It's been a while since I've had to highlight a ridiculous trade rumor, but the latest sent in to me by a reader from a supposed NHL "insider" nearly had me spitting my morning coffee on my monitor.

This doozy claims that Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeny Malkin isn't happy playing in the supposed shadow of Sidney Crosby, that he doesn't want to play second-fiddle to Crosby and he's used to being the number one guy on any team he's played for.

The rumor suggests the reason for all the cloak and dagger antics to spirit him out of Russia and hiding him in Los Angeles was to disguise the fact Malkin wanted his agents to pressure the Penguins into trading him.

First of all, even if this were true (and it's not), as a rookie on an entry-level contract, Malkin is in no position to demand anything from the Penguins. The only leverage he'd have would be to pull the same stunt Eric Lindros did with the Quebec Nordiques and refuse to report to the Penguins until they traded his rights to a team he wanted to play for, and obviously that never crossed his mind. He wants to play in the NHL and had no problem signing with the Penguins.

What makes this rumor particularly stupid is the suggestion that his problems with his Russian team that required spy-novel tactics by his agents to bring him to North America was to disguise his unhappiness with being a Penguin.

Malkin's problems have been well-documented on both sides of the Atlantic, and all point to contract problems with Mettalurg Magnitogorsk. Nowhere in those reports was there even a hint of Malkin wanting the Penguins to trade him.

Finally, if Malkin supposedly doesn't want to play second fiddle to Sid the Kid, he has the talent to shine as brightly as Crosby or even to outshine him. Given the response to Malkin by Penguins fans, I doubt very much he'll feel under-appreciated by the Pittsburgh faithful.

All of this not only makes this the stupid trade rumor of the week but possibly of the year!