NHL Rumors: 2 Potential Destinations for Evgeni Malkin

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeni Malkin continue to be millions of dollars apart in contract talks and some have even reported, the two sides are now not speaking on a regular basis. With a breakup likely on the way this summer, things will be getting awfully interesting come July 13 when free agency begins. Let's take a look at two teams who will be in the hunt for Malkin if given the chance this offseason:

Washington Capitals

With a long list of Russian-born players on the Capitals, there's going to be mutual interest from both sides. Seeing Malkin and Alex Ovechkin on the same line could be coming in 2022-23. If the Penguins continue to low-ball Malkin with their contract offers, he could be pissed off enough to jump ship to their biggest rivals and totally create a massive story line as we head into next season. The Capitals will be trying to shore up their goaltending first, but if they can do so early on during the offseason, targeting a player like Malkin could be the next order of business.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are swinging for the fences this offseason and have almost $20 million in cap space to work with. Adding a player like Malkin could give them a huge boost to their group as they continue to look for an impact top-six forward. Money won't be an issue and with the Hurricanes being very close to a serious contender, the match could make a ton of sense for both sides. Malkin still has game, recording 42 points in 41 games last season and his postseason resume speaks for itself. Hurricanes management has set themselves up nicely for going all in this summer and it could all begin with signing the Russian star. Again, there's going to be extra motivation here if the Penguins continue to push Malkin out the door, so expect to see him sign in the eastern conference so he can do whatever he can to beat the Penguins in 2022-23 and beyond.