Talk about an embarrassment of riches. The Pittsburgh Penguins already knew that in Sidney Crosby, they had an unquestionable franchise player. Now it turns out they may have another player with similar talent in Evgeni Malkin.
The Penguins actually picked Malkin before Crosby, nabbing the Russian with the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. However, contractual obligations to a team in his home country prevented him from making his way to the U.S. until September of 2006, ensuring that he'd make his debut a full season later.
A preseason injury pushed the start of his rookie season back even further, but Malkin proved to be worth the wait. He scored early and often once he hit the NHL ice, becoming the first player in almost 70 years to light the lamp in each of his first six games. Malkin's scoring slowed somewhat as the young Penguins experienced some growing pains, but he finished the season with 33 goals and 85 points and won the Calder Trophy as top rookie.
That turned out to be just a preview of what was in store for 2007-08. With Crosby injured for a big chunk of the season, Malkin took it upon himself to carry the scoring load and managed to keep Pittsburgh near the top of the Eastern Conference standings all year. He flirted with leading the NHL in scoring, topping 100 points and finishing just a few points behind countryman Alexander Ovechkin.
Along with Crosby, Jordan Staal and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Malkin gives the Penguins a foundation that should keep them in the Stanley Cup discussion for as long as they can be kept together. Collectors didn't warm up to him nearly as fast as they did to Crosby, but they did make him the top player to grab from the hockey card class of 2006-07, a title he should be able to retain going forward.
Like many young players, Malkin's most valuable rookie card comes from The Cup. But with just under 20 to choose from, there's one for any budget, and they all look like bargains compared to those of some of his contemporaries.
Evgeni Malkin 2006-07 Rookie Cards
- Be A Player # 201 - #'d to 999
- Be A Player Portraits # 103
- Beehive # 144
- Black Diamond # 210
- Flair Showcase # 322
- Hot Prospects # 142 - autographed jersey card #'d to 199
- O-Pee-Chee # 564
- SP Authentic # 196 - autographed, #'d to 999
- SP Game Used # 149 - #'d to 999
- SPx # 193 - autographed jersey card
- The Cup # 171 - autographed jersey card #'d to 99
- UD Artifacts # 254 - #'d to 999
- UD Mini Jersey Collection # 126
- Ultimate Collection # 125 - autographed, #'d to 99
- Upper Deck # 486
- Upper Deck MVP # 303
- Upper Deck Sweet Shot # 146 - jersey card #'d to 499
- Upper Deck Trilogy # 149
- Upper Deck Victory # 304