In communist Russia, NHL players don't honor contracts

[Ravin]

Lots of rumors going around right now about players not coming back from their lockout teams. Kovy is on the top of that list at the moment, and is currently lighting up the KHL on the leagues best team. Also thoughts that perhaps Nikolai kulemin might stay as well.

This is where it gets fun because the NHL and KHL have a deal together that says if a player has a contract with another league, they have to honor that deal. Of course we saw how the Radulov situation went down, so who really knows.

As of right now, Lubomir Visnovsky has said he is staying to play in the KHL, and will not return for "personal and family reasons."


While the NHL is still the premier league to play in, the KHL is quickly on its heels. If it starts getting more Russians to stay in its own ranks and not take off, it could be a good push for that league. Only issue with the KHL is, they would eventually need to open up their limits of foreign players. As of right now, teams can only have five foreign players in their line up.

While it is a long shot, anyone else hope a day comes when NHL vs KHL champions happens. I think the hockey would be fairly close for the most part, providing the KHL starts to keep some of their prime talent.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

That's the problem with the lockout ending now. These guys are already deep into a season with teams consisting of their own countrymen, and it's essentially unfinished business, especially for Kovalchuk, who is on the top team. If the lockout ended back in the middle of November, I don't think you have this problem, but who knows. The concern was that the KHL would eventually start retaining some of the Russian players who would otherwise come to the NHL, so the lockout may have precipitated that.

 

[killgod]

Yeah I'd like to see various strong european club leagues in the future so club champions leagues could start to happen.

As for players staying, gonna be interesting and I'd imagine the NHL could file legal grievance vs the KHL if they let them play? I dunno, don't really care either.

 

[Ravin]

It is going to be up the IIHF on this one. They can suspend players who do not return and not grant them a playing card.

 

[ssags11]

There's an agreement between the NHL and KHL that players under contracts from each others league can not play if they try to move to the other league. This going to be interesting to see what happens. If the KHL allows them to continue playing after the agreement is signed, it is going to be very interesting.

 

[killgod]

Kovy is coming back, he just doesn't want to. He wants to finish his season at Moscow and return in the Fall. He's pissed about the new CBA and doesn't trust the league, but really it all just boils down to wanting to finish his KHL season.

He's looking to find a way (still) to be able to remain there, but I can't see NJ/NHL letting it happen.

 

[ssags11]

Kovy is coming back, he just doesn't want to. He wants to finish his season at Moscow and return in the Fall. He's pissed about the new CBA and doesn't trust the league, but really it all just boils down to wanting to finish his KHL season.

He's looking to find a way (still) to be able to remain there, but I can't see NJ/NHL letting it happen.

It will start another war like after the Radulov situation.

 

[ssags11]

Looks like everyone is coming back but Visnovsky and there is still a question mark hanging over Kovy.

Everyone else is back with the exception of Datsyuk who has permission to play in the KHL All Star game and will return to the Wings after.

Appears the Russian govt. is throwing money at the players also to get them to stay. Kovy is not making any sense, his family is still in NJ and he has 89 million left on the table. I know alot of the Russian players are upset that they might not be able to go to the Sochi Olympics but Kovy is jeopardizing being allowed to go there if he stays. The IIHF would most likely intervene and yank his international card if he doesn't go back to NJ and he won't get to play anyways. Personally I could give a shit if that guy comes back or not but I do want to players to honor their NHL contracts, it would be a bloody business if a cold war broke out between the NHL and KHL.

 

[Senser81]

"In Communist Russia, you leave hockey league. In United States, hockey league leave you!"​

 

[ssags11]

https://twitter.com/StapeNewsday
Arthur Staple‏@StapeNewsday

#Isles booked flight for Visnovsky today. He wasn't on it. Appears this will be settled between NHL and KHL now. Expand Reply
Retweet

And here we go, going to be interesting, not much of a surprise he stayed but this is going to kick off another cold war between the KHL and NHL. Let the player poaching begin.

 

[wr50l]

I thought Lubo had been given the go ahead from the Isles to stay in Europe.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

And here we go, going to be interesting, not much of a surprise he stayed but this is going to kick off another cold war between the KHL and NHL. Let the player poaching begin.

The concern is next year when the escrow is finalized. Erik Cole just mentioned he could retire- though his family could have something to do with that as well. But there will be some good players released with whatever cap relief clause they put into place, and Russia could stand to gain some ground with bringing in some other players.

