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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 8:34:55 GMT -5
Seems that quite a number of NHL players will sign with European clubs in case of a lockout. Instead of creating a separate thread for each player, I suggest you post all news related to NHL players signing with European clubs in this thread. Otherwise, the forum would soon get messy  Fell free to create single threads on countries like Icing101 have done (Russian hockey news), but please don't create a thread for each player who make a contract with a European club. I will try to provide an overview of the contract signings in this first post Confirmed signings as of 16 July 2004*) denotes unconditional contract, i.e. independent of NHL lockout Russian Super League (RSL)[/b] Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings) -- Dynamow Moscow Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadians) -- Dynamo Moscow Maxim Afinogenov (Buffalo Sabres) -- Dynamo Moscow Artem Chubarov (Vancouver Canucks) -- Dynamo Moscow Aleksandr Khavanov (St. Louis Blues) -- Dynamo Moscow Aleksander Frolov (Los Angeles Kings) -- CSKA Moscow Dainius Zubrus (Washington Capitals) -- Lada Togliatti Fred Bratwaite (Columbus Blue Jackets) -- AK Bars Kazan *) Dmitri Kalinin (Buffalo Sabres) -- Metallurg Magnitogorsk *) Igor Korolev (Chigago Blackwolves) -- Lokomov Yaroslavl *) Finnish SM League[/b] Landon Wilson (Pittsburgh Penguins) -- Blues Espoo *) Czech Extra League[/b] Martin Straka (Los Angeles Kings) -- HC Plzen Petr Sykora (Anaheim Mighty Ducks) -- HC Plzen David Vyborny (Columbus Blue Jackets) -- Sparta Prague Thomas Vokoun (Nashville Predators) -- Kladno Radek Dvorak (Edmonton Oilers) -- Ceske Budejovice Slovakian Extra League[/b] Marian Gaborik (Minnesota Wild) -- Dukla Trencin Marian Hossa (Ottawa Senators) -- Dukla Trencin (unconfirmed) Pavol Demitra (St. Louis Blues) -- Dukla Trencin (unconfirmed) Lubomir Visnovsky (Los Angeles Kings) -- Slovan Bratislava Swiss National League (NLA)[/b] Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins) - HC Davos German Elite League (DEL)[/b] Mike York (Edmonton Oilers) -- Iserlohn Roosters Lubomir Sekeras (Dallas Stars) -- Nürnberg Ice Tigers *) |
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 8:36:43 GMT -5
Russia[/b]
LA's Alexander Frolov signs with CSKA Moscow[/b]
Source: TSN Canada
Data: 14 July 2004
Forward Alexander Frolov has signed a deal to play for CSKA Moscow of the Russian League if there is an NHL lockout this fall.
Frolov, who spends his off-season in Moscow, led the Kings with 24 goals last season and finished second to Luc Robataille in points with 48.
"We hope the league's starting on time and he's playing for the Kings, but we understand that a lot of players are signing deals in Europe as a fallback given the uncertainty," Kings assistant GM Kevin Gilmore tells the Los Angeles Times.
Boston Bruins forward Joe Thornton has signed to play in the Swiss league and may joined by fellow NHL'ers Roberto Luongo of Florida and Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 8:41:31 GMT -5
Russia[/b]
Datsyuk signs with Dynamo Moscow[/b]
Pavel Datsyuk has signed to play for Moscow Dynamo this fall, with an escape clause that allows him to return to Detroit once the NHL season begins. The deal is set to begin September 16, with the CBA expiring the day before. Agent Gary Greenstein explains the deal:
"It's something to protect Pavel in case there is a lockout. Pavel wants to play hockey somewhere. Dynamo has good coaches, good trainers, it's going to be a very good team."
Datsyuk is a restricted free agent, and it is likely that he will file for salary arbitration by tonight at midnight. He earned $1.5 million last season, finishing with 30 goals and 38 assists. After his breakout season, Datsyuk is looking for a significant raise. General Manager Ken Holland remains hopeful:
"We had some exploratory talks in June and nothing came out of them. Obviously, we're trying again."
Other than Datsyuk no other Wing eligible to file for arbitration is expected to do so (Mathieu Dandenault, Jiri Fischer, and Jason Williams).
