Malkin to officially sign with Pens tomorrow

[FightingIsGood]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06247/719014-100.stm

Malkin to sign with Penguins tomorrow
Monday, September 04, 2006

By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins and Russian center Evgeni Malkin have agreed on all but the final few details of an entry-level contract.

The deal covers three years, as mandated by the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, and will feature a base salary of $984,200. That is the maximium for a player drafted in 2004, when the Penguins claimed Malkin with the second choice in the entry draft.

Malkin's package is expected to include a collection of performance- and award-based bonuses that could be worth over $2.5 million, depending on how many he reaches.

Malkin, who left his Russian Super League team last month while it was training in Finland, has spend the past few weeks in Los Angeles. He is expected to sign his contract before a press conference tomorrow morning at Mellon Arena and will be present for the start of the team's rookie camp Thursday.

It remains to be seen if Malkin's Russian team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, will take legal action to prevent him from playing in North America. Magnitogorsk has threatened to do so, contending it has a valid contract with Malkin.