The NHL is still the premier talent league, but if they've messed with the players money and Russia offers more to them (or more control over their money) then there might be a problem.

 

[ssags11]

I thought Lubo had been given the go ahead from the Isles to stay in Europe.

Nope, none of the players were allowed. Only Kovy and Datsyuk were allowed to stay for the AllStar game but that was it.

 

[ssags11]

The concern is next year when the escrow is finalized. Erik Cole just mentioned he could retire- though his family could have something to do with that as well. But there will be some good players released with whatever cap relief clause they put into place, and Russia could stand to gain some ground with bringing in some other players.

The NHL is still the premier talent league, but if they've messed with the players money and Russia offers more to them (or more control over their money) then there might be a problem.

It could be trouble. I don't even know much about the new CBA, I am sure it will be released in it's entirety shorty. I can see the Russians going back but not many talented North Americans are going to go there. You will have the washups or perennial AHLers go there but I don't see much more than that. Cole is an interesting matter but it sounds more family related and the new CBA is a factor to make it easier to make the decision. He is already 34 so how much more would we have seen him anyhow? The KHL also implemented the 2 North Americans per team rule because of the antics of Vityaz last year.

 

[dave]

If I'm the Devils, I want Kovalchuk to stay ... anything to void that contract.
Datsyuk, not so much. Worth every penny. Sad to see him do this.
Vishnovsky ... who cares. He never wanted to play for the Islanders in the first place.

The KHL is only a threat to the NHL where a few loafing Russians are concerned. Not going all Don Cherry here, but if they want Radulov, good for them. I think Kovalchuk is a damn good player, but that contract is something I'd dump in a heartbeat.
Datsyuk ... I bring the Sons of Anarchy with me to wherever the hell he is to bring him back to Detroit.

 

[wr50l]

Can't blame them for wanting to at least finish what they started. Kovalchuk's team is top of the league; I can understand if players are feeling a little more loyal towards the team that took them in than the team that locked them out. That's not to mention the benefit of being closer to home.

I highly doubt this starts a 'Cold War', but we may see more NHL players going there as free agents in the next two years because, let's face it, there is simply less money to spend on salary and some players will inevitably not be able to come to an easy financial solution with NHL teams.

 

[ssags11]

Can't blame them for wanting to at least finish what they started. Kovalchuk's team is top of the league; I can understand if players are feeling a little more loyal towards the team that took them in than the team that locked them out. That's not to mention the benefit of being closer to home.

I highly doubt this starts a 'Cold War', but we may see more NHL players going there as free agents in the next two years because, let's face it, there is simply less money to spend on salary and some players will inevitably not be able to come to an easy financial solution with NHL teams.

There's been a few tweets thrown out there at the NHL by the KHL President; rumors of the Russian govt getting involved and throwing money at players to stay. Talk that the IIHF will have to get involved so while "cold war" is possibly an over used word, this could become like it was after the Radulov situation which was ugly.

It would be bad for the NHL to just let the players walk away from a contract, it would set a very bad precedence. However, yeah I don't think many NA or Europeans with talent will walk away, only the Russians and washups will walk away.

 

[ssags11]

Update on Visnovksy:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=413448

 

[ThomasTomasz]

There's been a few tweets thrown out there at the NHL by the KHL President; rumors of the Russian govt getting involved and throwing money at players to stay. Talk that the IIHF will have to get involved so while "cold war" is possibly an over used word, this could become like it was after the Radulov situation which was ugly.

It would be bad for the NHL to just let the players walk away from a contract, it would set a very bad precedence. However, yeah I don't think many NA or Europeans with talent will walk away, only the Russians and washups will walk away.

I slightly about the true "superstars" which is essentially Ovechkin, Malkin and Kovalchuk, who are still young to be around for a decade or more and help build the league. KHL teams could justify throwing boatloads of money at those players. Would it be enough of a difference from their current NHL contracts to justify the drop in competition? Doubful.

What I really worry about are players like Jiri Hudler, who are top six to top eight forwards for most teams. KHL could give them a slightly larger bump in salary over the NHL, enough to consider the switch. All it takes is for a handful of players to decide that's what they want to do, and it will start a domino effect.

 

[Ravin]

If the KHL wants to become more legit, going after the Hudler's of the world is what they need to do. They need to bring up the talent pool just a little more each time, because they are not going to steal the big names like Datsyuk, Kovy, Malkin, etc. And then every once in awhile they will get a big name like Radulov who will be the league superstar.

It will be interesting to see how some of these KHL teams do with no NHL players.