline is already a live storyline in Pittsburgh.
The proposal is simple. The Penguins would get forward Ryan Hartman, prospect Riley Heidt and a 2027 first-round pick with no conditions. The Wild would get Malkin, with Pittsburgh retaining 50% of his salary, plus defenseman Owen Pickering.
Barn Hockey closed the post with a direct question: who says no?
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Hartman is 32, an impending free agent, and has 4 points and a -7 rating in 19 games for the Wild. Heidt is a 21-year-old center the Wild drafted 64th overall in 2023, and he has not played an NHL game.
Pickering is the Penguins' piece going the other way. The 22-year-old defenseman, a first-rounder in 2022, has 3 points in 29 career games and has not played this season.
Who should say no to this Malkin package?
Minnesota should. The Wild would be paying with a first-round pick and a prospect, plus a roster forward, for a 40-year-old on an expiring deal while they already sit near the top of the Central. Half of Malkin's $5,500,000 cap hit still comes with him.
Malkin's production argues for the idea. His six goals and eight assists are real numbers, and two of those goals came on the power play.
For Pittsburgh, the math is easier. A first-round pick and a prospect for a player whose contract runs out this season is the kind of return a rebuilding team should take. Hartman is a depth piece, but the pick and Heidt carry the value.
Whether the Penguins are ready to move him is a different matter. Sidney Crosby on playing with Malkin again was the talk before Saturday's game in Los Angeles, and the two stars are still sharing a lineup.
Pittsburgh plays at San Jose on Wednesday. Minnesota is in Montreal on Tuesday.
Quick hits
ISLANDERS ROSTER CRUNCH: Stefen Rosner reports the Islanders have a roster problem in San Jose, with Mathew Barzal among three injured players who made the trip.
Three hurt players on a road trip is a headache for the coaching staff.
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BRUINS TRADE RUMOR: David Pagnotta says the Bruins would like another winger. Elliotte Friedman hears they wonder why Dylan Larkin's list skips them.
Boston has a clear need and some frustration to go with it.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: James Nichols reports the Devils are sitting Connor Hellebuyck on Tuesday in Winnipeg to save him for the Capitals.
That is a big vote of confidence in how much New Jersey values the Washington game.
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TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: Ryan McDonagh's split-second decision with the clock running out is the talk around the Lightning after Sunday's 4-3 loss in Winnipeg.
One call, one loss, and now everyone is debating it.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Steve Warne looked back at how the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026 fared against the Senators over the years.
A nice trip through franchise history for Ottawa fans.
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Should the Wild pay a first-round pick and a top prospect for Evgeni Malkin?
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