Florida Panthers Go All-In on Penguins Star Evgeni Malkin in Latest Blockbuster Trade Pitch

The Florida Panthers' early-season momentum has fizzled since consecutive losses, their loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday being one of them.

Having started 3-0-0, they've lost two in a row, but no one is writing them off yet. Still, there's no denying that the team's not at full strength. Captain Aleksander Barkov is out for the regular season after suffering a torn ACL in camp.

Matthew Tkachuk, who fought through an injury during last year's Stanley Cup playoff run, is also out, as is fourth-line depth forward Thomas Nosek due to a lengthy recovery.

All three miss affecting every level of Florida's roster: Barkov's leadership and world-class two-way ability to Tkachuk's goal-scoring presence, and Nosek's steady fourth-line fit.

Even with a solid core, the Panthers might consider bringing in reinforcements. One interesting possibility, according to NHL analyst Tristin McKinstry of Clutch Points, would be attempting to trade for Pittsburgh Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin.

At age 39, Malkin remains an elite playmaker, notching six assists in his first four games this season. But he's also on an expiring contract and potentially out of playing time.

Comparable trades of the past, including Florida's more recent deal for Brad Marchand and then Claude Giroux in 2022, are employed to create the market rate for a player of Malkin's caliber, per McKinstry.

McKinstry's suggestion is that the Florida Panthers would acquire Malkin, and in return, the Penguins would receive Mackie Samoskevich, a second-rounder in 2026, and a first-rounder in 2028.

Ultimately, this is all speculative. Whether or not the Penguins think about trading a cornerstone player depends on how the two sides fare over the next several months.

But if Malkin does reach the trade table, Florida could be first in line to make a hard charge.