Evgeni Malkin felt so strongly about the direction and training he received from Pittsburgh Penguins strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar last summer in Moscow that soon after the season ended he told reporters the two would be back at it this summer.

The problem is, Malkin forgot to ask Kadar first.

"He walked into my office and said, 'Kadarov,' which is what he calls me, 'you come to Russia to help me this summer?'" Kadar told NHL.com, laughing as he started the story. "I said, 'Do you want me to?' He goes, 'I already tell media you go.' I was like, 'Well, I guess I'm going, Geno.'"