According to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, highly-touted Russian centre Evgeni Malkin is not expected to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins before 2006.
Malkin, the 19 year-old selected by the Penguins second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft, is under contract to his hometown team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, in the Russian Super League until 2008 and he's made it known that he intends to play there this winter.
"My feeling is that Evgeni will want to graduate to the NHL next year," Malkin's agent Pat Brisson told the paper. "It makes a lot of sense for him to next year graduate to the NHL."
With the Russian Ice Hockey Federation electing not to participate in the transfer agreement negotiated between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation, it appeared unlikely that the Penguins would be able to land Malkin this season.
"He doesn't have an escape clause at this point," Brisson, who is also the agent for Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby, said. "But I don't think Magnitogorsk will hold him back after he gives them an extra season."
Magnitogorsk general manager Gennady Velichkin is naturally reluctant to see Malkin leave, stating in an interview on Rushockey.com: "Evgeni will go to the NHL, eventually. He's one of the best young Russian players. But, in my opinion, Malkin is not mature enough in order to become a star in the NHL. It's a little too early for Malkin to go. Also, he needs to work on his English, as well. But most important, he should return debts to his parents that brought him up, (to) the club that made him a hockey player and spent much power and resources. He should help Magnitogorsk win the championship."
Malkin ranked third on the team with 32 points in 52 games with Magnitogorsk last season.
While he admitted that the chance to win with a powerful Magnitogorsk team and play for the Russian national team weighed heavily in his decision, Malkin also indicated another influence in his own interview posted on RusHockey.com, telling the site, "Actually, I was ready to compete with Alexander (Ovehckin) and Sidney (Crosby) for the Calder Trophy. But my agents told me that it'd be easier to win the trophy in a year."
The Post-Gazette reports that the Penguins will also be without centre Milan Kraft, who will remain in the Czech Republic this year. Kraft, 25, scored 40 points in 66 games with Pittsburgh in 2003-2004 before tallying 25 points in 52 games last year in the Czech Republic. He was Pittsburgh's first-round pick, 23rd overall, in the 1998 draft.