Two-time Olympic champion Igor Kravchuk has stated that the relationship between Metallurg Magnitogorsk head coach Andrei Razin and several players could impact Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin‘s decision regarding a return to his hometown club.
Malkin’s contract with the Penguins runs through June 30, 2026. The Russian recently announced his intention to play one more season in the NHL: “I don’t aim to return to the KHL. I want to play another year in the NHL. If not in Pittsburgh, then with another team.”
“What stood out to you this past week?” was the question posed to Kravchuk.
“There has been a lot of talk about the possible return of Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin to the KHL – a farewell tour with their hometown clubs. That would be a beautiful story – finishing a brilliant career where it all began. However, even in their late 30s, both Ovechkin and Malkin have had strong seasons overseas. The decision is up to the players, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they stay in the NHL for another season.”
“Whose chances of returning are higher?”
“Dynamo Moscow has been saying for years that they are waiting for Ovechkin to come home. The same is being said in Magnitogorsk. I think many factors will influence the players’ decisions – from family to coaching.”
“What do you mean by the coaching factor?”
“Regarding Metallurg, it’s hard to ignore the stories involving Evgeni Kuznetsov and Egor Yakovlev within professional circles. One can argue endlessly about who is at fault – the players or the coach, whether it was personal or purely hockey-related. But the dry fact is that star players will think twice before joining Andrei Razin now. By contrast, look at Kuznetsov’s story in Salavat Yulaev. Viktor Kozlov found common ground with a difficult player, and he led Ufa to the second round of the playoffs. Kuznetsov’s classy goal in the dying seconds of the match against Yekaterinburg was a standout moment of the entire playoffs, alongside the two goals from the Radulov–Shalunov duo at the end of the game in Omsk. So the coaching factor will also weigh on stars of Malkin’s caliber. The stories of Kuznetsov and Yakovlev could slow down his return to his hometown club,” Kravchuk said.
Razin previously commented on Malkin: “I know Zhenya well. I wouldn’t turn down a world-class forward.”
