When a player is as talented as Evgeni Malkin, it doesn’t take long for him to fit into a team and become a key element in its success. It also makes him a popular player among fans and teammates alike, which is why his very Russian first name has been North Americanized to Gino.
In his four years in the NHL, all with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Malkin has become one of the “big three” in the league alongside teammate Sidney Crosby and compatriot Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. All three have now won the Art Ross Trophy, and the two Penguins stars led their team to Stanley Cup victory in the spring of 2009.
One night, Malkin discovered a good-luck superstition quite by accident. Just as he skated off the ice at the end of warm-up, he shot a puck lightly off the foot of trainer Chris Stewart. Malkin had a good game, and the next night he expected Stewart to be in position for another puck off the foot. Stewart wasn’t there; Malkin got mad; and the rest is history.
Stewart is always the last man off the ice because he wants to make sure no player gets injured. Malkin likes being the last off-another superstition- and the puck bounce off the trainer’s foot is now standard fare before every game. ‘Whatever works for him works for me,’ Stewart commented. ‘If that’s what he wants, why not do it? I’m not going to screw with anybody’s ritual. If I can help him play better, so be it.’
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