Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin signs KHL contract
By Drew Shetler
April 15, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period in game three of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena. The Flyers defeated the Penguins, 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE
With the NHL now in a lockout it didn’t take long for Pittsburgh Penguins center and reigning Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin to find a new team.
Malkin signed with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, the team with which he started his professional career. There are no details of the contract but it is said the deal complies with the KHL regulations of signing NHL players during the lockout.
With these rules a KHL team can sign three NHL players above their limit of 25. The KHL also puts a ceiling on their salaries on NHL players at 65 percent of what they earn under their NHL deals.
Also joining Metallurg is former Penguins defenseman – and Malkin’s best friend – Sergei Gonchar.
Should the NHL reach an agreement Malkin will be able to return to the Penguins. However, the longer this lockout takes to end we could see more and more players jumping ship to the KHL.