So, despite this news that Datsyuk will likely play in Russia this fall, as the owners and players hash out a new CBA, I remain confident that Pavel will be in a Winged-Wheel again. Says Greenstein:
"He loves Detroit, he loves playing for the Red Wings, and doesn't want to play anywhere else."
Datsyuk turns 26 on Tuesday.
Bykov Update
Greenstein also represents former Wings defenseman Dmitri Bykov, and has said that Bykov will remain in Russia next season. This honors the final year of a contract with Ak Bars Kazan. He plans to return to the NHL for the 2005-2006 season, and the Wings retain his rights and have expressed an interest in having him back. Last summer, Bykov signed a two-year, tax-free contract worth $2 million with Ak Bars Kazan. He had previously made $605,000 with the Wings.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 8:48:12 GMT -5
Russia[/b]
NHL Labor Armageddon 2004 - What about the Russian League[/b]
Source: Sportsbusinessnews.com
Date: 16 July 2004
Vladimir Krikunov is jovial in ordinary times, but his smile widens when he thinks of the power-play unit he might be able to put on the ice next season as the coach of Moscow Dynamo. That and this report from The Globe and Mail's Mark MacKinnon
"We think [Pavel] Datsyuk and [Alexander] Ovechkin will fit well together," he said, referring to, respectively, the Detroit Red Wings' all-star centre and the Russian prodigy who went first overall in the National Hockey League entry draft last weekend to the Washington Capitals.
With the start of the 2004-05 NHL season all but certain to be delayed because of labour strife, both players are expected to don Dynamo blue jerseys next season and play in the Russian Hockey League. The 18-year-old Ovechkin still has a contract with Dynamo and plans to play for his home club during a lockout. Datsyuk, a restricted free agent, was expected to sign a big-money deal with Dynamo.
They might not be the only names on Krikunov's lineup card. If there's a lockout, he expects Buffalo Sabres sniper Maxim Afinogenov to play right wing with Datsyuk and Ovechkin, with Andrei Markov of the Montreal Canadiens and Alexander Khavanov of the St. Louis Blues lining up behind them on defence.
Afinogenov, Markov and Khavanov are in Russia now and close to signing with Dynamo, figuring there is little point hanging around North America when there might not be a 2004-05 season.
The club is offering the NHL players lucrative deals, albeit with escape clauses that allow them to return to the NHL as soon as a lockout ends.
Krikunov said that while the players closest to signing with Dynamo are all Russians, the club has had talks with players of all nationalities, including several Canadians.
The only thing-keeping Dynamo from icing something that resembles an NHL all-star lineup next season is the knowledge that everybody will go back to North America as soon as the NHL and the players' union sign a collective agreement.
"It's a problem if we have too many NHL players," Krikunov said, reclining in a black leather chair in his office outside Moscow. "We could have a whole team of NHLers, but 24 hours after the lockout is over, they'd go back to North America. In two hours, we could lose our whole team."
The Russian Hockey League, which was talent-poor just five years ago, was already in the midst of a big rebound, with rich owners giving clubs the money to lure stars with million-dollar salaries. In recent years, former NHL players such as Oleg Tverdovsky, Maxim Sushinsky and Dmitri Yushkevich have all taken the enriched bait and returned home. That and this report from The Globe and Mail's Mark MacKinnon
Other European leagues are hoping to draw big-name talent if the NHL shuts down next season; there were reports yesterday that Minnesota Wild star Marian Gaborik is close to a deal with a club in his native Slovakia, and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Tommy Salo has agreed to play in Sweden next season. But no league can compete with Russia's in terms of player salaries. The Russian league is looking at the looming lockout as a chance to promote itself as the next best thing to the NHL.
"I think it really is the top league in the world after the NHL right now," said Andrei Nikolishin, who played last season with the Avalanche but is signed for next season with the Central Red Army team.
He said he was very eager to return to his native Russia and had serious chats with some of his Avalanche teammates about the Russian league, recommending to several of them that they should join him there if the NHL is on hold come September.
"Some of the guys don't want to leave their countries and are scared because they don't know the language over here, but a few of the guys were really interested in coming," he said.
Nikolishin could have some illustrious company on Red Army next year. General manager Valeri Gushin acknowledged the club is in talks with five-time Art Ross trophy winner Jaromir Jagr and is pursuing former Red Army stars Sergei Fedorov and Vyacheslav Kozlov.
