Pens decline fairly easily

I'll play along...

IF the Pens move Malkin it's a sign the Pens are packing it up with no plans to be competitive. Picking up someone like Drouin and/or Chiarot would make little sense. They'd need a deal to be more futures-heavy and with that much retention this deal would need some more. I get you need to move salary out, but I'd explore more secondary ways of doing that.

nmc

To offer some tweaks...

1) Remove Chiarot. I'm sure you can find another taker on him at the deadline.

2) Add a 2nd and 3rd, partially because the Pens would want more futures and partially because of the retention .

3) Add in another prospect, like Guhle, Hills, or Mysak.

I dont hate the idea, doubt Malkin would waive for Montreal but if he did probably need more futures.
1st/2nd and 2 prospects especially if taking on drouin and retaining salary.

Why wouldn't they want to be compeitive for the last years of Crosby?

Oh, I'm not arguing ANY of that. I'm just playing along with this, but if the Pens are going to move out Malkin, chances are everyone is on their way out. I think non-Penguins fans don't realize how important Malkin is to the Penguins and is nearly equally as unlikely to leave as Sid.