The Kontinental Hockey League will be a premiere destination for NHL players in the event of a lockout this fall and Pittsburgh Penguins superstars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby could be among their biggest attractions.
According to Pavel Lysenkov, the NHL editor for Sovietsky Sport in Moscow, Malkin will return to his former team Metallurg Magnitogorsk if the NHL locks out the players.
Lysenkov caught up with Malkin on Wednesday in Russia after the reigning National Hockey League MVP and countryman Ilya Kovalchuk hosted a charity game in Moscow.
“It’s been said a hundred times that the lockout hasn’t been announced. Why make any statements for nothing? Yes, I have an agreement — I will play for Magnitogorsk. But I have not signed a contract,” Malkin said.
Right now Malkin told me he’ll play in Magnitogorsk if lockout happens.
#pens#nhl— Pavel Lysenkov (@plysenkov) August 29, 2012
Although Crosby isn’t expected to immediately on jump a plane to Russia, Malkin believes his teammate could possibly join him if a lockout lasts a while.
Also Malkin said – Crosby will not play in KHL in 2012. May be after Christmas if all NHL season cancelled.
— Pavel Lysenkov (@plysenkov) August 29, 2012
“I think he won’t go to the KHL right away. He will see how the situation develops. I see that the league and the (Players’ Association) have started to come closer. Perhaps the lockout won’t continue for the entire year. That’s why a lot of North American players won’t go to Europe until the very last moment. A lot of them are a bit afraid of Russia. But the best hockey league in the world after the NHL is here,” Malkin added.
“And if the lockout is announced for the entire season, then Crosby may come. He loves to play and won’t be able to live an entire year without hockey.”
The NHL and NHLPA are currently in negotiations over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with league officials saying the NHL will lock out players if no deal is reached by Sept. 15.