I've been writing quite a bit lately about the Penguins moving Malkin to the Rangers. Malkin is in the final year of his contract and does want to be a number one center on a team moving forward...It's important to look at motivation, and when looking at the difference between Crosby and Malkin, those motivations appear to be vastly different.
Crosby wants to win first. Always has. He wouldn't care if he was second fiddle to McKinnon in Colorado if that meant a shot at another Cup. Malkin is driven more by comfort. Always has been.
Both players LOVE playing in Pittsburgh. Of that, there is zero question. However, Sid is more emotionally driven by winning.
Malkin wants to win as well, of course. He wouldn't accept a trade to ANY team. It would have to be a good team in need of a #1 center...aka the NY Rangers. However, a trade to a team like Colorado for Malkin would be a move he may turn down if Crosby was going to Montreal, for example.
Malkin would like to retire a Penguin in the 1C spot.
All of this may be moot because we know how the hockey gods work, and the Penguins have always gotten help from the draft in amazingly timed ways…….From 1984 and Mario to Jaromir to Sidney. has meant Penguins fans have had 50 years of bonafide Superstars..
Would Malkin be OK playing second fiddle to Gavin McKenna?
I guess we will find out…
With so many moving parts, this is going to be fascinating…
More to come