Scoring a goal in your first six NHL games is not a coincidence. Recording back-to-back 105+ point seasons is no fluke. And, winning the Art Ross Trophy and the Conn Smythe in the same season does not make you a one-year-wonder. In fact, there is only one player currently playing in the NHL has won both awards. It is not Sidney Crosby, Martin St. Louis, or Jerome Iginla. It is Evgeni Malkin.
The Russian superstar is looking to get back on track after playing in only 110 games over the past two seasons. He set career lows in goals, assists, and points in each of the past two campaigns and missed the final 39 games of the 2010-11 season with a torn ACL.
Last time Crosby missed significant action Malkin totaled 106 points and finished second in scoring. With Sid on the shelf again, Geno will look to lead the Penguins on a trip through Western Canada.
Malkin is %100 healthy and will start the 2011-12 season with the best linemates that he has ever played with. He has absolutely soared through the preseason and is a hot pick to win the Hart Trophy this year. While motivation was never the problem for Malkin, he appears to be more determined than ever. Look for a big season this year as the 25-year-old returns to All-World form.