Penguins were close to trading both Malkin & Letang
Oh, how different the Pittsburgh Penguins would have looked if this happened.
Former Penguins executive Brian Burke was a guest on Jeff Marek's The Sheet, and opened up about his time running the team in Pittsburgh, and pulled back the curtain on a couple of blockbuster trades that almost materialized. Burke admitted the team was considering moving both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang if they didn't take pay cuts on their latest contract extensions.
"We talked about trading both Tanger and Geno"
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) October 10, 2025
Brian Burke tells Jeff Marek the Penguins did consider breaking up their core until Letang and Malkin made sacrifices to stay
Presented by @SportsOnPrimeCA #TheSheet #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/rjbGUjDnvZ
Burke is no longer with the team, of course, and the Penguins are certainly a team to watch this season as they creep close to a fire sale. If the Pens aren't solidified into a playoff spot a few weeks leading up to the trade deadline, expect Kyle Dubas to have a fire sale. Letang, Malkin, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Tristan Jarry, and yes, even Sidney Crosby could all be moved. It would be one of the wildest series of moves to date for a franchise, but don't put it past Dubas who would love to completely tear down the team.
For now, the Penguins seem to be off to a good start, and all the wild trade rumors could quickly subside if they keep it rolling heading into 2026.
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