While Gushin wouldn't talk about individual contracts, he said Nikolishin signed for an amount comparable with the $1.75-million (U.S.) he made in Colorado last season. There is clearly more money than ever for free agents in the Red Army's coffers.
"Things are a lot better now than five years ago," Gushin said. "Clubs have big sponsors now, and the local authorities and provinces help out a lot."
The clubs are better at marketing themselves, too, selling jerseys and other merchandise to complement the income from ticket sales. Having players such as Jagr and Sergei Fedorov on board would certainly help the club sell a few sweaters, Gushin acknowledged.
Even if Jagr and Fedorov do sign with the Red Army, there may be a bigger splash yet to come. There is talk that billionaire Roman Abramovich will try to use his money to lure big-name stars to his Siberian-based club, Avangard Omsk. Abramovich made waves in the soccer world last year by luring pricey talent to Chelsea, the English Premier League club he owns.
In fact, there's a buzz about big signings coming from almost every one of the Russian Hockey League's 16 clubs. "The Russian league has an obvious advantage now with the lockout across the ocean," former NHL star Sergei Makarov wrote in his column in the Sport Express newspaper. "There will be a great possibility for Russian teams to fill the void." That and this report from The Globe and Mail's Mark MacKinnon
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 8:52:00 GMT -5
SWITZERLAND[/b]
Thornton signs with Swiss club H.C. Davos[/b]
Source: Globe and Mail
Date: 8 July 2004
Boston Bruins captain Joe Thornton has signed to play for H.C. Davos of the Swiss Elite league next season, but that doesn't necessarily mean the all-star forward is headed to Europe. Terms of the contract were not released.
Thornton, a restricted free agent, can opt out of the European contract if the NHL resumes next season and also if he can agree to terms with an NHL club, his agent J.P. Barry said in an interview. That club would probably be Boston, given the limited movement of restricted free agents.
"We're very happy for Joe," Barry said in the statement. "As we are all aware, there may not be NHL hockey next season and this agreement will allow Joe to play hockey at the highest level in a unique environment that he may not otherwise have experienced." "I'm very excited about the opportunity to play with Davos," Thornton added in the statement.
The Bruins made a qualifying offer to Thornton before he became a restricted free agent on July 1 to retain his NHL rights. However, a report last week said the London, Ont., native was unhappy with the exodus of unrestricted free agents from the Bruins and had asked for a trade.
Earlier Thursday, centre Brian Rolston left Boston to sign with the Minnesota Wild. Thornton's linemate Mike Knuble has already jumped to Philadelphia and defenceman Sean O'Donnell signed with Phoenix. The Bruins' other unrestricted free agents — Glen Murray, Michael Nylander, Travis Green and Dan McGillis — may follow.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 9:08:05 GMT -5
Czech Republic[/b]
Straka and Petr Sykora have signed with Plzen
David Vyborny with Sparta Prague
Thomas Vokoun with Kladno
Radek Dvorak with Ceske Budejovice
Europe's safe haven from lockout storm[/b]
Source: Toronto Star
Date: 10 July 2004
From Ritch Winter's perspective, Joe Thornton's signing with Davos of the Swiss League will not open the floodgates to Europe for other NHL players to follow.
Because as far as Winter is concerned, they were already wide open.
"We're as busy as we've ever been," said Winter, an Edmonton-based agent who represents a large number of Czech and Slovak players. "It's just the contracts we're doing right now might end up being worth nothing."
The news of Thornton's deal with Davos and the promise of other big-name players going to Switzerland has made headlines over the past few days, but Winter said he has already struck contracts with Czech teams for a number of his clients. If there is a lockout, Martin Straka and Petr Sykora will skate for their hometown Plzen team. Tomas Vokoun will be stopping pucks for Kladno, Radek Dvorak will suit up for Ceske Budejovice and David Vyborny will play for Sparta Prague.
The GM of the Davos team said on The Fan 590 yesterday there will be another big-name NHL player signing with his team soon, which is a coup for a team that was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy last season.
"There are a couple more on the way," said Thornton's agent J.P. Barry, who is hockey director for the powerful IMG agency, which represents a number of NHL stars. One possibility is Rocket Richard Trophy winner Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Winter said the opportunity for European players to come home for a year to play is one that they find inviting.
