Why not trade Malkin?
Before you freak out about the idea of trading Malkin, just read, and remember to breath.
Over the next 3 years, Malkin will be making .984 M a year AND 2.85 M in bonuses. Crosby is making the same thing, and Staal has a lower bonus contract. 2 years from now Crosby and Fleury will be RFA’s, Malkin and Staal will be the following year. All 4 are going to be demanding and deserving massive contracts and there’s no way Pittsburgh will be able to afford them all, maybe 3 of them, but more than likely Crosby and Fleury. Let’s be honest, they all want to win and as long as they’re together it wont happen because they can’t afford to have a good team around them. Pittsburgh isn’t and will never be big spenders, they’ll keep the team cap around 30-35M. They just can’t afford more. If you trade away one of them now, Malkin, when his worth is so high, you can improve the team and keep the other great players happy. Do you really think that Crosby is going to want to keep playing in Pittsburgh if they can’t make the playoffs because they can’t afford to spend on more players?
I PROPOSE the following trade, read the after thoughts to explain the trade:
Malkin & Gonchar
FOR
Svatos, Liles, Clark, 1st rdp, 2nd rdp
Benefits for Colorado:
– young franchise player (malkin)
– #1 PP QB (gonchar)
Benefits for Pittsburgh:
– 2.019 M less against the cap
– 8.5 M less in bonuses
– young 1st line RW (svatos)
– young #1 PP QB (liles)
– #2 PP QB (clark)
– 1st round draft pick
– 2nd round draft pick
– don’t have to carry Gonchar’s crazy 5M cap hit until 2010
Colorado needs a new franchise player; I don’t think Stastny or Wolski will do it. Malkin would. Pittsburgh already has numerous franchise players. Plus think that Malkin were to break his leg near the end of the year, which will have a huge impact on his worth. Now knowing that you’re going to end up trading Malkin, why not trade him when he’s worth the most. Please don’t tell me that people aren’t going to watch Pittsburgh games because Malkin isn’t there. Crosby is and Staal and Fleury, they’ll come for them alone. I think Colorado will be able to take on Gonchar’s huge contract because they’ll have 4.56 M extra next year (no more bonuses for sakic and blake). Sakic only has a couple more good years left in him; I wish he had more but let’s face the facts. Malkin could be the new star. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, they have a better chance of making the Playoffs with an absolute solid offensive/defensive lines, plus 2 draft picks; which I don’t think Colorado would miss considering they draft their best players in the later rounds, and have 2 more 2nd rounders next year. I truly believe that this would benefit BOTH teams. Tell me your thoughts.