Here's an excerpt from my latest column for TribLive.com:
When the Penguins traded Jake Guentzel in 2024, they sandwiched going 1-6-1 around that deal. The dressing room pouted, effectively going on strike. (Those Penguins missed the playoffs by three points. Do the math.)
If Evgeni Malkin is allowed to walk, it will be 10 times worse.
The stench would permeate all season. It would be a topic of discussion for the entirety of the campaign. It would 100% ruin the dressing room.
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The Penguins' core three of Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have been teammates for 20 seasons.
Hockey is a business, it's often said.
But within the prevailing context, those three have never had to realize that.
They've played their entire careers together. Why wouldn't they expect that to continue indefinitely?
If Malkin departs, the excrement show starts.
It's not a hill worth dying on.
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