[blueandwhite]

From The Star dot com:
Evgeni Malkin, the star forward and Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick who has said repeatedly he wants to play in the NHL, left his Russian pro team during a training camp in Finland yesterday, various Russian news services reported. It was uncertain whether Malkin bolted from the team in an attempt to get to North America and play for the Penguins this season, but the Itar-Tass news agency, citing a source within the club, reported Malkin took his belongings and passport with him.

Sounds like a Ludlum plot. he renegotiated his two year contract down to one just last week, yet still insisted he wanted to play in the NHL right away.
he was #2 draft pick in 2004 but could not play in the NHL because of no transfer agreement that could be arranged with the Russian hockey federation.
Makes Pittsburgh hockey that much more intriguing.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

From The Star dot com:
Evgeni Malkin, the star forward and Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick who has said repeatedly he wants to play in the NHL, left his Russian pro team during a training camp in Finland yesterday, various Russian news services reported. It was uncertain whether Malkin bolted from the team in an attempt to get to North America and play for the Penguins this season, but the Itar-Tass news agency, citing a source within the club, reported Malkin took his belongings and passport with him.

Sounds like a Ludlum plot. he renegotiated his two year contract down to one just last week, yet still insisted he wanted to play in the NHL right away.
he was #2 draft pick in 2004 but could not play in the NHL because of no transfer agreement that could be arranged with the Russian hockey federation.
Makes Pittsburgh hockey that much more intriguing.

Maybe its not Pittsburgh...maybe he has an American girlfriend and wants to play stateside...maybe he wants a better jersey and logo...maybe he signed a deal for being on hockey cards and wants to cash in on it....maybe I have been on the road in Milwaukee too long and I am jsut babbling...maybe

[blueandwhite]

you are being creative.
Seems this guy just wants out of Russia, and he'll play for any NHL team - if they can legitimately have hi. What happens now, i wonder - if he's run off and wants to be an NHLer, will they let him if it affects relations internationally?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

you are being creative.
Seems this guy just wants out of Russia, and he'll play for any NHL team - if they can legitimately have hi. What happens now, i wonder - if he's run off and wants to be an NHLer, will they let him if it affects relations internationally?

I think th Penguins could use him...maybe we could trade them some of our players that can't cut it in the NHL and want to add a more Euro style to their resume...maybe...I mean as long as I am being creative...though the poor people at the front desk in this hotel where I have been 4 out of the past 6 weeks probably have other pet names for me...like "customer from hell"...

[mervinout]

i agree with the russian federation 200k is not equal pay to give up his contract and its a good reason not to join the internation hockey federation. however wat they want is insane, they want the equvilent of what it would cost any soccer club to purchase a top tier player. The difference is the russian team doesnt have the same salary as a top soccer club nor does the nhl teams make the same money as a top soccer club. I think something to the effect of a million or two is fair but not ten million like the russians want. This player could easily be the best player in the next 20 years, easily be better then ovenchkin and even sid the kid. This guy they compare to lemuix but the best comparsion is a mark messier, can score, can play rough, and will make the assist if it needs to be done.

[mervinout]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

you are being creative.
Seems this guy just wants out of Russia, and he'll play for any NHL team - if they can legitimately have hi. What happens now, i wonder - if he's run off and wants to be an NHLer, will they let him if it affects relations internationally?

blue and white this happened earlier in the past years or so, i forget who it was but it wasnt ovenchkin i think, do you remember i wanna say he was with the blues. He had to go back to russia and then later came back to the states to play

[mervinout]

and i agree with that guy who sucked in net agianst america in the lake placid games, the peguins ownership wants him this year so they can raise the teams value

[blueandwhite]

I can't remember the name, I've been trying to find it on the net. I'll keep looking.
I did read that they think malkin may have a Canadian passport - so he may be somewhere around here (big country).
Yeah, so the NHL wanted a buyout of $200,000 and the Russians want millions. there is even question of whether he may already be signed by the Pens.
intriguing.

[mervinout]

im sure they hve played the "wat if game" with his agent

Basically going to his agent(s) if he somehow got away from his russian team we would be willing to give him this

and then the agents says well if he gets away he is going want this

its common way of getting all the rules that go with negitions in the cba

[mervinout]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

I can't remember the name, I've been trying to find it on the net. I'll keep looking.
I did read that they think malkin may have a Canadian passport - so he may be somewhere around here (big country).
Yeah, so the NHL wanted a buyout of $200,000 and the Russians want millions. there is even question of whether he may already be signed by the Pens.
intriguing.

my question for this is, if there not part of the organzation were the rates are determined, and the contract isnt in the united states, what grounds are they going to stand on to sue. Would they say since hockey is in CA also its an international business, or what?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by mervinout

my question for this is, if there not part of the organzation were the rates are determined, and the contract isnt in the united states, what grounds are they going to stand on to sue. Would they say since hockey is in CA also its an international business, or what?

I would think the NHL as a whole would want to culivate a good relationship from leagues that supply a good portion of their stars...makes scouting, etc...easier...this should be settle quickly...3/4 of a million dollar gets eaten up by lawyers quicker...

[mervinout]

they do but Russia is the only country that hasnt signed the agreement, this is why the nhl is left negtioating, other countries have agreed to a guarenteed 200k fee for each player

[blueandwhite]

So the Russians are now fighting mad. in the Toronto Star today, it's reported that Bill Daly, the NHL deputy commissioner, says "Russian clubs need to understand the consequences of their reluctance to enter into a mutually acceptable framework". He clarifies consequences by explaining that they will "continually lose players with no compensation".
Sounds threatening.
Gennady Velichkin, the head of Superleague team Magnitogorsk (Malkin's team) calls this "sports terrorism". He wants to sue Pittsburgh, and the NHL and its "whole arrogance". He sees it as, since the Russians made Malkin what he is today, he is worth more than $200,000 ie tens of millions of dollars like the soccer players get.
This is getting dirty.

[blueandwhite]

Malkin has faxed his notice in to his Russian Metallurg team. Apparently in Russia, it is the law that any worker has to leave his job by giving two weeks written (see: faxed) notice.
His agents say he is safe.
Hey GDK, do you know who received the fax? The Metallurg coach, a guy named Dave King, who used to coach the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Thoughts are, Malkin is here in Canada, not Pittsburgh.

[blueandwhite]

He has surfaced in LA, skating with the likes of Rob Blake and Anson Carter.
Don't know why he's there, but then again, who wouldn't want to go to LA after growing up in Russia?