Evgeni Malkin: It’s my time to win the Art Ross!

Evgeni Malkin: It’s my time to win the Art Ross!

Evgeni Malkin talks about Russians playing the first role in the NHL, hopes that his partners will help him in winning the Art Ross, explains his rivalry with Alexander Ovechkin, and says that now it's his time to win the Art Ross.

- Congratulations Evgeni, your team clinched a play-off spot. You must be overflowed with emotions after the win over Tampa Bay, which gave you the right to play in the play-offs?
- No, I don’t feel anything special. We returned from the road trip pretty late. I was so tired that I couldn’t think about anything. But I always believed in our team. I’ve never had a single doubt about us making the playoffs.

- Nowadays Russians play the leading role in the NHL. You’re topping the league in points, Ovechkin in goals and Datsyuk in plus-minus stats. North-Americans are shadowed by Russians, even for the Penguins coach Dan Bylsma’s son Canadian Crosby is only the 3rd, while he places Ovechkin and Malkin higher. What’s the secret of this success?
- It’s hard to find an answer to your question. Ovechkin is being discussed non-stop in the North-America. Pavel Datsyuk has drastically improved over last 2-3 seasons. But I wouldn’t write North-Americans off. Among Crosby there are Iginla, senior Staal. I could name you some more names.

- What’s more important for the Penguins image now: Malkin winning the Art Ross or the team getting more convenient opponent in the playoffs?
- The main point now is to play these 2 games without being injured and be ready 100% for the playoffs. Of course, it’s important for Pittsburgh that our player got the Art Ross. I hope the partners will help me here.

- Looking from aside it might seem that your rivalry with Ovechkin is nothing else but a good staged show. Maybe you’ve made a bet: the loser pays for the winner at the restaurant after the season ends?
- No, of course we didn’t agree upon anything (laughs). It’s just that Ovechkin got a hot-streak at the end of the season, thus we have a nose-to-nose race. But the NHL is only winning from this, right?

- Isn’t there something in the Malkin-Ovechkin rivalry that one cannot see from aside?
- Well, that boy you mentioned, he’d said that Crosby and Ovechkin already had got this trophy. And I haven’t. So it’s my time to win the Art Ross!

Translated by Malkin-71.net