Like Sands Through The Hour Glass.....These Are The Days Of Our Lives....Starring: Evgeni Malkin
On an almost daily basis we are getting a different vibe out of Mother Russia. Malkin has changed agents, Pat Brisson is out and Don Meehan is in. This bodes well, because Meehan got The Great Alexander Ovechkin to cross the Deep Blue Sea and come to the NHL! Then the ball begins to roll a bit further, as Pens fans get their hopes up.....Malkin has not traveled with Metallurg to a pre-season tournament, this must be a sign that he is coming. Nope, just a surgical procedure that no one seemed to know about, a hematoma removed from his thigh causing him to practice with the B team.
Then there was breaking news in Malkin's own words: "I am 95% certain that I will cross the pond." Pens fans were jubilant once again, could their prized prospect be coming over to the NHL to team with Sidney Crosby?? Don Meehan, the NEW agent, says that negotiations are going to begin with Pittsburgh, Malkin has given his two week notice and will take advantage of the loophole in Russian Labor Law. Pens fans are celebrating in the streets....planning a Malkin ticker tape parade. Then Gennady Velichkin, General Manager of Metallurg Magnitagorsk releases a statement that he is confident that Malkin will stay in Russia this upcoming season and that he has certain secrets to keep him there.....what could it be?
The two stories were circulating in hockey circles, and many were confident that Malkin would don the Black and Vegas Gold this season. Well.....as so many Soap Operas go, the story changed again Sunday.
Malkin has apparently fired Don Meehan and rehired Pat Brisson. Then word broke late last night in a press release from Metallurg.ru, that Malkin and the team President of Metallurg had come to an agreement to terminate his existing contract and to sign a one year deal paying him significantly more cash. This would also allow him to become a unrestricted free agent in the Super League next season, clearing the way for him to come to the NHL the followsing season.
I am still not certain if this is completely accurate. Did Evgeni play everyone and use the NHL as a negotiating ploy to get more money in Russia, if so, he succeeded. Are there still backroom negotiations going on with the NHL and the Penguins. Are the secrets that Velichkin mentioned causing Malkin to go against his own desire to play in the NHL? No one can be sure. There have been times in the past where the Mafia has leaned on players, or threatened families etc to get what they want. Could this be happening in Russia right now? Is Malkin being threatened with having to give his two years or Military service, as was rumored a couple weeks ago? This has got to be the strangest hockey story of the year thus far. Especially when you consider the Passport issue.
Malkin's agent in Russia, Sergei Isakov, supposedly held Malkin's passport(according to metallurg.ru) and wouldn't give it to team officials when they asked. They needed it to get visas for Malkin to travel with the team to Finland and other countries in Europe. The team was in the process of trying to get a new one for Malkin but didn't have to follow through, after Malkin supposedly fired Isakov in yet another agent change.
The fallout of this entire situation may leave the Penguins without a true second line center for the second year in a row, and ultimately paints Malkin as indecisive, unprofessional and greedy. Is this fair for a 20 year old kid? Absolutely not, but many in Pittsburgh will feel that way. Especially after the team teased Malkin's arrival late last season with a jumbotron montage ending with the words: "Coming to an arena near you - 10/05/06." Pittsburgh, unfortunately, is not the most forgiving sports town and this entire situation just might hurt Malkin before he ever plays a game at the Mellon Arena.
It would seem that the final word on this may be out before the end of the week. The outlook is now quite bleak.
Then there was breaking news in Malkin's own words: "I am 95% certain that I will cross the pond." Pens fans were jubilant once again, could their prized prospect be coming over to the NHL to team with Sidney Crosby?? Don Meehan, the NEW agent, says that negotiations are going to begin with Pittsburgh, Malkin has given his two week notice and will take advantage of the loophole in Russian Labor Law. Pens fans are celebrating in the streets....planning a Malkin ticker tape parade. Then Gennady Velichkin, General Manager of Metallurg Magnitagorsk releases a statement that he is confident that Malkin will stay in Russia this upcoming season and that he has certain secrets to keep him there.....what could it be?
The two stories were circulating in hockey circles, and many were confident that Malkin would don the Black and Vegas Gold this season. Well.....as so many Soap Operas go, the story changed again Sunday.
Malkin has apparently fired Don Meehan and rehired Pat Brisson. Then word broke late last night in a press release from Metallurg.ru, that Malkin and the team President of Metallurg had come to an agreement to terminate his existing contract and to sign a one year deal paying him significantly more cash. This would also allow him to become a unrestricted free agent in the Super League next season, clearing the way for him to come to the NHL the followsing season.
I am still not certain if this is completely accurate. Did Evgeni play everyone and use the NHL as a negotiating ploy to get more money in Russia, if so, he succeeded. Are there still backroom negotiations going on with the NHL and the Penguins. Are the secrets that Velichkin mentioned causing Malkin to go against his own desire to play in the NHL? No one can be sure. There have been times in the past where the Mafia has leaned on players, or threatened families etc to get what they want. Could this be happening in Russia right now? Is Malkin being threatened with having to give his two years or Military service, as was rumored a couple weeks ago? This has got to be the strangest hockey story of the year thus far. Especially when you consider the Passport issue.
Malkin's agent in Russia, Sergei Isakov, supposedly held Malkin's passport(according to metallurg.ru) and wouldn't give it to team officials when they asked. They needed it to get visas for Malkin to travel with the team to Finland and other countries in Europe. The team was in the process of trying to get a new one for Malkin but didn't have to follow through, after Malkin supposedly fired Isakov in yet another agent change.
The fallout of this entire situation may leave the Penguins without a true second line center for the second year in a row, and ultimately paints Malkin as indecisive, unprofessional and greedy. Is this fair for a 20 year old kid? Absolutely not, but many in Pittsburgh will feel that way. Especially after the team teased Malkin's arrival late last season with a jumbotron montage ending with the words: "Coming to an arena near you - 10/05/06." Pittsburgh, unfortunately, is not the most forgiving sports town and this entire situation just might hurt Malkin before he ever plays a game at the Mellon Arena.
It would seem that the final word on this may be out before the end of the week. The outlook is now quite bleak.
posted by Bmetzer66 at 10:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home