For the first time since 1962, Russia did not play at the World Cup, and, as one can imagine, the tournament in Finland does not arouse much interest in our country. Therefore, you may have missed some brilliant matches and impressive performances from individual players. For example, Denis Malgin, a rare player of Russian origin, who took part in the 2022 World Cup.
Switzerland is currently the best team in the World Cup. This team has reached the finals twice in the 21st century, its local championship is listed just below the KHL, and there are more and more Swiss legionnaires in the strongest league in the world. So, seven representatives of the NHL came to the tournament in Finland. But cooler than Hishir, Mayer and Suter are a man of Permian descent.
Switzerland suffered 0 losses in six group matches. 18 points is 100% result. Given the status of his rivals, he might have been treated with some contempt, but there were genuine Canadians of “European Canadians” on the way, among others. In a spectacular match with the reigning world champions, Malgin’s team won 6:3, and Denis himself had two assists.
For Malgin 10 (4+6) in six games. He is his team’s top scorer and the second top scorer of the tournament. The Russian Swiss is inferior only to the Czech Roman Chervenka, who, like him, plays in the Swiss championship. Denis will have the opportunity to catch and beat the former striker of SKA and Avangard in the match with the German national team, where the team from the country of the white cross will complete the group stage.
If the Czech Chervenka played a lot in Russia, then Malgin can not boast of this, if we talk about the professional level. He was picked 12th by CSKA while still in the KHL draft. However, when the “soldiers” seriously considered the option of signing Switzerland, they rejected it because of its modest size. While the Russian Swiss is 182 centimeters tall, CSKA has been relying on big and powerful strikers in recent years.
“If you get an offer from a team that sets serious goals, the KHL is a good option to continue your career. But step by step. Playing in the playoffs first for the Olympics, then for Zurich, I hope to make it to the national team for the World Cup and then try again in the NHL.”– Denis said even before he went to Beijing with the Swiss team.
At the Olympics, the Swiss were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the future Finnish champions. Malgin himself did not have the most successful tournament: he scored one goal in 3 matches, but it was he who helped to sensationally beat the Czechs. He missed the start of the tournament, including the Russia match, due to the coronavirus. But in Zurich, the striker made an outstanding playoff, but still lost to Zug in the final. Malgin scored the most goals – 9.
Malgin may be a desirable transfer target for many KHL teams out of this season, but not only is his desire to try his luck again in the NHL, but the changing situation in the world also invalidates that scenario. Most likely, the Vympel-97 team will remain the only team in Russia where the son of famous Russian center Albert Malgin plays. Malgin Sr. when he was at home, his son was in this local children’s team and his partner was Evgeny Mityakin, who now plays for Neftekhimik.
But how did the Malgin family come to Switzerland? And Malgin Jr. why not play for Russia?
In fact, Denis is now connected with our country only by his grandparents, who remained in Perm. Yes, the Russian language spoken in the family. Denis was born in the city of Olten, where his father came to play from Slovenia in 1993. He began to seriously play hockey in Biel, where Malgin Sr. worked as a coach, and the professional career of the current leader of the Swiss national team is connected with Zurich. For the time being, he had a Russian passport, and the option to play for the Russian national team was seriously considered at the family council, but the choice fell in favor of Switzerland. And Malgin no longer has Russian citizenship.
“There was a choice and there was a desire. But things got in the way that I wasn’t aware of at first. A few years ago there was a conversation: people from the Russian national team came to Switzerland and asked me if I wanted to come to the training camp and show myself. But as I learned later, if I remember correctly, it was necessary to play in Russia for at least three years to qualify to play for the national team. I did not have such an opportunity, so there were no more such conversations. Then I got into the Swiss youth team” said Denis.
At the Olympics, Malgin could not meet with Russia, but in his career he still played against his historical homeland. It’s happened twice. In MFM-2015, he could not only score against Igor Shesterkin, but also suffered a serious defeat with the entire Swiss youth team – 0:7! Buchnevich mocked the team of Barbashev and Tolchinsky. But six months ago, at the Junior World Championships, our Swiss team led by Malgin reached the quarterfinals – 5:0! Denis threw one of the discs at the doors of Ilya Samsonov, adding to this the transfer.
“They are not very different from games played with the Czech Republic or Denmark. You can only exchange a few sentences in Russian with someone. As a child, I loved Russian actors – Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk “– Malgin says about the importance of matches with Russia.
It is impossible to predict when the Russian-born Switzerland will have a chance to play against Russia. He himself, most likely, will try to conquer the NHL on the second try, and if he succeeds, Denis will not be the most frequent guest at the world championships. As for our team, it is impossible to predict the timing of its return to the international arena. Meanwhile, with the Russian team in exile, Malgin and another Russian Swiss, Filip Kurashev, have a real chance to win the world championship for the first time in alpine hockey history. And then this gold will definitely have a Russian trace.
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