New York Rangers: The pros and cons of trading for Evgeni Malkin

Cons

Getting the negatives out of the way first, there are actually many reasons why the New York Rangers wouldn’t want to make a trade for Malkin. Among them are contract issues and cost, but the devil is in the details.

First and foremost Malkin has a no-movement clause in his contract. Even if Pittsburgh were to make a deal to ship him out of town, if the center doesn’t approve, it won’t happen. The Blueshirts are in the middle of a full-on rebuild. At this stage of his career, it would take a heck of a sales job by the Rangers brass to get him to Manhattan. More than likely some financial incentive would need to happen.

Speaking of finances, Malkin still has three years remaining on the eight-year, $76M contract he signed in 2013. His cap hit is $9.5M per season. Not that the Rangers can’t afford it, but wow, that is huge money. Gorton would have to be positive Geno is the man they need to make not just that investment, but the millions extra needed in an extension to get a deal done. That part is a tough sell to owner James Dolan.

Malkin is almost 33-years-old. That is the tail end of his prime years. He can put up fantastic numbers the next two seasons, but what will he have left in the tank at 35? Generally, that’s an age when the big fall off happens. Actually, it may have happened already.

Since his Hart Trophy-winning season of 2011-12, Malkin has scored over 72 points in a season once (98 in 2017-18). Last year he had only 21 goals, his fewest since the 2012 lockout. He has played a full 82 games twice in his 13-year career, the last time was 2008-09. Since then, Malkin has played in 70 or more games in a season two times. Twice in 10 years, it’s hard to be a team leader when watching from the press box.