NHL players on hand for union’s response to league (Yahoo! Sports)

18 Oct
2012
TORONTO (AP) -- NHL players are out in force, with the union set to respond to the league's proposal to end the lockout and start a full season Nov. 2.
Tags: , , , proposal, response, , the union, , Union,
No Comments Share Read More

As the NHL locked out its players, Nail Yakupov, taken first overall in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, flew back to his home town of Nizhnekamsk and agreed to a contract with the local KHL team, Neftekhimik.

He was scheduled to be in the starting lineup in Neftekhimik's next game in Nizhni Novgorod. But that's likely not going to happen, because the IIHF is refusing to issue Yakupov's transfer card to the KHL club.

It's something that could affect other NHL players trying to spend the lockout in Europe.

An IIHF transfer card is needed for any player participating in any tournament under the IIHF umbrella. It is sort of a permit to play. The KHL and every hockey league in Europe is under the IIHF umbrella. The KHL had its run-ins with the international hockey governing body before, when the IIHF either refused or delayed issuing transfer cards, like in the case with Alex Radulov. On certain occasions, these tensions led to KHL threatening to leave the organization.

"The IIHF is not allowing Yakupov to play. The transfer card has not been sent from Switzerland (the IIHF headquarters)," Neftekhimik director Rafik Yakubov told Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov.

"I can't even imagine what this is related to. Perhaps the international hockey federation doesn't want to feud with the NHL and is waiting when they receive an approval from there. The negotiations are ongoing and we were told that there will be no requests. So, Nail cannot play against Torpedo. He is already in Nizhnekamsk, practicing with the team and is ready to play even tomorrow."

Lysenkov is reporting that Igor Larionov, Yakupov's agent, had an agreement in place with the Edmonton Oilers to allow Yakupov to play in the KHL for the duration of the lockout.

But now Yakupov has to wait.

The NHL is not a member of the IIHF, but has a great deal of power bossing the international governing body around. Rene Fasel rarely goes against NHL's wishes, and it is not surprising the IIHF is possibly waiting for NHL's official permission to issue transfer cards to NHL players allowing them to play in Europe during the lockout.

No one will officially confirm this within the IIHF, but it is possibly the case that this is yet another way the NHL can stop players from playing altogether. The IIHF's leadership is weak to make independent decisions.

(Asked how much of a role NHL plays in IIHF decision on transfer cards, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an e-mail to Yahoo! Sports: "None, either directly or indirectly.")

The large scale of the IIHF's ineptness is that apparently Yakupov is not the only one without the transfer card. Czech media outlets are reporting that none (!) of the NHL players who have signed deals in Europe in the last few days have received their transfer cards. Not Jaromir Jagr nor Evgeni Malkin nor Sergei Gonchar nor Ilya Kovalchuk. We are awaiting confirmation of this, as the time difference with Europe is such that it is tough to get answers.

But again, this whole story is not surprising. The IIHF does not want to get into a feud with the NHL even though, as I mentioned, the NHL is not related to the IIHF in any way.

UPDATE: Szymon Szemberg of the IIHF provided the following information in the hopes of clarifying the process and explaining some of the delays:

Whenever a club has signed a player to personal contract, the club that has recruited the player must start the international transfer card (ITC) procedure. Most likely, a professional club either has a card in the club office or acquires one from its national federation.

An ITC needs three signatures -- outgoing federation, ingoing federation and the player -- to be approved by the IIHF; and when it has the three signatures, the IIHF immediately approves the transfer, informing the relevant parties that the player is cleared to play.

The IIHF never stalls or delays any transfers. As soon as it has the three approvals, the player is good to go.

Example: When Atlant Mytishi wants to recruit Andreas Engqvist from the Montreal Canadiens, they take the ITC card and have the player and the Russian hockey federation sign it. After that they send it to Hockey Canada (as Montreal is in Canada) and HC checks with NHL Central Registry about the player's contractual status. If the player is not under a valid and binding contract, NHL CR gives HC the OK to sign the ITC. HC, if it is time pressure, scans the ITC and e-mails it as an attachment to the IIHF.

The very second the ITC arrives at the IIHF with all three signatures, the IIHF informs RHF/KHL/Atlant that the player is eligible to play. So the IIHF is never in a position to stall or delay anything.

