Malkin Leaves Russian Club

[Steve Durbano]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174058&hubname=

It appears the future of Evgeni Malkin has taken another bizarre twist.

According to Reuters, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass is reporting that Malkin has left his Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk during training camp in Finland.

Malkin, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins second overall in 2004 behind Alexander Ovechkin, reportedly disappeared, taking his belongings and passport with him. Earlier this week, the Russian star reworked his two-year contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk and agreed to a new one-year deal.

Malkin has made no secret of his wishes to play with the Penguins in the National Hockey League. But the Russian Ice Hockey Federation has yet to sign a transfer deal with the NHL and Malkin has found himself in the middle of the impasse.

The previous transfer agreement would have seen Metallurg Magnitogorsk receive just $200,000 in exchange for Malkin.

There has been no shortage of drama since Malkin decided to stay in Russia last season. J.P. Barry has confirmed to TSN that he and Pat Brisson have taken over the hockey management side of IMG, whom Malkin fired in June, and Malkin has left Don Meehan and returned to be represented by Barry and Brisson.

"His wish is to play in the NHL, and in Pittsburgh," Barry told the AP. "We will continue to talk to him about his future, and we will decide the best course for him at this time."

A premier offensive talent, Malkin led Magnitogork with 47 points in 46 games last season. The 6-foot-3 pivot was expected, along with phenom Sidney Crosby, to give the Penguins an elite one-two punch down the middle.

[andrew13]

hopefully he's defected and will be here soon... sucks for his family though if he does defect, since there was a lot of talk of the mob threatening him and making him stay another year...

[bnb611]

just another twist in the saga of evgeni malkin...hopefully he is comming for good

[Orr=God]

maybe hes been abducted by the mob

[bengino]

Originally Posted by Orr=God

maybe hes been abducted by the mob

they wouldn't take all his stuff including his passport if that were the case.

[Unforgiven]

The more I hear about the kid, the less I like him. I hope he isn't on his way over, to be honest.

[peacemaker]

Originally Posted by andrew13

hopefully he's defected and will be here soon... sucks for his family though if he does defect, since there was a lot of talk of the mob threatening him and making him stay another year...

I don't think he needs to 'defect' to get to the US anymore
.

[OBA]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2548273

[Unforgiven]

Velichkin is a knob.

[TNG]

The cold war is over, he doesn't have to "defect". It's a sad choice of words...
I'm just tired of this soap opera.
The only guys that will be laughing in the end and swimming in a pool filled with dollars are going to be his agents, the rest is just BS.

[dp]

Originally Posted by OBA

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2548273

"They all like to talk about democracy, the American way and then they shamelessly steal our best players. This is pure sports terrorism."

-Gennady Velichkin, Metallurg Magnitogorsk general director

Holy cow! talk about an over the top response.

[bengino]

the russians think they are owed everything, just because the mob runs the show over there doesn't mean that they deserve a better piece of pie then the rest of the european countries... if they let the mob run things maybe they should look in the mirror before they call someone else "terrorists"

[AVALANCHE FAN]

The Russians will probably end up using their Military Obligation clause to get Pitt and the NHL to caugh up more money like they did with Zherdev when he left.

[paint huffer]

I've been looking forward to Malkin playing in the NHL for a while now and I hope this doesn't delay it even more. He may as well just put his final year in over in Russia and then come over to this side of the pond and play in Pittsburgh.

The mob is really crazy over in Russia and they essentially run the Russian league based on what I've heard, so this could get very interesting for young Mr. Malkin.

[canuck2]

Originally Posted by andrew13

hopefully he's defected and will be here soon... sucks for his family though if he does defect, since there was a lot of talk of the mob threatening him and making him stay another year...

Do you know how long the Iron Curtain has been lifted?