A large red rug with the Team Russia logo covered the large Penguins logo in the middle of the room, an exact replica of the one the Penguins have in their locker room at Consol Energy Center. Smaller red mats were laid at each stall and bright red nameplates were used in place of the Penguins' black and gold ones.
Then there was Malkin, sitting several stalls down from his normal spot. He was located at the back of the room, in the middle -- in Sidney Crosby's stall.
Malkin didn't request that spot and admitted being in that room with teammates other than his usual Penguins teammates was a bit strange.
"It's a little bit weird, but I like it," Malkin said. "It's a new challenge for us. We lost the last two Olympics before. It's a new challenge for the national team and we have a great team right now. Everyone looks forward and looks to the first game against [Team Sweden on Sunday]. It's an amazing time to be here, to be in my second hometown, but be here with the national team."
The World Cup of Hockey 2016 begins at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Sept. 17. Three days before the tournament begins, Team Russia will play Crosby and Team Canada at Consol Energy Center on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, TVA Sports), a game Malkin is anticipating.
"I think it's going to be fun," he said. "We actually play against Sid, against Canada. It's an amazing time here. I'm excited. [It will be] the first time I've played on the different bench, on the guest bench. It's weird, but I don't know how the fans feel. But I hope they support us."
When he was discussing the pretournament game, and if he and Crosby speak on the ice, Malkin took a playful jab at the Penguins captain.
"Not much," he said. "Sid talks too much every game. He talks too quick for me. Actually, when he's mad, I don't understand. But he's funny."
Ovechkin was two seats to Malkin's left, past an empty locker. Team Russia's other two Washington Capitals, forward Evgeny Kuznetsov and defenseman Dmitry Orlov, sat beyond their Capitals captain, which Malkin didn't mind since "they're good guys."
Sitting in the Penguins' locker room, across from a 50-year anniversary logo that includes a fourth Stanley Cup, Ovechkin admitted was quite bizarre.
"It's kind of weird," Ovechkin said. "The guys joke around. I think Sid's sitting here [at the empty stall]. They put me [near] his stall, so it's kind of weird."
Not weird enough to disrupt the goal of winning the World Cup, however. Ovechkin expressed his gratitude at being named Team Russia captain, saying several other players were worthy, including Malkin.
"It's a huge honor," Ovechkin said. "I told coach [Oleg Znarok] right away, 'Thanks.' A lot of players are here with the teamwork of [Pavel] Datsyuk or [Malkin]. All the guys could be the captain. But it's a huge honor."
Malkin became a father in May when his wife gave birth to their son, Nikita. Recent practices have limited Malkin's time with his son. When the two arrive in Pittsburgh on Monday, they could provide more incentive for Malkin to impress in his home arena Wednesday.
"Every day is new," Malkin said. "You see new moves, what he does, you know? Every day it's an amazing time. When he smiles, when I look at him, it's great. I missed a couple last week because we had practice in the different cities.
"It's been like three weeks, but it's a good life because we have iPhones, we have pictures, it's a little bit easier. Skype too. It's a little bit easier, but I still miss him."
