Malkin Shuns CHL Overtures, Working On New Pens Deal

Malkin Likely To Shun CHL Offer And Remain With Penguins

Penguins C Evgeni Malkin “apparently is intent on remaining" with the club despite several teams in Russia’s new Continental Hockey League (CHL) reportedly planning to offer Malkin a deal that would pay him roughly $12.5M annually tax-free, according to Dave Molinari of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. The Penguins are "expected to give him a five- or six-year deal worth $8.5[M] per season,” and Malkin’s agent J.P. Barry said, “He could make, if he chose to go (to Russia) next year after his contract expired, double or triple what he’s going to make here. That’s not what he’s interested in doing.” Malkin’s base salary for ’08-09 will be $984,200, the “maximum allowed by the league’s [CBA].” Barry said that he and Penguins GM Ray Shero “have the ‘framework’ of a new deal in place, and that ‘I don’t see any major hurdles’ that would prevent an agreement.” And even though Malkin “won’t be eligible for a no-trade clause for a few years, Barry was adamant that implicit in him accepting less money is that the Penguins won’t deal him.” Meanwhile, IIHF President Rene Fasel issued a statement saying that if the CHL signs Malkin while he is under contract in the NHL, "sanctions could include denying [Russia] an opportunity to compete in international tournaments such as the Olympics and world championships” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/21).

RUSSIAN ROULETTE: A high-ranking CHL exec said, “We can afford to pay more than the NHL right now. Our economy is commodities-based so we’re not going through the same problems that you have in America.” In Toronto, Rick Westhead noted while the CHL “will use a salary cap to control player expenses, the salary of a player who quits an NHL contract to play in Russia won’t count against their cap” (THESTAR.com, 6/20). But also in Toronto, Steve Simmons wrote the notion that Malkin will return to play in Russia is “nothing short of nonsense." Simmons: "Didn’t he all but escape the place two summers back?” (TORONTO SUN, 6/22). Washington Post reporter Michael Lee said, "I would try to figure out where the money is coming from because if you make a deal with the wrong people, it could comeback to haunt you" ("Washington Post Live," CSN, 6/20).

Blue Jackets Select Russia's Filatov With Sixth Overall Selection In NHL Entry Draft

Continental Drift? The Blue Jackets Friday selected Russian LW Nikita Filatov with the No. 6 pick in the NHL Draft. Before the selection, TSN’s Bob McKenzie said, “There isn’t a general manager on the floor that doesn’t worry about a guy like Filatov or any other Russian player a year or two from now saying, ‘You know what, I don’t like it here, I’m going to go back and play in the Continental Hockey League. I’m going to go back and get more money than I can make in the National Hockey League’” (“08 NHL Draft,” Versus, 6/20). However, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly following the draft said of the CHL, “At this point, it’s not a major concern. We understand there’s going to be a league. We’ll see what impact it has. So far, it hasn’t really had a major effect on us.” Daly added, “We still continue to believe that the best players in the world will continue to want to play in the [NHL], the best league in the world” (AP, 6/22). AOL FANHOUSE's Pat Lackey wrote, "Despite the [CHL's] boasting of having more money than the NHL, the level of competition will certainly be higher in the North American League. So long as it's the best league in the world, it's going to be difficult to pry the best players in the world away" (SPORTS.AOL.com, 6/20).