Russia is becoming an attractive, soft landing spot for would-be NHLers in the event of a lockout. The KHL has set forth the signing agreements with players who have a contract with the National Hockey League clubs, in the case of the NHL lockout. The Swedish Elite League has stated on the record that it will not be allowing "short term" contracts for locked out NHLers to play in the SEL. Their demands are simple: sign a one year deal and play in Sweden or don't bother asking. Finland, Germany and Switzerland will be option, too.
Will the SEL relax its stiff rules concerning NHLers in the days and hours to come? We'll see. For now, Russia is interested in NHLers.
In the event of an NHL lockout, the agreement will be effective from the date of the official announcement of work stoppage until the official end of the lockout. The same applies to players with existing contracts with the clubs of the NHL hockey players with the exception of bilateral contracts on the lockout sent to the farm club.
Looks to me like rookies and young pros need not apply. Looks like Russia is looking for the best players that he NHL has to offer like Ovechkin, Stamkos, Crosby, Kane, Toews, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk , Zetterberg, etc.
In terms of Sabres here are the players who are eligible to play in KHL, by virtue of 150 games played: Vanek (547), Pominville (541), Stafford (397), Regehr (902), Ehrhoff (556), Ott (566), Ellis (261), Kaleta (267), Leino (220), Leopold (586), McCormick (321), Miller (460), Myers (217), pardy (183), Sekera (302) will qualify to play in Russia. Whether or not they will, is entirely another subject.
Other notable Sabres need not apply to play in Russia.
Tyler Ennis has 140 games played and cannot play in Russia. Jhonas Enroth has 40. Cody Hodgson has 91. Alex Sulzer has played less than 100 NHL games. Mike Weber has 132.
Nathan Gerbe has 146 games played, however, he is recovering from a rumoured back procedure/surgery and likely would not trek overseas.
Will there be a lockout? The clock is ticking. Russia is ready for imports.
This from the KHL Hockey Operations VP, Vladimir Shalaev, via khl.ru:
Regarding the fundamental points of the agreement, which regulates the arrival in our championship players from the NHL, the vice-president of hockey operations for the NHL
Vladimir Shalaev :
- Our clubs are able to contract and claim for the first team to three NHL players, and these players can be included in commands in excess of the "bid" limit of 25 players. Among the three NHL players involved in the Russian KHL clubs will be only one foreign player. And the Legion has a simple, and the corresponding one of the specific criteria to ensure the arrival of the Continental Hockey league only top-tier players.
The criteria applied to foreign NHL:
- to hold at least 150 games in the NHL over the last three seasons
- have experience of playing in the NHL
- a member of the national team of his country in one of the last two World Championships, World Youth Championships or Olympic games
- to be a winner or finalist for the Stanley Cup and the winner of one of the individual prizes, is awarded to the National Hockey League for the season.
KHL clubs based outside Russia, could one of three NHL players to have more than one hockey player in the status of "foreign player". The above criteria for NHL players, foreign players joining the foreign team CHL, do not apply.
Thus, during the lockout in the National Hockey League, the total number of foreign players in the proposal of the Russian KHL club may be six, including no more than one goalie-legionary.
In the application for a single match of the KHL club will still be able to include up to five players, with the status of "foreign player".
Total income of hockey-NHL players, clubs, contract KHL NHL players not included in "salary cap." In this case, the amount of wages at the club KHL-NHL players player of the season 2012/2013 should not exceed 65 percent of the amount of his salary, provided the contract with the NHL club.
- Contracts with NHLers our clubs have to be made for the period up to 30 April next year, that is until the end of season 2012/2013, - says Vladimir Shalaev. - In this case, the contract must be a point of termination unilaterally from the end of the lockout in the NHL. Of course, compensation for termination of agreements are foreseen.
Membership of sports rights for the NHL to the KHL clubs is determined based on the data of the Central Information Office of the Continental Hockey League. KHL clubs have the right to exchange of their sports rights in accordance with the Regulations of the League. Additional insurance NHL player can be made at the discretion of the sponsor of his club, but the basic procedure of signing contracts, orders (including medical), life and health insurance players are made only in accordance with the Regulations of the League.