"We're basically taking Gary (NHL commissioner Bettman) and Bob (NHL Players' Association executive director Goodenow) at their word that there's going to be a lockout and we started preparing for this a year ago," Winter said. "There seems to be a sense that if the season were lost, it would be horrible, but the European players are not so horrified. Some of them have told me it's the experience of a lifetime."
There's little doubt Thornton will be followed by other top NHL players, all of whom will have assurances that if the lockout ends and the season is saved, they have out-clauses in their contracts. Some teams are willing to take that risk, some aren't.
Larry Huras, who coaches Lugano in the Swiss League, said his team had inquiries from Martin St. Louis, Dany Heatley, Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Morrison, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur, but turned them all down. He spoke at length with Morrison during the world championship, but decided signing the Vancouver Canuck star wasn't worth the risk of losing him.
Players who go to Europe and have NHL contracts will automatically have to come back to the NHL if the lockout ends. Those without contracts will have a decision to make, because as soon as they play a game in Europe after the NHL season starts, they've effectively taken themselves out of the NHL for the rest of the season.
"The big question is, do you want to bring in an NHL player knowing that it might only last a month or two?" Huras said.
"We would have loved to have signed Brendan Morrison. He's a great kid, but his first priority is to play in the NHL and we understand that. If there's anybody who would be ready to commit to a year, we'd be happy to do it."
There's also the question of risk for a player. Even though they would all have disability insurance in the event of a career-ending injury, Thornton won't be able to get a policy large enough to compensate him for lost future earnings. Even if he blows out his knee and the NHL resumes, he'll lose millions this season alone
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 13:48:07 GMT -5
Originally posted by Gurj:[/b] Roberto Luongo, Vincent Lecavalier to follow Thornton to Europe?[/u][/color] PIERRE LEBRUN Tuesday, July 13, 2004 original link: CANADA.COM(CP) - Joe Thornton may not be the only NHL star to sign on with a European club. Florida Panthers netminder Roberto Luongo and Tampa Bay Lightning centre Vincent Lecavalier have both looked into the idea, as have a number of high-profile players who hope to keep playing hockey during a possible NHL lockout. "I've had a few talks (with a Swiss league team) but right now it's kind of quiet. We'll wait and see," said Luongo, in Toronto for a Hockey Canada charity golf tournament Tuesday. "I'll be honest with you, I really don't know right now. I'll probably have a meeting with my agent later this week and we'll discuss it. I know my first idea was to go over there and play for sure, but now I'm 50-50 on it. I haven't decided yet." Lecavalier will also wait and see. "Yes, I've been thinking about it although I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet," Lecavalier said in a phone interview Tuesday. "I've been discussing it with a couple of teams over there, but nothing's decided. "I know a lot of guys who are going and I want to keep my options open." Mike York of the Edmonton Oilers signed with a German league team last month while star defenceman Sergei Gonchar of the Boston Bruins is expected to sign on with a Russian league team. Like Thornton, all of the star players want an opt-out clause that permits them to leave Europe if the lockout ends and the NHL resumes. "No question, I would want that for sure," Lecavalier said.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 13:51:37 GMT -5
Originally posted by Gurj:[/b] Report: Russian Elite League going after Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore[/u][/color] Saturday, July 10, 2004 original link : CANADA.COMMONTREAL (CP) - The Russian Elite League is reportedly wooing Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore. French-language sports TV station RDS reported Friday that Theodore has received offers from a number of Russian teams if the NHL and its players' association can't reach a new collective bargaining agreement and there is a labour disruption this fall. The report says one team has offered as much as $3 million US for the netminder's services. Theodore, a former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner, can reportedly opt out of the European deal and return to the Canadiens if there is NHL hockey next season. Theodore had 33 wins, a 2.27 goal-against average and .919 save percentage in 67 games last season. He is entering the final year of a three-year contract with the Habs that pays him $6 million in 2004-2005. The news comes one day after Boston Bruins forward Joe Thornton announced he has an agreement to play with HC Davos if the NHL enters a labour disruption.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 14:04:25 GMT -5
