Evgeni Malkin

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = Pittsburgh Penguins
league = NHL


image_size = 225px
position = Centre
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3.5
weight_lb = 195
nickname = Gino/Geno [cite news | last = Molinari | first=Dave |title= Oh, for good 'ol golden nicknaming days of yore | publisher = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06302/733906-61.stm | date=2006-10-29]
nationality = Russia
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|7|31
birth_place = Magnitogorsk, RSFSR, Soviet Union
draft = 2nd overall
draft_year = 2004
draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins
career_start = 2003

Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( _ru. Евгений Влади́мирович Малкин, "Jevgenij Vladimirovich Malkin", also popularly known as "Geno" [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08261/912707-61.stm] ] [cite news | last = Molinari | first=Dave |title= Oh, for good 'ol golden nicknaming days of yore | publisher = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette| url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06302/733906-61.stm | date=2006-10-29] , born July 31, 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey player with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League.

Chosen second overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Penguins, Malkin's career in the NHL was delayed because of an international transfer dispute until 2006-07, in which he captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie. In his second season, he helped carry Pittsburgh to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals and was a runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

Internationally, Malkin has competed for Russia in two IIHF World U18 Championships and three IIHF World U20 Championships, capturing one gold, two silvers and one bronze medal, as a junior. In 2006, in addition to a silver medal, he was also named tournament MVP. As a senior, he has played in three IIHF World Championships and one Winter Olympics, capturing two bronze medals.

Playing career

Malkin is a product of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey program. Prior to being drafted, he made his Russian Superleague debut in the 2003-04 season as a 17-year-old. He also made his international debut for Russia during the 2003 U-18 World Championships, where he skated on the top line with Alexander Ovechkin. The team went on to claim the bronze medal.

After his first professional season in Russia, Malkin was drafted 2nd overall (behind national teammate Alexander Ovechkin) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Upon being drafted, Malkin would, however, remain in Russia through to the 2005-06 hockey season. In the midst of a dispute between the NHL and the IIHF, the Russian Hockey Federation refused to ratify a transfer agreement, forcing Malkin to honor his existing contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Prior to resolving the transfer dispute and eventually entering the NHL, Malkin would make a significant impact on the international stage. He was named top forward and MVP of the 2006 World Junior Championships for the silver medal-winning Russian team, on which he was the captain. Less than two months later, Malkin was given one of the final spots on the senior Russian hockey team for the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he helped the team to a fourth-place finish with 6 points in 7 games. Despite playing behind many NHL superstars, he was named the team's best player.fact|date=April 2008 Malkin also played at the 2006 World Championships in May, where he led Russia with 9 points. By competing in the World Juniors, Winter Olympics and the World Championships in 2006, Malkin achieved the very rare feat of playing in all three major tournaments in the same year.

Before the start of the 2006-07 season, it appeared Malkin would remain in Russia another season after signing a one-year contract with Metallurg, but after some legal maneuvering, Malkin relieved himself of his Russian obligations and signed an entry-level contract with the Penguins.

On September 20, 2006, in his first preseason game as a Pittsburgh Penguin, Malkin collided with teammate John LeClair and dislocated his shoulder, which forced him to miss the start of the season. Subsequently, his NHL debut would be delayed until October 18, against the New Jersey Devils, in which he would score his first NHL goal against Martin Brodeur. To begin his NHL career, Malkin set a modern-day record as the first player to score at least one goal in each of his first six games. No player had achieved this feat since the league's inaugural season in 1917-18, when Joe Malone scored at least one goal in 14 consecutive games to start his NHL career. [cite web | publisher=National Hockey League | date=2006-11-02 | title=Pens' Malkin named NHL Rookie Of The Month for Oct. | url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=282294&page=NewsPage&service=page| accessdate=2006-11-03] Malone's mark, however, was set when technically every player was playing in his first NHL season; Malone had already played almost a decade in the league's predecessor, the NHA. Malkin's streak was eventually stopped on his seventh game by the San Jose Sharks.

Playing on a team with fellow phenom Sidney Crosby, Malkin finished his rookie campaign with 33 goals and 85 points, leading all first-year players and capturing the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.

When Malkin arrived in the United States, he spoke no English, but through the help of fellow Russian and teammate Sergei Gonchar, he eventually started to give short, simple interviews in the language. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07334/838014-61.stm Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Hockey easier than English for Malkin] ]

In his sophomore season, Malkin recorded his first NHL hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs, on January 3, 2008. He earned another three-goal performance several games later, on January 14, against the New York Rangers.

Midway through the season, when more heralded teammate and captain Sidney Crosby went down with an injury, Malkin significantly elevated his game, scoring 60 points in the last half of 2007-08, including 36 points in the 21 games Crosby was injured between January 19 and March 2. In total, Malkin completed the season with 106 points, six points behind Alexander Ovechkin for the Art Ross Trophy. Malkin continued to dominate into the playoffs as the Penguins made it into the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored three points against Detroit in the finals, totalling 22 points overall, although the Penguins were defeated by Detroit in six games.

Malkin's sophomore season culminated in a Hart Memorial Trophy nomination as league MVP (won by Alexander Ovechkin) and First Team All-Star honours. On July 2, 2008, with one year left in his entry-level contract, he signed a contract extension with the Penguins for $43.5 million over five years. [citeweb|title=Penguins lock up Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/07/02/penguins-malkin.html?ref=rss|date=2008-06-03|accessdate=2008-07-28|publisher=CBC]

Transfer dispute

Malkin's NHL career began with controversy, as a transfer dispute between the NHL and the IIHF delayed his Pittsburgh debut.

