Ok, so Filatov’s rights were owned, even if he wasn’t under contract explicitly? And as a first round pick, Columbus should pay $1.5 million? How exactly then, Mr. Medvedev, does this differ with Radulov? He is explicitly under contract, after which point he would be a RFA (giving Columbus his rights), and he too was a first round pick. Shouldn’t Columbus be owed $1.5 million? Or would you argue that Columbus isn’t owed anything since they ‘should’ have paid that same $1.5 million when they brought him over?

I think, just as with the Malkin offers and Jagr signing, the important thing to Medvedev and the KHL is having players leave the NHL, regardless of their status, and hopefully for large amounts of money. They really are challenging the NHL’s dominance over there. I wonder how much their teams’ owners make from their teams, especially whether or not they are swallowing huge losses like some current NHL franchises.

Posted by NHLHobo on 07/12/08 at 04:49 PM ET

I think you meant they would owe money to Nashville for Radulov…

It is obvious that the Russians (KHL), led by Medvedev, are going to vehemently fight the NHL to stop any Russians from playing in the west.
They will use whatver legal (or not legal) pretense necessary.  Their primary weapon is money.

There will be only sham negotiations.
Just like Iran with their atomic bomb.  It is all pretense to doing exactly what they want.

An NHL team will be crazy to draft a Russian kid.
Unless, of course, you just fly him over here and agreements be damned....
It will all depend on the kid. 
His choice is to play in the NHL or make bigger money playing for the gas/oil barrons of Russia.

Posted by w2j2 on 07/12/08 at 08:24 PM ET

I’m not sure why this really surprises anyone.  This is more or less how they do business over there--when a “retroactive” contract benefits the party that sees itself as the stronger entity, they demand that the deal becomes a retroactive one (Filatov), and when it leaves the party you sign the deal with enjoying a little dagger to the gut for its trouble, and you’re Medvedev, you say, “Oh well, that’s the cost of doing business with the KHL, and did I mention that the chairman of the company I work for, Gazprom, is the president of Russia?  Yeah, we can nuke your ass, Gary, ass, so deal with it.”

It’s not quite that bad, but companies like Gazprom tend to make their own rules in business transactions, and when they don’t like the rules, they change them. 

This is a flexing of muscles, big time, and it’s going to be interesting how to see things work themselves out--if they do.

Should I mention that Mr. Medvedev is a Baskhir, which means that he came from the same province that Salavat Yulaev plays in?  Just maybe.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 07/13/08 at 01:16 AM ET

Radulov was under contract to Nashville for one more season. Period.

Either the KHL cough up money to Nashville, Radulov play one more season for Nashville, or the IIHF step in and place santions against the KHL.

I’m starting to hate this Medvedev.

Posted by underthechestnuttree from LaSalle, Ontario, Canada on 07/13/08 at 07:57 PM ET

Oh, we’ve got some subjects “up for dispute,” courtesy of Medvedev and Sport Express’s Mikail Zilis (and the Promt translation of the original article):

Medvedev: At a meeting in Zurich the draft agreement arranging us with one exception has been co-ordinated.  Namely - from which date it is necessary to consider the agreement come into force. We consider [it valid] - from the moment of signing. As a last resort from the date of meeting carrying out. Here again I once again officially declare that Radulov has signed the contract two days prior to negotiations in Zurich. The management of “Salavat” has not been informed on these negotiations and did not humour under date of my meeting.

Zilis: On Saturday Canadian Krog, in May the signed contract with “Severstal”, has entered into the agreement with “Vancouver"…

Medved: Yes, it is an excellent example of double standards. Beautiful words about the gentlemen’s agreement and respect of contracts it is good. But are necessary also affairs.

I can name three more similar cases. First, it is a question of the Czech defender [Tomas] Mozjis which contract with “Siberia” is registered in database KHL. The second - soldier Filatov. In spite of the fact that its labour relations with army club are terminated, all sports rights to him still remain with CSKA. The third case concerns Feodor Fedorov who has received the qualifying offer from “Dynamo”, not surpassed by any of clubs KHL.

We, from its part, will use the best efforts, that, since the co-ordinated date, such situations accepted red light both in KHL, and in the North America. While it it is not visible.

NHL position, leaves, is based what the agreement can have a retroactive effect?

Russia is not the participant transfernogo agreements between NHL and IIHF throughout almost three years that it was possible to start to have conversation on a retroactive effect. If we wish to constitute backdating the new agreement let’s make a start from the moment when Russia left the contract. Then, probably, it is necessary to speak about indemnifications for Ovechkin and Malkin...Р

Instead of understanding each separate case, it is necessary to enter simple and clear game rules - and from certain date of such cases more not to suppose. And that has occurred, that not to return any more. Now our lawyers understand all subtleties. NHL in many respects All the same corrected contradict the labour legislation of the USA and Canada, therefore is not clear, why Radulov before introduction of the intermediate agreement cannot terminate the contract.

Zilis: It turns out, while anything on a paper it is not signed, players can easy leave, despite contract obligations?

Medvedev: If we agree, that, I will repeat, it is necessary to reckon from date of signing of the document. Then all will be absolutely clear. And if to be the [shyster] as a last resort it is possible to talk about last Thursday. But in any way earlier.

Zilis: Representatives of NHL after a situation with Radulovym with you communicated?

Medved: I have received very strange letter from Mr. Daly in whom it was informed that if we will not return Radulov with us in general affairs will not have. In my opinion, such statements should remain in the past. They do not correspond to that atmosphere of negotiations which was in Zurich.

Zilis: What can be expected in the event that NHL will continue to take of the present position?

Medvedev: The conflict in will not result something good, [but] we are against war. There are at least ten NHLer players, and not only the Russians having contracts with commands of NHL and wishing to [play] in clubs KHL. That the such did not occur, it is necessary to define rules. And if transfer questions of NHL wishes to solve at level of League of [international] federations let signs the agreement.

Zilis: Now a ball, speaking in images, on NHL party?

Medvedev: The draft agreement is accepted by us. We wait for NHL reaction. But also to suffer a situation at which interests of the European and Russian hockey will be restrained, we will not accept.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 07/14/08 at 04:37 AM ET