Evgeni Malkin on highway to quick recovery before next season –NHL offseason Update
Last season proved to be a test for Pittsburgh Penguins who faced the National Hockey League (NHL) without two of their top players, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. They might have been perceived week, by Pittsburgh did not let down their guard and still
put up a fight during the 2011 NHL Playoffs.
Seeing how they did without their two star players, and having them back for the next season, Pittsburgh has committed itself to at least making the Stanley Cup Finals, if not win it altogether.
In February, Evgeni Malkin went out with a season ending injury caused by two torn ligaments in his right knee, which ultimately required surgery and months worth of rest. Since his departure from the game, Malkin has been trying to speed up his recovery
process, and at one point, was even considered to make a comeback during the playoffs.
Now the 25-year-old, former second overall pick of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by Pittsburgh, continues to work hard, and according to sources close to him, hearing the good news of his recovery before training camp should not be surprising at all.
"I have known 'Geno' (Malkin) for five years now and I have never seen him this committed to getting healthier and wanting to do well", Penguins strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar, who has been training Malkin for the past two weeks in Russia. "It
has been an eye-opener for me with his determination and work ethic. He is committed to it every day and with no short cuts".
It might seem that Malkin would be all about strengthening his legs to have them ready for the next season, but to him, this is the time to get better in overall condition and not only focus on a single aspect.
"I want to play my best for the team", Malkin said. "I want to improve my skating, strengthen both my legs and become a faster skater. I want to be better for the whole year”.
Having faced a major injury only in his fifth major league season, the triple digit scorer hopes that his return during the next season will allow him to perform even better than before.
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