Malkin Gives Notice to Russian Team!

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Evgeni Malkin's agent Don Meehan has stated that they have given Metallurg Malkin's two week notice and are opening contract negotiations with the Penguins. The NHL seems to have given it's blessing to the decision as well. "If the player can secure his own release, either pursuant to the terms of his existing Russian contract or pursuant to applicable Russian law, NHL clubs will be free to sign such player, and the resulting NHL contract will be registered and approved as valid for play in the NHL," Deputy NHL commissioner Bill Daly said. Russia has a loophole in it's labor law that allows any employee of any company to give a two week notice, at which point the individual is free and clear, contract or not. The Russian team will surely try and sue the Penguins or Evgeni Malkin, but similar cases in the past have been dismissed.

Metallurg GM Gannady Velichkin has been quoted as saying that Malkin would not give his two weeks notice because he is a fair and decent guy. Well, I am assuming that he feels it would be fair and decent to be able to go to the NHL this upcoming season. This is getting interesting, but I will feel a lot more comfortable once Malkin puts pen to paper on a contract with Pittsburgh.