MOSCOW, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Hockey Federation's arbitration committee on Friday banned Yevgeny Malkin from playing for any other team but Metallurg Magnitogorsk in decision that could seriously dent his ambition to play in the United States.
The ban on transfers came following a complaint from Metallurg, based in the Urals city of Magnitogorsk, 900 miles east of Moscow. They suggested disqualifying the 20-year-old player, who defected to the National Hockey League's Pittsburg Penguins last month in violation of contractual obligations to Metallurg.
The head of the arbitration committee, Natalia Ovchinnikova, said: "The decision has been made based on the laws of the Russian Federation as well as on local regulations and provisions of Malkin's contract [with Metallurg]."
Malkin signed with Pittsburg Penguins, who pledged to pay him $984,000 a season and a potential $2.85 million in bonuses, after he left his team on a trip in Finland and flew to the U.S.
