Peter Tessier: Edmonton Media Tampering? Burmistrov & AK Bars Kazan Edmonton Media make a mess of what may be strained relations between Burmistrov and The Winnipeg Jets.

Peter Tessier: Edmonton Media Tampering? Burmistrov & AK Bars Kazan
Edmonton Media make a mess of what may be strained relations between Burmistrov and The Winnipeg Jets.
- Peter.Tessier

I don't get how that's tampering

I hope he stays for WPG, otherwise the organization pretty much got nothing for Kovalchuk being traded.

I don't get how that's tampering
- Oil_Addict

It's not but I needed a word- interfering?

So coach don't like the little Russian? That's unfortunate to hear as I was expecting him to be a big part of the team moving forward. Hopefully they can mend fences. Any idea what Claude would've been so irate about?

Damn, I was hoping for some actual tampering going on....

Peter, here's the thing:

1) Russian teams are notorious for publicizing their interest in signing any number of prominent players (especially Russians) who play in foreign countries, whether they currently have contracts or not and whether or not said team has an actual chance of signing that player. The team puts it out in the Russian media as a PR move, under the belief that it makes them seem to their fans and sponsors to be aggressively trying to put out an elite-caliber team.

2) Most European players have TWO agents -- one who represents their interests in the NHL and another one based in Europe. North American media almost always goes to the North American agent (who truthfully denies that he's been contacted about his client) when it's actually the European agent who should be contacted in cases such as this.

3) No one is technically lying. The Russian team probably contacted Burmistrov's Russian agent with a contract offer and "incentives" for luring the client to jump back to Russia. Then they went to the Russian media and touted how they are trying to sign Burmistrov, despite the chances of it actually happening being minimal. Meanwhile, the Burmistrov camp in North America can truthfully say they've never been contacted.

This scenario plays out year after year, and only gets (brief) mention in North America if a news outlet here happens to come across the story in Sport Express, Sovetsky Sport, etc. Cases such as Radulov where a young, in-demand player actually does go back to Russia are rare.

Peter, here's the thing:

1) Russian teams are notorious for publicizing their interest in signing any number of prominent players (especially Russians) who play in foreign countries, whether they currently have contracts or not and whether or not said team has an actual chance of signing that player. The team puts it out in the Russian media as a PR move, under the belief that it makes them seem to their fans and sponsors to be aggressively trying to put out an elite-caliber team.

2) Most European players have TWO agents -- one who represents their interests in the NHL and another one based in Europe. North American media almost always goes to the North American agent (who truthfully denies that he's been contacted about his client) when it's actually the European agent who should be contacted in cases such as this.

Thanks Bill, appreciate the insight as it makes a lot of sense.

Cheers!

3) No one is technically lying. The Russian team probably contacted Burmistrov's Russian agent with a contract offer and "incentives" for luring the client to jump back to Russia. Then they went to the Russian media and touted how they are trying to sign Burmistrov, despite the chances of it actually happening being minimal. Meanwhile, the Burmistrov camp in North America can truthfully say they've never been contacted.

This scenario plays out year after year, and only gets (brief) mention in North America if a news outlet here happens to come across the story in Sport Express, Sovetsky Sport, etc. Cases such as Radulov where a young, in-demand player actually does go back to Russia are rare.
- bmeltzer

It's not but I needed a word- interfering?
- Peter.Tessier

poopquake?

was this no more than what so many MSM accuses the blogoshpere and twittersphere of doing: unsubstantiated rumour mongering?

Isn't this the definition of the site you write for?

Isn't this the definition of the site you write for?
- J03Y

well...can't argue that one.

i wonder if it ever gets to the point where teams stay away from russians in round 1

the nhl didnt help their cause by letting radulov come back, he shoulda been rejected to set the bar for other russians trying to do what he did

Peter, here's the thing:

1) Russian teams are notorious for publicizing their interest in signing any number of prominent players (especially Russians) who play in foreign countries, whether they currently have contracts or not and whether or not said team has an actual chance of signing that player. The team puts it out in the Russian media as a PR move, under the belief that it makes them seem to their fans and sponsors to be aggressively trying to put out an elite-caliber team.

