The fat fuck Mark Madden is reporting that the Pens organization isn't happy with Malkin, at all.  Both with his play and his attitude (particularly with his lack of willingness to play more disciplined). 

Said the Pens wouldn't be against trading him if the right deal came along, although his NMC will likely make that impossible anyways. 

Funny how the dam always seems to break on sports teams after disappointing seasons. 

I also didn't realize how bad Malkin's season really was. 

Led the team in both penalty minutes and turnovers, worst +/- on the team, and fewest goals of his career excluding lockout seasons and 2011 when he only played 43 games. 

I don't want to trade him, but if we are to get this ship turned around, that isn't going to cut it. 

I know he didn't have a great season, but I'm thinking this was an anomlay for him.  The guy's track record speaks for itself and I recognize that he is older, but he's still had is flashes of dominance this past season. 

If they trade Malkin this year they won't be winning shit for about 10 more years (or whenever we're able to draft the next generational player)

The fat fuck Mark Madden is reporting that the Pens organization isn't happy with Malkin, at all.  Both with his play and his attitude (particularly with his lack of willingness to play more disciplined). 

Said the Pens wouldn't be against trading him if the right deal came along, although his NMC will likely make that impossible anyways. 

Funny how the dam always seems to break on sports teams after disappointing seasons. 

I also didn't realize how bad Malkin's season really was. 

Led the team in both penalty minutes and turnovers, worst +/- on the team, and fewest goals of his career excluding lockout seasons and 2011 when he only played 43 games. 

I don't want to trade him, but if we are to get this ship turned around, that isn't going to cut it. 

I know he didn't have a great season, but I'm thinking this was an anomlay for him.  The guy's track record speaks for itself and I recognize that he is older, but he's still had is flashes of dominance this past season. 

If they trade Malkin this year they won't be winning shit for about 10 more years (or whenever we're able to draft the next generational player)

I'm not so much concerned about his physical performance as much as I am his mental one. 

I look at those stats I listed above regarding penalties turnovers and +/- (which is obviously related to the turnovers) and I see problems with the mental side of his game.  Within the context of the overall team and how it performed this past season, I see it as a big problem.  And maybe even an even bigger problem if that story of him in the film room holds any water. 

He's far from the only problem, of course, but those issues simply cannot remain from the team's second best player if this team is going to become a contender again. 

The easy solution is for him to commit to being more disciplined.  And that's the solution I want to happen.  If he doesn't want to do that, then I think this has the potential to be a bigger issue than any one of us wants to believe it can be. 

Madden talking about trading Malkin, eh?  I will never forget this gem:

Madden definitely uses Malkin as one of his foils (like he does with Ju Ju).  No doubt about that. 

But when he reports on something coming from the Pens organization, it's generally pretty accurate.  It's pretty easy to tell when he's actually reporting something, and when he's just trying to ruffle feathers.  There's some overlap, of course.  He will use that info to help further his agenda.  But that doesn't mean the info itself should be discredited. 

We could trade Malkin to Oakland/Vegas for a 3rd and 5th round draft choices.  The precedent is there. 

Maybe Geno is Denny Crane crazy or he got the 'mad cow'.  He might be spending too much time with Perkus Tooth. 

To be serious this is a player that had 98 points and 42 goals the year before.  He got off to the best start of his career this season and was the NHL's second player for the month of October. 

Then his game went into a funk that carried most of the season with the exception where he had like 9 goals in 6 games.  So what went South so suddenly?  If there is a problem then what is the cause of this sudden downturn? 

Is it a coach or teammate?  I have my doubts because this is a player quoted as saying he liked to play for Therrien.  The only teammate I have ever heard him call out hasn't been with the team in years. 

If he has turned into a sulker and bad teammate and doesn't want to change then get rid of him. 

We could trade Malkin to Oakland/Vegas for a 3rd and 5th round draft choices.  The precedent is there. 

Maybe Geno is Denny Crane crazy or he got the 'mad cow'.  He might be spending too much time with Perkus Tooth. 