With a lockout looming, the KHL will become all the more popular destination for experienced NHLers to play and get paid 65% of their NHL salaries.
His heart is beating fast, pumping rich, blue and gold transfused through his body. He loves a good fight.
He'd love for his NHLPA brothers to end their CBA conflict with the NHL owners. He wants a resolution now.
Steve Ott LOVES his new team and is really impressed with his new teammates.
What he doesn't love is the jet black cloud that represents the second lockout of his NHL career. looming over Lake Erie.
“It’s getting down to the wire. We want to play hockey,” Ott told me last Thursday at a muni rink in South Buffalo, where @otter2nine was getting to know his new team mates while playing 3 on 3 shinny. Ott was traded with Adam Pardy to Buffalo from Dallas in July .Long time Sabres centre, Derek Roy went south in the deal.
On Monday, just before the shotgun start of the annual Buffalo Sabres Foundation golf outing at the prestigious Park Club, Ott re-iterated that he wants nothing more to pull on a Sabres sweater and go to war with his new battalion.
“The players are looking for a fair deal. We want to play, and we want to get going. I think every single guy is ready to go. It would be a complete shame if the doors are locked by ownership.”
After the entire 2004-05 season was lost due to labor struggles, the NHL is heading toward another work stoppage. The collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. And for players who are looking to make fresh starts on new teams — like Ott — any delay makes it that much harder to get acclimated.
“I can’t wait for the opportunity to throw my Buffalo Sabres jersey on,” said Ott, who will be among several players who will hit Manhattan Thursday to show their solidarity. “Hopefully it starts in October, and it’s ready to go. I love this team. It’s a young team, but it’s molded right.”
Ott's got every right to love his new squad. He's gotten an up close and personal look at Pominville, Vanek, Stafford, Foligno, Kaleta, Girgensons, Tropp, Ehrhoff, Myers, Weber, McNabb, Miller, Leopold, Regehr, Enroth, Ellis and the rest of the boys. He knows the talent level that has been assembled in Buffalo is actually better than the way it performed on the ice from January-March 2012. Decimated by injuries, the Sabres launched out on a January road trip from Hell to NYI, CHI, DET, WPG, and STL, and were kicked to the curb, losing five straight games by a combined score of 23-5. No points earned out of a possible 10 points in five game span buried Buffalo in the basement of the Eastern conference. They fought like Braveheart in March and April to dig themselves out of the crater of a sinkhole that they had dug themselves into, however, in the end, they missed the playoffs by an eyelash.
Ott wants to help his new team. He has a ton of leadership to offer to his new organization. He can't lead while he and his boys are locked out. He loves hockey. He plays it the right way. He goes balls to the wall for his team mates, and he'll never say die.
Ott spent that 2004-05 season playing with Hamilton of the AHL after playing 99 games for the Stars, starting in 2002.
“It was a shame that we had to miss a whole season,” he said. “It did nobody good. It wasn’t exciting for the fans, it wasn’t exciting for the players, and it wasn’t exciting for the ownership.”
Sabres owner Terry Pegula spoke conservatively at a press conference to formally announce a $123 million project he’s building in downtown Buffalo across from his arena. Pegula has high hopes for this team, especially after it missed the postseason last year.
“I don’t know if (a lockout) is going to happen,” he said. “Obviously, we’ll all want to see some hockey played. So let’s hope it doesn’t happen and be positive on it.”
Pegula also mentioned that if there were to be any sustained work stoppage, he had no plans on cutting the pay of his administrative staff. Meanwhile, several Sabres have been skating on their own already. While working out, of course, labor talks are always a topic of conversation.
“It comes up every single time in the dressing room,” Ott said.
If there’s no deal in place over the next week or so, Ott said he and his new teammates will seek more ice time at a local rink. But he’s hoping those workouts won’t last very long.
“We’re here, we want to play, and we want a fair deal,” he said. “To see and show the growth of the game and how its changed in the last seven years, and then to see it possibly have another lockout is disheartening.”
Drew Stafford, Steve Ott, and Mike Weber are among the Sabres players who will take a pause for the cause, and be in attendance at the NHLPA offices on Wednesday and Thursday. Staff told me last week: "I'll be there. Definitely. We all support Don (Fehr)".
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