FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The Russian league has been a joke for decades! It is mired in corruption and rumors of "mafiya" influence are ever present. Now, they're pi*ssed off at playing second fiddle to the NHL so, in typical East European fasion, they're trying to bribe their way to respectability. Good luck!

12.5 million...tax free. That's a lot of money.
The Russian League is trying to gain respectability DCruise...They certainly have the dollars to entice players with. However I doubt very much they will land any young stars who are carving a name for themselves at the NHL level.
That said, they may very well get their hands on some older guys that have had a career in the NHL and a name. Jagr comes to mind.

Didn't Malkin flee to Finland on some fake passport so he could escape Russia? And two years later he's gonna go back... right. The kid has it made over here, and I'm sure his lifestyle is 100x better then if he were in Russia. I'm sure Malkin is looking at how big Ovechkin has got, and will try to do the same, if only Geno can learn how to speak english...I'm sure the Pens fabricated this story so they won't look so bad for trading him.

BENTLEY AND I ARE VERY PLEASED TODAY!

2 years ago he went through so much to literally sneak out of russia theres no way hes goin back
and sho nuff- the pens were never going to trade malkin that rumor probly came from the same place that said hossa was offered a contract. shero wouldve looked like a complete idiot and wouldve been fired ig je jad made that deal

They're welcome to the Yashins, Zhamnovs and Samsonovs who are floating their way through the NHL, Baun-ded!

We'll keep the Ovechkins and Datsiuks with us! These guys want to play with the best in the world and be recognized with the best in the world. To get recognition, they have to play in the best league in the world which (in spite of Gary Buttman & Co) is still the NHL!

Malkin may bolt! There's something shifty about this guy that I never liked. He ain't nothing like AO character wise!

Wow. not even i could pass that up to play for pittsburgh...

Anyone who thinks Shero is going to trade Malkin is stupid. The Penguin team is built around him and Crosby end of story!

I guess this is where you get to see if all pro athletes are greedy? My main concern about Malkin is if I were him I'd want to go somewhere and be the guy the face of the franchise not play my whole career in Crosby's shadow.

Anyone who thinks Shero is going to trade Malkin is stupid
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The above comment is obtuse.

What is obtuse?

In all seriousness,the Russians have got to get a good young player so they can draw more good young players. So they can establish themselves,BUT.....i'm pretty sure malkin realizes his living conditions are way better over here.

This rumor was already shot down by Malkin and his agent. In other news Hossa and the Penguins have suspended contract talks.

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/08173/891758-61.stm

Malkin needs his own team. Let him go to LA or Chicago and help their markets out.

Anyone who thinks Shero is going to trade Malkin is stupid
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The above comment is obtuse.
Baun-ded

Only because Shero is not the brightest bulb in the box.

But if he does dump Malkin he is the obtuse one. Never, ever give up blue chip players until they want out.

Malkin has more upside to him than any Penguin save for one. Only a fool would trade him.

But I've never thought Shero to be a genius so anything could happen. But as I said in the other thread, TSN is saying Hossa is free to test the market. That can only mean Shero is not as dumb as I hoped he was.

pensfan1 is absolutely correct. Evgeni Malkin's bolting out of Russia was almost as dramatic as Alexander Mogilny's defection from the defunct Soviet Union. Unless they offer him Fort Knox tax-free, there's no way he's going back, The Russian league is a mess. The salaries have balloned yet the goal scoring has plummeted. The league serves as a last resort to former NHLers who can't make a big league roster. Though Mika Noronen could easily play in the NHL today.

whats 12.5million roubles..... 500 000 us dollars.... lol.... what a joke this tread is

Malkin is not going anywhere without Gonchar......