2) Most European players have TWO agents -- one who represents their interests in the NHL and another one based in Europe. North American media almost always goes to the North American agent (who truthfully denies that he's been contacted about his client) when it's actually the European agent who should be contacted in cases such as this.

3) No one is technically lying. The Russian team probably contacted Burmistrov's Russian agent with a contract offer and "incentives" for luring the client to jump back to Russia. Then they went to the Russian media and touted how they are trying to sign Burmistrov, despite the chances of it actually happening being minimal. Meanwhile, the Burmistrov camp in North America can truthfully say they've never been contacted.

This scenario plays out year after year, and only gets (brief) mention in North America if a news outlet here happens to come across the story in Sport Express, Sovetsky Sport, etc. Cases such as Radulov where a young, in-demand player actually does go back to Russia are rare.
- bmeltzer

This is why I don't want to see the Oilers draft Yakupov. This type of scenario could end up being a distraction year in and out.

Isn't this the definition of the site you write for?
- J03Y

Essentially yes but many others.

Consider now that Darren Dreger (among other notable media) uses the term 'NHL executive' or 'anonymous sources' regularly when talking about 'speculation'.

The journal is a bunch of (frank)ing hacks. One guy passes off his opinion as rumors that he's heard, but because he's been around 50 years no one calls him out. Another idiot thinks we should trade Yakapov for one year of Staal. There is another idiot that writes 8 articles a day and uses advance stats to backup the worse players on our team.

Not sure what Adler's angle is as I kinda quit reading all those guys, but I won't be shocked if he is just throwing out something that no one can really prove him wrong. He'll just say that of course the agent and player and team are denying it.

This is why I don't want to see the Oilers draft Yakupov. This type of scenario could end up being a distraction year in and out.
- Starbuck

Yakupov has been playing in NA for a couple years and seems pretty committed to wanting to be an NHL star... And he seems pumped about the Oilers if you listen to recent interviews.

Peter, here's the thing:

1) Russian teams are notorious for publicizing their interest in signing any number of prominent players (especially Russians) who play in foreign countries, whether they currently have contracts or not and whether or not said team has an actual chance of signing that player. The team puts it out in the Russian media as a PR move, under the belief that it makes them seem to their fans and sponsors to be aggressively trying to put out an elite-caliber team.

2) Most European players have TWO agents -- one who represents their interests in the NHL and another one based in Europe. North American media almost always goes to the North American agent (who truthfully denies that he's been contacted about his client) when it's actually the European agent who should be contacted in cases such as this.

3) No one is technically lying. The Russian team probably contacted Burmistrov's Russian agent with a contract offer and "incentives" for luring the client to jump back to Russia. Then they went to the Russian media and touted how they are trying to sign Burmistrov, despite the chances of it actually happening being minimal. Meanwhile, the Burmistrov camp in North America can truthfully say they've never been contacted.

This scenario plays out year after year, and only gets (brief) mention in North America if a news outlet here happens to come across the story in Sport Express, Sovetsky Sport, etc. Cases such as Radulov where a young, in-demand player actually does go back to Russia are rare.
- bmeltzer

Why do they need two agents? I really don't understand why a player playing in North America needs two guys. Is it just so he can jump ship without it being leaked to the media via his NA agent's office?

Yakupov has been playing in NA for a couple years and seems pretty committed to wanting to be an NHL star... And he seems pumped about the Oilers if you listen to recent interviews.



- robin_steele264

5 words.
Outdoor Rinks in the summer.

What's not to be pumped about.

Why do they need two agents? I really don't understand why a player playing in North America needs two guys. Is it just so he can jump ship without it being leaked to the media via his NA agent's office?
- Lahey

They usually have business interests at home, too. Often in the case of Swedish players, their European agent is the one who negotiated their Elitserien contract before the player was drafted/signed by an NHL club. They will often keep the services of their Swedish agent even after coming to North America.

At any rate, most Russian, Czech, Swedish and (to a lesser extent) Finnish players do the two-agent thing.