For the first time in his 16-year career, Evgeni Malkin will test free agency. The Pittsburgh Penguins legend has expressed frustrations over contract talks recently, and while the two sides reportedly made progress, the 36-year-old will test the open market.

There is the potential that Malkin will wear a logo that is not the Penguins on his sweater next season. It'd be a sight to behold, to say the least.

Think of NHL legends that have played for one team their entire career. Now think about them in a different uniform. Imagine if the Detroit Red Wings traded Steve Yzerman to the Ottawa Senators in 1995. That mental image doesn't look right, does it?

That is what Malkin in a different sweater would feel like. And because there's a possibility of it happening, let's look at three teams that he'd fit best with.

Before we begin, let's get one thing out of the way: the Penguins won't be on this list, but they will always be the very best landing spot for the 36-year-old. This piece will look at new destinations for the future Hall of Famer, so Pittsburgh won't be included.

That being said, let's get into it.

Evgeni Malkin: 3 best destinations in 2022 NHL Free Agency

1) Boston Bruins

The Bruins are reportedly bringing back captain Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. However, they desperately need depth down the middle.

Boston seems to believe their championship window is still open. If that's the case, then adding Malkin would be a great idea.

The 36-year-old has struggled with injury in recent years, but when healthy, he is still a highly effective player. Just two years ago, Malkin posted 74 points in 55 games. He put up 98 points in 78 games in 2017-18.

He has the ability to play in the top six. Boston could even put him on the first line if they wanted. And he'd be surrounded by capable scorers, such as Taylor Hall, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak.

Malkin reportedly wants a four-year deal. The hang-up with the Penguins was that the team only wanted to go for three years. If Boston is willing to go the extra year, then taking the 600-mile trip from Pittsburgh to Boston may be worthwhile.

2) Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes also need depth down the middle. They are set to lose Vincent Trocheck and Max Domi to free agency on Wednesday.

The Canes are one of the few teams that can offer Malkin the best of both worlds. They are a team ready to make a deep playoff run now. And they have the cap space to afford Malkin without needing to clear space first.

If Carolina wants to retain Trocheck, they'll have to battle with a variety of other teams to do it. They'll have to go through a similar battle for Malkin, but if they can win, it'll add Stanley Cup experience and offensive firepower.

Malkin can once again slot in on Carolina's top-six and could pull top-line minutes if needed. He'd pair well with Teuvo Teravainen, Andrei Svechnikov, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

This move would be even better if the Hurricanes could retain winger Nino Niederreiter. However, the Canes may not have the cap space available to sign both Malkin and Niederreiter.

3) New York Islanders

The Islanders are looking to rebound from a horrific season last year. They don't seem to believe it entirely shut their window. A rebuild doesn't look likely to occur on Long Island.

The Islanders need more of a long-term option down the middle. In that sense, Malkin doesn't quite work for them. A better fit may be Vincent Trocheck. However, adding the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer would still be worthwhile.

New York had issues scoring last season. The team's higher-ups seem to have chalked that up to Barry Trotz's ultra-defensive style. The Isles fired Trotz at the end of the season, replacing him with Lane Lambert. That could very well help them play more in the offensive zone.

Adding Malkin gives them insurance down the middle, especially in the event Mat Barzal leaves the team. Without Barzal, the Islanders' current centers are Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas.

Malkin would work well with Anthony Beauvillier, Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee, and Josh Bailey on the top six. The team has an up-and-coming winger in Oliver Wahlstrom that could also find his way into top-six minutes.

Going to Islanders may be a case of Malkin betting on the team bouncing back from last year's disaster. New York has previously reached the playoff final four two years running. There's no reason the Islanders can't bounce back.

The question is whether or not they will. Adding the future Hall of Famer would be a step in the right direction, at the very least.