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New Russian hockey league accuses NHL of poaching two of its players

The Canadian Press

2008-09-04 19:00:00

A newly formed Russian hockey league accused the NHL of poaching two of its players when the Los Angeles Kings agreed to terms with two draft prospects last week.

As a result, the Continental Hockey League (KHL), announced Thursday that it was no longer obligated to abide by a moratorium reached in July, when the leagues agreed against signing players that were under contract.

In a news release, the KHL said the NHL violated that agreement when the Kings signed 2008 second-round draft pick, defenceman Vjateslav Voinov, and 2008 fifth-round pick, centre Andrei Loktionov, on Aug. 27. The KHL said Voinov is currently under contract with Chelyabinsk while Loktionov is under contract with Yaroslavl.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly disputed the KHL's claims in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press. Daly said the league approved both contracts "on the basis of evidence that the two players were free of contractual obligations elsewhere.

"The NHL is not in violation of any agreement with the KHL, nor are we in violation of our long-standing policy to respect the contracts of other leagues."

This is the latest dispute to arise between the leagues since the KHL, which is scheduled to begin play this month, was formed last spring to succeed the former Russian Super League.

The Predators suspended forward Alexander Radulov without pay after he broke his contract with Nashville to sign with a KHL team. Radulov, the Predators third-leading scorer last season, had one year left on his contract.

KHL president Alexander Medvedev has maintained that Radulov's signing was legal because it occurred before the two leagues reached a signing moratorium.

Medvedev is scheduled to meet Saturday with International Ice Hockey Federation officials, including president Rene Fasel, in Zurich to discuss his league's dispute with the NHL.

Daly said the NHL is not involved in those meetings.

Daly still doesn't consider the KHL a major concern, which is how he referred to the upstart league at the NHL draft in June.

"Of course we're disappointed with some of the things hat have happened since the entry draft but, no, I don't think I would change my answer today, that we don't consider the KHL to be a major concern," Daly said.

COMMENTS (7)

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Winghater Posted
(2009-04-30 06:56:05)



Conners friend, the thing is Ovechkin and Malkin are great players and Radulov is a piece of crap. So the KHL didn't actually turn the table on anyone. They lost the two best Russian players in the world and got a mediocre player in return. I mean really, what kind of moron gives his own teams captain a concussion?
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Kingston Chris Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:36)



west coast tom, right now hockey is an INTERNATIONAL SPORT. If the NHL decided that players from Europe have no place in hockey then we would miss out on many high quality players; like Ovechkin, Alfredsson, Nabokov, Kovalchuk, Selanne, Kurri, Zetterberg, Malkin... the list is almost endless. I'm sure those 'dummies' who decided to bring them over here should never be allowed to touch our sport again. Heck, if you really think the NHL should be Euro-free then try to convince your favourite team to buy out their European players. I guarantee that there will be 29 GMs scrambling to get them! Back to the KHL; they do come across as whiny and anti-NHL. If the prospect signings are indeed a breech of some contract agreement then the KHL should get them back, or some compensation, but in exchange the Preds deserve the same for Radulov (at least in my opinion).
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Conners friend Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:34)



I think this is great. The NHL plucked Ovechkin and Malkin out of the KHL, who were both under contract in that league. An AMERICAN judge threw out the KHL"S claim for player and or money compensation. The KHL turns the table on the NHL by stealing Radulov from the Preds, and they are a bunch of criminals. What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.
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Flake Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:31)



The people running the KHL appear to be a bunch of whining jackasses. I'm sure the KHL is a legitimate league, but they need to stop complaining and just play the game...
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Nik Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:27)



Statistics KHL English http://www.khl.ru/statistics/?lang=en
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west coast tom Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:27)



here's a thought. how's about the russian born players stay in russia, and the european born players stay in europe somewhere of their choice. now if wiser minds could figure out that would mean that north american born players stay in north america, our game, the best game on the planet could get back to a point where we used to be, until the dummies decided to fix what was never broke !!!!!!!!!!!!! hummmmm, kinda sounds like the same dummies that felt compelled to make the sticks out of pencil lead and the equipment made out of concrete, which has spiraled into a schloo of concussions and other serious injuries. get rid of the lawyer and bring back mr. ziegler !!!!!!!!!
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t-murder Posted
(2009-04-30 06:55:16)



The KHL will continue to claim that the players the NHL signs are under contract until there is an agreement reached. However the KHL probably won't want to sign any agreement and its gibberish about a moratorium and a want to reach an agreement are all crap. The KHL just wants to keep all of the Russian Stars and Prospects in Russia and until it publicizes its contracts and their terms there is no way to decide whether a player is truly under contract or not. Russian players should just be required to wait until they have finished any and all contractual obligations with the Russian Leagues until they can be drafted. If it means a player has to wait until he is 18, 23, or even 33 than so be it.
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