Filatov, Radulov, Ovechkin, Malkin and IIHF
Posted 9:00 AM ET | Comments 5
On Monday, Alexander Medvedev gave an exclusive interview to a correspondent of "Soviet Sport" paper in Russia regarding the transfer agreement situation. Here is the translated article (courtesy of Google Translate)
Here are a few telling quotes from the article:
So should the date be July 5th 2008, or July 10th 2008? Seems like it behooves the Russians to have the date be the 10th of July, rather than the "gentleman's handshake" date of July 5th. Radulov would then fit underneath the July 10th date, and all the Russians would have to do would be to pay their proposed $200K to the Nashville Predators and walk away with Rad.
This whole situation is sticky, since it is true that the Russians didn't sign the transfer agreement for the past few years. If they want to roll the date back to 2005, then they could request that Ovechkin and Malkin come back to Russia (which the NHL would NEVER let happen). I think the Russians are playing date games to try to finagle Radulov back to the motherland.
Since Filatov had already decided to play in the US this next year, he wasn't going to re-sign in Russia anyway, and I think they've come to terms with that and aren't too upset to let him defect to the US. The other Russian player mentioned "Krogh" I couldn't find anything on through a pretty exhaustive Google search.
What are your thoughts on this whole saga?
Here are a few telling quotes from the article:
We want equal mutually beneficial relationship with the NHL were not only in words but in deeds. And that phrase about respect for the contracts was not empty, and was vested in the strict legal form and controlled IIHF.
To do this all there is. The text of the memorandum in Zurich (on the week there met representatives of KHL, NHL and IIHF. - Prim. Ed.) Fully agreed. Except one detail - the date of entry into force of the document. Our meeting took place on the tenth of July. NHL also proposes to take the starting date of June fifth - day of the expiry of NHL transfer agreement with the IIHF.
But the fact is that Russia has already nearly three years did not sign the agreement. To us it is not relevant at all. Even if you leave aside the legal aspect of the case, I would like to understand: whether to sign such a document retroactively? And if so, which ones? Maybe we choose in 2005, when Russia withdrew from the transfer agreement? Then prohibits Malkin and Ovechkin play in the NHL until we agree on compensation.
Therefore, we want to resolve the issue legally correct and civilized way. But when, on the one hand, we require Radulova, and on the other - say nothing about Filatova, Moyzhisha, Krogh - those players who have had obligations to the KHL, but they decided to play overseas - then this is wrong. To avoid needless trials, I propose we sign the memorandum, taking the date of the tenth of July.
So should the date be July 5th 2008, or July 10th 2008? Seems like it behooves the Russians to have the date be the 10th of July, rather than the "gentleman's handshake" date of July 5th. Radulov would then fit underneath the July 10th date, and all the Russians would have to do would be to pay their proposed $200K to the Nashville Predators and walk away with Rad.
In our league has a rule: if a player wants to terminate the contract with the club KHL, he is obliged to compensate for two-thirds share of the contract. If the NHL has no such rules, which allow the player to become a free agent, I propose to do is very simple. You, gentlemen from abroad, we paid $ 200 thousand for the players during the transfer agreement? Let us now pay you money for the same Radulova. And will end the matter. If the NHL believe that 200 thousand dollars - a fair price for one hockey, we are ready to confirm it in practice. It is a two-way street, is not it?
This whole situation is sticky, since it is true that the Russians didn't sign the transfer agreement for the past few years. If they want to roll the date back to 2005, then they could request that Ovechkin and Malkin come back to Russia (which the NHL would NEVER let happen). I think the Russians are playing date games to try to finagle Radulov back to the motherland.
Since Filatov had already decided to play in the US this next year, he wasn't going to re-sign in Russia anyway, and I think they've come to terms with that and aren't too upset to let him defect to the US. The other Russian player mentioned "Krogh" I couldn't find anything on through a pretty exhaustive Google search.
What are your thoughts on this whole saga?
fuck russia
I don't care about Russian hockey, but the NHL, being the best league in the world, has poached their players for years. Now that the Russians have some bucks, you can't blame them for throwing some of it around or for feeling less than friendly with the NHL. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.
I could care less; the Sabres are not effected by the raid. Frankly, if the Russian players want to stay in Russia and play there that's fine with me. The NHL doesn't need them there is a plethora of talent in the USA, Canada and the rest of Europe.Now, if we could only get them to take Affiniganof back, that would be icing on the cake.
There's a clear distinction between the Russian players coming to the NHL and Radulov going the other way. In Russia, it was perfectly legal to annul your contract with a two week notice. Malkin and Ovechkin did exactly this. That loophole in Russian labor law has now been closed. U.S. Labor law does not have any such provision for a player under contract. What Malkin and Ovechkin did was perfectly legitimate, what Radulov did is not. This is not a 'one good turn deserves another' scenario. The NHL has been playing by the rules. The KHL should do the same.
Krogh is Jason Krog of the Vancouver Canucks. As I understand it Jason had signed an agreement with a Russian Club (Severstal Cherepovets as per TSN) but it had an out if he signed with a NHL club. Situations like this make me glad that I'm not a NHL GM. Not that I don't have my own opinions!