To be serious this is a player that had 98 points and 42 goals the year before.  He got off to the best start of his career this season and was the NHL's second player for the month of October. 

Then his game went into a funk that carried most of the season with the exception where he had like 9 goals in 6 games.  So what went South so suddenly?  If there is a problem then what is the cause of this sudden downturn? 

Is it a coach or teammate?  I have my doubts because this is a player quoted as saying he liked to play for Therrien.  The only teammate I have ever heard him call out hasn't been with the team in years. 

If he has turned into a sulker and bad teammate and doesn't want to change then get rid of him. 

Well I think this is a bit different than the AB saga when you look at Malkin.  Malkin is an extreme competitor and has no problem sharing the limelight with Sid.  The difference is that I think Malkin is more like Ben in this scenario.  Ben's fed up with the shit and drama that's been going on. 

I'm sure Malkin feels the same by either having a) Lazy Phil or b) shitty leftovers as linemmates lately.  Then he sees the organization sign Sid's BFF in Johnson, then trade away Hags and then just a general deviation from what made them successful.  I think if Geno is sulking it's because he wants to win so badly, not because he craves the attention. 

We could trade Malkin to Oakland/Vegas for a 3rd and 5th round draft choices.  The precedent is there. 

Maybe Geno is Denny Crane crazy or he got the 'mad cow'.  He might be spending too much time with Perkus Tooth. 

To be serious this is a player that had 98 points and 42 goals the year before.  He got off to the best start of his career this season and was the NHL's second player for the month of October. 

Then his game went into a funk that carried most of the season with the exception where he had like 9 goals in 6 games.  So what went South so suddenly?  If there is a problem then what is the cause of this sudden downturn? 

Is it a coach or teammate?  I have my doubts because this is a player quoted as saying he liked to play for Therrien.  The only teammate I have ever heard him call out hasn't been with the team in years. 

If he has turned into a sulker and bad teammate and doesn't want to change then get rid of him. 

Well I think this is a bit different than the AB saga when you look at Malkin.  Malkin is an extreme competitor and has no problem sharing the limelight with Sid.  The difference is that I think Malkin is more like Ben in this scenario.  Ben's fed up with the shit and drama that's been going on. 

I'm sure Malkin feels the same by either having a) Lazy Phil or b) shitty leftovers as linemmates lately.  Then he sees the organization sign Sid's BFF in Johnson, then trade away Hags and then just a general deviation from what made them successful.  I think if Geno is sulking it's because he wants to win so badly, not because he craves the attention. 

I wasn't(trying to) compare Malkin to AB.  One guy has done it all and comes back from serious injuries to be at his best whilst the other is a stats/money whore.  Malkin has said time and time again that he appreciates his stature with the Pens and he is a competitor for sure. 

I agree with the Ben comparison and take it further.  Malkin and Ben are so capable of doing what seems impossible that you just shake your head in amazement from time to time.  Both are capable of doing bone head things that leave you wondering WTF were they thinking? 

I'm not sure this Malkin drama is for real that is why I introduced the two fictional characters in my thoughts.  If it is true that the organization is pissed off at Malkin I hope the tension can be fixed. 

He may or may not be a diva, but the fact that reports are highlighting his (alledged) assholish behavior is unsettling. 

And from someone that doesn't know shit about hockey, if Malkin is jettisoned, Sid can't do it alone.  It'll be a while before the pens sniff a stanley cup. 

The Pens organization can be conniving.  When they don't like someone they feed certain members of the media...it's a roundabout way of a middle finger to the player without anyone in the organizatioin looking bad. 

I mean Simon Desprese was an alleged gambler - that had no basis at all.  He was soon tradedThen you hear the Phil rumors.  Last year it was Letang.  This offseason it's Malkin

So it's a way for the Pens to let other GM's know "hey, I'm not saying this person is available" and not do it publicly.  Rumor has it there were offers made for Letang and Phil last year but wasn't enough for JR apparently.  When JR is/was pressed he can say "we never wanted to trade X player...where are you getting that?"