Originally posted by Lukasz[/b] Czech team HC Oceláøi Tøinec maybe sign two NHLers from Poland Mariusz Czerkawski and Krzysztof Oliwa. General manager Petr Hus<caron>ièka said that he is interested, of course provided that we will have lock out. On season 2003/04 HC Oceláøi Tøinec was 7 team in Czech Extraliga (14 teams play there). Article in Czech language: www.hokej.cz/index.php?akce=clanek&webid=0&id=21641
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 14:08:30 GMT -5
SlovakiaOriginally posted by pyr[/b] Lubomir Visnovsky as first slovak NHLer has signed a contract with slovak club. Of course with his former club Slovan. Radoslav Suchy has promised he will play for Poprad. Step by step they all will come back home. I´m really looking forward to next season.  Originally posted by Starrightwinger[/b] Gaborik, Hossa, Demitra will play for Dukla-Trencin if there's a lockout/strike. They will have to buy their own insurance before they can play for Dukla-Trencin.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 16, 2004 14:11:13 GMT -5
Germany[/b]
Originally posted by Sammy[/b] (27 June)
Just read this in the Edmonton Sun paper today
The uncertainty about an NHL labour agreement for 2004-05 made its first impact on the German Elite League (DEL) this week when small-market team Iserlohn Roosters announced the signing of Edmonton Oilers centre Mike York. The 26-year-old will join the Roosters in case of an NHL lockout. Although DEL teams are only allowed to bring in a limited number of import players each season, a few more prominent names may pop up as the late July start of DEL training camps approaches.
York was Edmonton's leading scorer with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists) before a broken finger sidelined him.
He is expected to arrive in Iserlohn in early September and would stay until the end of a possible NHL lockout.
''Apart from Jaroslav Pouzar (also a former Edmonton Oiler), York would be the greatest player ever to wear an Iserlohn uniform. Even if he only sticks around for two or three months, our young team would profit a lot from York's skills and experience,'' said Roosters GM Wolfgang Bruck.
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Post by DanCan on Jul 17, 2004 5:57:43 GMT -5
Sweden[/b]
Many rumours, but few signings so far.
The following contracts have been signed (all unconditional)
Tommy Salo (f. Colorado) -- MoDo
Andreas Dackell (f. Montreal) -- Brynäs
Mikael Renberg (f. Toronto) - Lulea
Tom Koivisto (f. Phoenix) - V. Frölunda
Miko Luoma (F. Edmonton) -- Malmö
Ratislav Stana (Washington) -- Södertälje
Jimmie Olvestad (Hamilton, AHL) -- Djurgaarden
Jaroslav Obsut (Manitoba, AHL) -- Lulea
Other contracts of interest:
Jonas Höglund (f. Davos) -- Färjestads
Martin Plüss (f. Kloten) -- V. Frölunda
Kimmo Peltonen (TPS) -- HV71
Rickard Franzen (Hannover) -- Djurgaarden
RUMORS:
Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa) -- V. Frölunda
Peter Forsberg (Colorado) -- MoDo
Markus Näslund (Vancouver) -- MoDo
Frantisek Kaberle (Atlanta) -- MoDo
Mattias Timmander (Philadelphia) -- MoDo
Niklas Sundström (Montreal) -- MoDo
Andreas Lilja (Florida) -- Malmö
Kenny Jonsson (NY Islanders) -- Färjestads
Magnus Arvedsson (Vancouver) -- Farjestads
Andreas Johansson (Nashville) -- Färjestads
Christoph Brandner (Minnesota) -- Farjestads
Mikael Samuelsson (Florida) -- Södertalje
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pyr
Prospect
Sophomore
Posts: 259
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Post by pyr on Jul 18, 2004 5:23:55 GMT -5
Still no contract but safe thing:
Zigmund Palffy - HK 36 Skalica
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Post by Jazz on Jul 18, 2004 5:28:19 GMT -5
[/b] RUMORS: Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa) -- V. Frölunda Peter Forsberg (Colorado) -- MoDo Markus Näslund (Vancouver) -- MoDo ....[/quote] There has been talk here for a while that Todd Bertuzzi would follow Markus Näslund to play with MoDo....(assuming all his legal affairs are tidied up...) |
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Post by DanCan on Jul 18, 2004 15:12:16 GMT -5
Gurj, there's no rumors about Bertuzzi in the Swedish media. I don't think MoDo wants him after his indictment.
Austria[/b]
EC VSV has signed a conditional contract with Canuck's Brendan Morrison according to Eurohockey.net.
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