Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Report: Evgeni Malkin to play in KHL if there’s a long lockout

2012 NHL Awards - Show

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins speaks onstage after winning the Hart Trophy during the 2012 NHL Awards at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas on June 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)

Getty Images

With a lockout on the horizon, some players are starting to make escape plans should the season wind up in jeopardy.

Reigning NHL MVP Evgeni Malkin is one of those players as reports out of Russia, as shared by Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period, say he will return to the KHL if a work stoppage interferes with the NHL season.

Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette gets the low-down from Malkin’s agent about what’s going on with Malkin.

J.P. Barry, who is Malkin’s agent, confirmed that Malkin has spoken with teams in Moscow and Magnitogorsk about a week-to-week agreement that would allow him to play during a lockout, if there is one, but that nothing has been finalized.

The initial report said Malkin would play for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the same team Malkin left to come to the NHL. They’re also the team that sued the NHL to have him come back.

This report comes on the heels of Dynamo Moscow debating whether or not they want to have Alex Ovechkin join them during a possible lockout.