On August 7, 2006, it appeared that the 20-year-old Malkin had come to a compromise with Metallurg and signed a deal that would have kept him in Russia until May 2007. However, Malkin stated that he signed the one-year contract not as a compromise but because of the immense "psychological pressure" his former club exerted on him.fact|date=April 2008 Desiring to play in the NHL, he left Metallurg Magnitogorsk's training camp in Helsinki, Finland, before it had started on August 12. It would later appear that the team had taken Malkin's passport away to prevent him from leaving, but it was eventually given back to him and Malkin was allowed to pass through Finnish customs. Meeting with his agent, J.P. Barry, the two quickly departed and waited for Malkin's visa clearance from the US Embassy.

In order to legally leave the team, on August 15, Malkin invoked, by fax, a provision of Russian labor law that allowed him to cancel his one-year contract by giving his employer two weeks notice. [*cite web | publisher=The Sports Network. | date=2006-08-19 | title=Malkin sits down for interview with TSN | url= http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=174657&hubname=nhl| accessdate=2006-09-05] Having untied himself of obligations in Russia, he was able to sign an entry-level contract with the Penguins on September 5, 2006. [cite web | publisher=Sports Illustrated. | date=2006-09-05 | title=Malkin finally signs with Pens | url= http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/hockey/nhl/09/05/malkin.signs.ap/index.html | accessdate=2006-09-05]

Following his first NHL game with Pittsburgh, on October 19, 2006, Malkin's former Russian hockey club filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NHL and the Penguins in the United States District Court for the southern district of New York. [cite web | publisher=CBS Sportsline. | date=2006-09-19 | title=Russian club seeks to stop Malkin from playing in NHL | url=http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/9740727| accessdate=2006-11-15] The lawsuit claimed that Malkin should not be permitted to play in the NHL because he is still under contract in Russia. The claim also sought unspecified monetary damages. The motion for an injunction was, however, denied on November 15, 2006, ensuring that Malkin would continue play in the NHL that season. [cite web | publisher=TSN.ca | date=2006-11-15 | title=Legal Challenge Against Malkin Fails | url=http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=184456&hubname=nhl| accessdate=2006-11-15] The lawsuit was furthermore dismissed by the District Court on February 1, 2007. [cite web | publisher=National Hockey League | date=2007-02-01 | title=Judge dismisses Russian complaints against Penguins' Evgeni Malkin | url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=288339&page=NewsPage&service=page| accessdate=2007-02-02]

Endorsements

Malkin has a contract with Nike/Bauer.

Family

Malkin's father, Vladimir, was a defenseman for the same team he played for in Russia, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. His brother, Denis, was also in Metallurg's hockey system.

Awards and achievements

*NHL Rookie of the Month - October 2006, [cite web | publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | date=2006-11-02 | title=Malkin earns rookie honours | url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2006/11/02/malkin-nhl-rookie-honours.html| accessdate=2006-01-03] November 2006 [cite web |publisher=National Hockey League | date=2006-12-02 | title=Pens' Malkin named NHL Rookie of the Month for November | url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=284302&page=NewsPage&service=page ]
*Calder Memorial Trophy (NHL Rookie of the Year) - 2007
*Michel Briere Memorial Trophy (Pittsburgh Penguins Rookie of the Year) - 2007 (shared with Jordan Staal)
*World Championships All-Star Team - 2007
*All-Star Game - 2008
*NHL First Star of the Month - February 2008 [ [http://nationalpost.pa-sportsticker.com/default.aspx?s=nhl-news-display&nid=A15448571204566704A NHL News | National Post ] ]
*NHL First All-Star Team - 2008
*Hart Memorial Trophy nomination - 2008
*Pittsburgh Penguins Most Valuable Player - 2008
*Named as an alternating captain for Pittsburgh in October 2008 (rotating position)

Records

*First player since 1917-18 to score goals in each of his first six NHL games (first accomplished by Joe Malone, Newsy Lalonde and Cy Denneny in inaugural NHL season) [cite web | publisher=Russian Spy | date=2006-11-02 | title=Malkin Became the First NHL Player in 89 Years With Goals in His First Six Games | url=http://www.russianspy.org/2006/11/02/malkin-became-the-first-nhl-player-in-89-years-with-goals-in-his-first-six-games/| accessdate=2006-11-02]

*Longest point streak by a Russian player in the NHL - 15 games (surpassed Dmitri Kvartalnov of the Boston Bruins - 14 games in 1992) [citeweb|title=Goal 87 for No. 87 was quite a rarity|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07330/836825-61.stm|accessdate=2008-07-28|date=2007-11-26|publisher=Pittsburgh Post Gazette]

Career statistics

International play

Played for Russia in:
*2003 World Junior U18 Championships
*2004 World Junior Championships
*2004 World Junior U18 Championships
*2005 World Junior Championships
*2005 World Championships
*2006 World Junior Championships
*2006 World Championships
*2006 Winter Olympics
*2007 World Championships

International statistics

ee also

*List of current NHL players
*List of Pittsburgh Penguins players
*List of NHL seasons

References

External links

*nhlprofile|8471215
*hockeydb|77329
* [http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8471215&service=page&tab=bio Evgeni Malkin's profile] at [http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com Pittsburgh Penguins official site]
* [http://www.russianprospects.com/public/profile.php?player_id=268 RussianProspects.com Evgeni Malkin Profile]