Best Potential Fits for Evgeni Malkin amid Latest NHL Free Agent Rumors

Evgeni Malkin has played 16 seasons in the NHL. But on Wednesday, he's set to experience something that he hasn't at any point in his career thus far.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Malkin has "decided to go to the open market" as an unrestricted free agent, meaning he and the Pittsburgh Penguins won't be coming to terms before Wednesday at noon ET. This will be the first time that Malkin will be a free agent after spending his entire career thus far with the Pens.

The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported there had been "a bit of progress" in contract talks between Malkin and Pittsburgh heading into Monday, but the 35-year-old center's "frustration with how the process has played out" led to his choice to become a UFA.

Now that Malkin will soon be free to sign with any of the NHL's 32 teams, here's a look at the best fits for him in this later stage of his career.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 18: View of a Pittsburgh Penguins logo on a jersey during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Montreal Canadiens game on November 18, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Let's start with the option that would be the least surprising. Nobody would be in shock if Malkin and the Penguins eventually come to terms and he finishes his career with the only NHL franchise he's ever played for.

Dreger reported that Pittsburgh likely could have prevented Malkin from hitting free agency by giving him a four-year deal, but that was never "officially offered." According to The Athletic's Rob Rossi, the Penguins' opening offer at the end of the 2021-22 season was for two years and $6 million, but they moved up to three years last week.

Even though negotiations haven't worked out, it's not a sure thing that Malkin will be wearing a different sweater when the 2022-23 campaign gets underway.

"The possibility exists he still could return to Pittsburgh, but it feels like he wants to see what the market looks like before he entertains that idea," Dreger said on TSN's That's Hockey.

A three-time All-Star, three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Hart Trophy winner, Malkin's had an illustrious career with the Penguins, tallying 444 goals and 702 assists in 981 career games. It seems he still has productive years ahead of him, so if he and Pittsburgh can agree on a contract, there's likely a spot for him on one of the team's top offensive lines.

Carolina Hurricanes

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MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 21: A detailed view of the Carolina Hurricanes logo during the second period in a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on October 21, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

If Malkin decides it's time to leave Pittsburgh and he wants to go to an immediate Stanley Cup contender, there may be no better fit than with the Carolina Hurricanes. After making the playoffs each of the past four years, the Hurricanes are poised to go on a deeper run after getting eliminated within the first two rounds each of the past three seasons.

Carolina could be losing some key offensive players in free agency, with Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter and Max Domi all set to hit the market. But that gives the Hurricanes some financial flexibility this offseason, which could help them land a player like Malkin.

Per CapFriendly, Carolina is set to have $19.376 million in available cap space this offseason. So the team is already in a position in which it could sign Malkin without having to make moves to dump salary.

Last season, Malkin had 20 goals and 22 assists in 41 games. So not only is he still productive when healthy, but he has 177 games of postseason experience under his belt. That could be valuable for a team like the Hurricanes, who are looking to win their first Stanley Cup since 2006 and should be in a position to contend next season.

Detroit Red Wings

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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 07: The Detroit Red Wings Hockeytown logo flags prior to the Detroit Red Wings game versus the Montreal Canadiens on January 7, 2020, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Detroit Red Wings need to improve offensively after ranking 25th in the NHL with 2.77 goals per game last season. They're in a position to spend to get better this offseason, as they have $31.02 million of available cap space, per CapFriendly.

One way that Detroit could greatly improve one of its top offensive lines is by signing Malkin. He'd provide a tremendous boost on that end of the ice, and he could serve as a mentor to some of the youngsters on the Red Wings' roster.

At this point, Detroit isn't a Stanley Cup contender. But if Malkin signs a three- or four-year deal with the Red Wings, maybe they could reach that level toward the end of that contract. Plus, Malkin could welcome the challenge to try to help a rebuilding team take the next step.

It may come down to how much Detroit would be willing to pay Malkin, because it may not want to spend too much. The Red Wings still need to be wise with their finances even if they have a ton of flexibility, and if they believe their window of contention is beyond when Malkin will still be productive, they could opt to go in a different direction.

But it would be fun to watch Malkin play for an Original Six franchise and potentially help rejuvenate a fanbase after some tough seasons in Detroit.