Free agent future for Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson has expansion draft layer for Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins would have some fascinating decisions to make if the NHL chooses to expand to a 33rd team next offseason.Expansion brings with it a draft for the new team, and that involves every team in the league protecting some players and leaving others exposed.And the Penguins might end up leaving both Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson exposed, writes The Athletic's Shayna Goldman.It actually makes sense, because both will be unrestricted free agents. The expansion drafting team would only take them if it feels like it could then get them to agree to a contract.Still, that introduces at least some risk of the Penguins losing them."That NMC rule only applies to players signed through the following season," Goldman writes. "So a pending UFA like Evgeni Malkin gets exposed, in favo