Malkin Signs With Pens

Malkin beats adversity, is signed, sealed and delivered
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

More Coverage:
From there to here: How Evgeni Malkin finds himself in Pittsburgh

It took Russian center Evgeni Malkin more than 26 months and some tense moments to get to Pittsburgh from the time the Penguins drafted him second overall in 2004.
It took him about 15 hours to get a sense of what life can be like for an NHL star -- off the ice, anyway.

There was his arrival Monday night at Pittsburgh International, where he signed autographs and was met by a handful of reporters. There was dinner that night at Hall of Fame player and team owner Mario Lemieux's house, where Malkin joined, among others, general manager Ray Shero and players Sidney Crosby and Sergei Gonchar for filet mignon, lobster and a tour of a home full of memorabilia and trophies.

There was his first trip to Mellon Arena yesterday morning, with sights along the way pointed out, including the two North Shore stadiums.

There was the signing of his Penguins rookie contract, three years at $984,200 per year plus incentive bonuses that could top $2 million, followed by a news conference with plenty of lights and clicking cameras.

Malkin, 20, who speaks very little English, watched intently as the team played a promotional highlight video of some of his more spectacular goals. He answered several questions through interpreter Olga McQueen, looking at the questioners but showing little emotion. His few smiles came during the photo ops, when he was presented a No. 71 Penguins jersey by Lemieux and when he posed with others.

The difficult journey is over for Malkin. The Penguins and his agents, J.P. Barry and Pat Brisson, remain braced for a legal battle with his Russian team, Magnitogorsk Metallurg, which could contest Malkin playing in the NHL.

"I expect that something will happen in the next month, but based on the information we're receiving, we feel very strongly about the steps that we're taking under Russian law," said Barry, adding that Malkin stands on strong ground because he signed a one-year contract with Metallurg under duress, then submitted proper two-week notice to nullify it.

Malkin's long transition started about a month ago, when Metallurg, his hometown team in the Russian Super League, pressured him into signing a one-year contract in the wee hours of the morning.

"The next day, after I signed the contract, I was very upset and I looked forward to leaving as soon as I could," Malkin said. "That's why I phoned J.P. Barry and asked for help."

Barry met Malkin when the player slipped away from Metallurg at the Helsinki, Finland, airport. The two remained there five days until Malkin could get a visa to travel to the United States.

"The team was training only 10 miles away, and we were only 1 kilometer from the Russian embassy," Barry said. "We needed to get to the American embassy to get the visa, so we were basically going right by the Russian embassy walking down the road. We had to be quiet and subtle about what we were doing."

Some considered Malkin missing, and there were some fears about his safety or that of his parents in Magnitogorsk.

"When I was in Helsinki, I definitely was a bit concerned, but not that much," Malkin said. "I had the feeling, knowing Mr. [Gennady] Velichkin [general director of Metallurg] for so many years, he wouldn't go for any harsh measures."

Once he got the visa, Malkin flew to Los Angeles and trained there with NHL players. He said he was able to reassure his parents and help soothe bitter fans.

"I can understand my fans pretty well," he said. "When I signed the contract with Magnitogorsk, they felt very happy about me staying in Russia and playing with the club. But after what happened, I'm sure they were upset.

"Later on, I got a chance to call a few friends of mine and explain what was going on, that I was happy about my decision and that it was my dream to come here and play with the Pittsburgh Penguins club. I was always open about my desire to come to North America. My friends understood me, and now I keep in touch with them and my family in Russia. I know that everything will calm down."

And Malkin (his first name is yev-GEN-ee with a hard "G") can get on with his career, one that has seen him shine with Metallurg and in international play, including the Olympics in February.
He will participate in the team's rookie camp starting Friday. Practices Saturday and Sunday will be open to the public from 10-11:30 a.m. at Mellon Arena. Malkin, 6 feet 3 and 192 pounds, has the size and deceptive speed reminiscent of Lemieux, but he also has a strong physical side to his play.

"With his reach and his size, he's got a lot of talent," said Lemieux, who looked to be a hair taller than the newest Penguin.

Lemieux understands the transition Malkin faces.

"I told him that I didn't speak any English until I came to Pittsburgh," said Lemieux, a native of Montreal who was the first overall draft pick in 1984. "I'm the perfect example that you can make it work. I know it's going to take some time, the first year or so, to get acclimated to a new culture, but I'm sure he'll do fine."

Malkin will live with Gonchar, a Russian-born Penguins defenseman.

Shero hopes that will help Malkin be as comfortable as possible and vowed to do whatever it takes to help him thrive.

"Going through what he did to come over, the commitment and courage he showed, makes us feel very good about him," Shero said.

(Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1721. )