Malkin now in Los Angeles

[Steve Durbano]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174525&hubname=

Evgeni Malkin is in Los Angeles with his agents JP Barry and Pat Brisson.

Malkin is seeking counsel to determine how he can join the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"It's been a difficult week", Barry told TSN.

Barry has been with Malkin since the pair connected at an airport in Helsinki, Finland on Saturday, at which point they went into lockdown in a nearby apartment to await Malkin's visa clearance.

The 20-year-old requested Barry meet him in Helsinki because he knew this would be his first opportunity to control his own passport. Upon receiving the passport in the airport Malkin quickly slipped away from his team, found Barry and was whisked into hiding.

"Magnitogorsk controlled Evgeni's passport and this was his first opportunity he could obtain his passport and leave the team," Barry added.

All of the secrecy was necessary to ensure Magnitogorsk officials wouldn't track Malkin down while he waited for the U.S. embassy in Helsinki to process an American visa.

That visa arrived midday on Wednesday and within two hours Malkin and Barry boarded an airplane bound for the United States.

CAA sports filed a two-week notification to terminate Malkin's contract with Magnitogorsk on Sunday. In early July a similar notice was served in an effort to break away from his original agreement.

It is not certain what the next step in this process will be, including Malkin's immediate status with the Penguins.

A team of lawyers will soon be brought on board to determine a direction.

What is known is that Evgeni Malkin is healthy and very eager to put the politics of this saga behind him.

Malkin is currently working out with a number of pro hockey players at the Kings' practice facility in Los Angeles.

Vyacheslav Bykov, Russia's national head coach, hopes Malkin will still play for his country.

''As a national team head coach I would like to count on him, and I was sure about his participation in the next year's World Championship,'' Bykov told Sport Express.

''I think he is a strong player and he has all the chances to join the team,'' Bykov added.

[wellzy]

thats some crazy s**t goin on just to play in the nhl, but its probably worth it.

[JKidd]

Holy ****ing hell. Talk about a crazy situation to do be challenged. I wonder if the Russian club has any way to "make" him play in Russia?

[Elf]

Originally Posted by jkidd

Holy ****ing hell. Talk about a crazy situation to do be challenged. I wonder if the Russian club has any way to "make" him play in Russia?

Well, since those Russians 'have ways of making you talk' I am sure they can make him play.

Any report than Malkin's parents are 'missing' yet?

[MrFrost]

Thats gotta be scary as hell for a 20 year old kid to be involved in. Not quite as scary as combat but definitly scary. Left the family behind and everything.

[johano90]

Does sound really bad. Sounds like we are back in the days of Larionov and such. The legal battle over this will most likely take a very long time. Gutsy move by the youngster though.

[andrew13]

i like how the kid never had control of his own passport, the team had it the whole time. does that sound like a "free and open" society to anyone on here? (besides tsar)

[Strife]

Yea that's some crazy stuff Andrew... I had no idea it was to that extent... sounds like he was being treated like a little kid / hostage to me!

[Lead]

I hope with this saga has ended...