IIHF Suspends Radulov, Others Over Contracts With NHL, KHL
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IIHF Suspends Radulov, Five Other NHLers
Over Signing Contracts With KHL Teams |
The IIHF Friday suspended six players -- Rangers LW Fedor Fedorov, Blue Jackets LW Nikita Filatov, Canucks C Jason Krog, Wild D Tomas Mojzis, Predators RW Alexander Radulov and Coyotes RW Viktor Tikhonov -- amid "controversy about the validity of contracts" the players have signed with both the NHL and Russia's Continental Hockey League (KHL), according to Ken Warren of the OTTAWA CITIZEN. IIHF President Rene Fasel: "We hope this can be resolved amicably and in a timely manner. ... I am hoping that all sides can come to a solution." Warren noted an apparent agreement was reached on July 10 "for the leagues to honour each other's deals," and all of the teams involved have "until July 31 to argue their cases in front of the IIHF." However, the "acrimony signals the start of a frosty relationship between the leagues." Warren wrote while NHL officials "haven't yet sounded the alarm" about the KHL becoming a legitimate threat, the league already has "created more than enough headaches" for the NHL (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 7/19). The six players "won't be eligible to participate in international transfers and competitions while the investigation is ongoing" (AP, 7/18). In Winnipeg, Paul Friesen noted the IIHF suspensions "only [govern] international play," and there is "still plenty of time to sort things out before next season" (WINNIPEG SUN, 7/19). NHLPA Exec Dir Paul Kelly Saturday "voiced his displeasure with the decision and threatened legal action." Kelly: "The affected players are being unfairly singled out in a dispute between the NHL and the KHL over whether to respect each others' contracts. Unless this action is reversed, the NHLPA will consider all legal options available" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 7/20).
SIGN OF THINGS TO COME: An NHL agent said of the dispute, "It's only going to get worse in the minds of (NHL) [GMs]. They are going to be more reluctant to take (Russian players) early because they're not sure if they will be able to come over." In Columbus, Tom Reed reports recent changes to Russian employment regulations will "make it increasingly difficult for players under contract to leave." Another NHL agent said that a "new law will require a departing player to repay two-thirds of his salary under his Russian contract." The agent added that the KHL is "pressuring teenagers to sign long-term deals" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 7/21).
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