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Stars Linked to Penguins Superstar

A new theory has linked the Dallas Stars to a veteran superstar from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nick Horwat

Nov 13, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) takes the ice against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 13, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) takes the ice against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled the last few seasons forcing numerous trade discussions to pop up and a new theory links a key veteran to the Dallas Stars. According to Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson, the Stars might have their eyes on Penguins star center Evgeni Malkin.

Robinson states in a video posted to social media that the Stars might have an interest in the Penguins’ 19-year veteran after losing Tyler Seguin on a long-term basis due to a hip surgery.

“A couple weeks back, I had a little birdie whisper in my ear ‘watch out for Dallas and Evgeni Malkin,’” Robinson said. “The Stars knew Tyler Seguin needed to get his hip redone… They were considering shutting him down before the December 10 deadline, putting him on long-term IR until the regular season ended, then he’d be ready to go for the playoffs.”

Robinson suggests that the Stars would use that extra salary cap space without Seguin on the roster to take a huge swing for a trade, and named Malkin specifically.

Malkin’s contract is set to expire after the 2025-26 season and earns him $6.1 million against the salary cap. He’s scored six goals and 18 assists for 24 total points in 27 games played, but is a minus-11 rating.

Some of the biggest names on the Penguins’ lineup have been brought up in trade conversations for a few years, but only be analysts and pundits. The Penguins’ core of Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang are unlikely to be dealt anywhere and are on track to finish their careers in Pittsburgh.

Robinson touches on the biggest obstacles that would stop the Stars from pulling a trade like this off, most notably that Malkin has the final say. Malkin’s deal brings with it a full no-move clause that gives him the chance to say whether he gets moved and where to.

It’s pretty unlikely Malkin agrees to a trade out of Pittsburgh at any point while he is still under an NHL contract.

“The highest hurdle of overcome is Malkin, himself,” Robinson said. “He has to say yes to this.”

People will talk about trades involving Crosby and Malkin until their careers are over, there isn’t any stopping that. But it’s important to know that neither of them has an interest in leaving and the Penguins front office has no plans of moving them.

Analysts will jump through as many hoops as they can, but a trade involving Crosby or Malkin will never happen.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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