Never the one to shy away from pursuing big names, Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild might not be done making big splashes yet. The Quinn Hughes move sent shockwaves throughout the community, and there could be more in store for fans in the future, with rumours linking a leading veteran to the Central Division team.
Pittsburgh Penguins Icon Evgeni Malkin Linked with the Minnesota Wild
The Pittsburgh Penguins are riding a five-game winning streak after a particularly harsh December campaign left the team struggling in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins looked particularly done, but the recent success has provided a glimmer of hope to the community. Moreover, everyone ought to feel good now that Evgeni Malkin is expected to make his return to the lineup soon.
Malkin has been gone for more than a month. Still, Penguins fans can soon expect to witness the 39-year-old skating again. “Every day is like pain. The last couple weeks, I do lots of stuff. The last, probably, three or four days, I feel so much better. I hope, again, [to be] back this week,” Malkin dropped the encouraging update as reported by NHL independent correspondent, Wes Crosby.
However, there has been a far more intriguing development than Malkin’s return. According to Nick Kypreos, Guerin could, in fact, be in contention for the Penguins veteran. It is no surprise that teams would want to acquire Malkin. Despite his age, the standout forward remains a formidable presence. However, his no-movement clause can emerge as a significant deterrent in such discussions.
“There are teams that would dearly love to land Evgeni Malkin, though he’s in full control of the situation with a no-movement clause in the final season of his contract,” Kypreos wrote on the subject in a recent contribution to Sportsnet. Nonetheless, the Wild may end up having a unique advantage in the Malkin sweepstakes over other teams.
“There’s talk of Minnesota GM Bill Guerin laying low in the weeds looking to make another significant trade, and wondering if Russian Kirill Kaprizov can help convince Malkin to join the Wild for a playoff run. If Malkin allows it, expect him to move before the trade deadline,” informed Kypreos.
According to the insider, a potential liaison between Kaprizov and Malkin could sweeten the deal for the veteran, prompting a move. Of course, much of that depends on how this season fares for the Penguins. The team has made a comeback lately, and if the team successfully maintains this momentum for the rest of the season, trade talks are bound to feel its impact.
