Agent: Malkin preparing return

Tuesday, 08 January 2013 21:41

Written by Dave Molinari

Executives of the Kontinental Hockey League are threatening to mount a legal challenge to the contracts of players who would rather stay in the KHL than return to the NHL, claiming that deals signed under the previous collective bargaining agreement aren't valid under the one that's about to be ratified.

That seems like a rather shaky premise, but it looks as if the matter -- not the least bit surprisingly -- is moot, where Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is concerned.

Malkin, who has never said anything to suggest he'd care to remain with his hometown team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, once the NHL lockout ended, is making arrangements to travel back to North America.

That, at least, is the word from his agent, J.P. Barry, tonight.

Barry, in response to an email question, responded this way:

"Evgeni has flights booked and will arrive on the weekend. He is gathering his personal items in Magnitogorsk and Moscow right now. The team was in Prague (when the CBA deal was reached) so he needs a bit of time to get turned around."