In the regulations, it says that the outgoing federation has seven days to approve the ITC. The reason is that it sometimes it takes time to determine the players' contractual status or the player's old club must be given time to clear certain things, whether the player has honored all his obligations. If the outgoing federation does not approve within seven days, the IIHF immediately contacts the federation asking and asks for reason why. If the federation has no reason, the IIHF approves the transfer.

So when Yakupov left for the CHL it was the other way around; Sarnia started the ITC process and Neftekhimik/Russian HF were given seven days to sign the ITC.

No Comments Share Read More

Here are KHL’s guidelines for signing locked-out NHL players; mandatory Stanley Cup finalist?

11 Sep
2012

The KHL has announced the official change to its Regulations concerning signing players with NHL contracts for the duration of the lockout in the NHL.

The document will become effective on the day the NHL announces the lockout, and will be in force until the NHL officially announces the end of the lockout. The change to the Regulations is designed to cover players who have NHL contracts, excluding those who have two-way NHL contracts and are assigned to the minor league by their NHL clubs for the duration of the lockout.

KHL's Hockey Operations Vice President Vladimir Shalaev said the following about the change:

"Our clubs are getting an opportunity to enter into contracts and to put on their rosters no more than three NHL players, and these players can be included above the established limit of 25 players.  Of the three NHL players signed to a contract by Russian KHL clubs, there may be only one [foreign born] player.  And it cannot be just any foreign born player, but one who meets one of the special criteria that was set in place to ensure only top level players come to the KHL."

The new regulations are, shall we say, quite specific.

The special criteria applying to foreign born players are that such players. Keep in mind the players must meet any one of the criteria. Not all of them:

- Must have played no less than 150 games in the NHL in the last three seasons;

- Must have had experience playing in the KHL;

- Must be a member of the national team of his country at one of the last two IIHF World Championships, World Junior Championships or the Olympic games;

- Must be a winner or the finalist of the Stanley Cup or the winner of one of the individual prizes awarded by the National Hockey League at the end of the season.

KHL clubs based outside of Russia may have more than one "foreign born player" among the three NHL players. This means that the aforementioned criteria does not apply no KHL clubs based outside of Russia, and teams like Slovakian Slovan can go after their country's NHL players like Marian Hossa and Zdeno Chara.

The Russian KHL clubs currently have a five "foreign player" per team limit, including one such goaltender.  With the new rule, they can add another such player without a problem, but will still have an opportunity to only dress five foreign born players for any given game.

Furthermore, as we reported earlier, the salaries paid for the lockout-only rentals, will not be counted towards the KHL salary cap.

However, the salary paid to NHL players may not be higher than 65 percent of the salary in his NHL contract for this season.

Shalaev also clarified:

"Contracts our teams enter into with NHL players must be enforceable until April 30 of next year, to the end of the 2012-2013 season.  However, every contract must have a clause allowing unilateral termination at the end of the NHL lockout.  Of course, no compensation is to be paid for such termination."

In other words: All contracts signed must have April 30 as their expiration date, i.e. KHL standard player contract. The only thing that is not "standard" in those contracts, is that they will be unilaterally terminated (KHL didn't clarify by who, but I guess by KHL clubs themselves) when the lockout is officially over.

In addition, KHL clubs will be able to trade their NHL lockout players in accordance with the current rules of the League.

KHL clubs will also have a discretion to purchase insurance for their NHL players in addition to the coverage — medical, life etc — already mandated by the KHL Regulations.

Tags: , , finalist, , limit, , , ,
No Comments Share Read More

KHL to provide home for NHLers for duration of potential lockout

04 Sep
2012

A few weeks ago my KHL source told me that the League was trying to work out how to accommodate a possible NHL lockout without making any groundbreaking changes to the League's regulations. There were a few KHL managers who didn't even want to make any concessions for the lockout. Other general managers expressed concerns regarding the potential for a damage to team chemistry because a player coming from the NHL for a short period of time would inevitably take a spot of someone who is on a permanent contract.

But the temptation of being the lucrative market for world's best hockey players to play hockey during the lockout is just too great. And today with the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier in town to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Summit Series and play two charity games, the KHL announced that it will make changes to their own rules. SovSport's Pavel Lysenkov passed on KHL President Alexander Medvedev's words:

First of all, any KHL team will be allowed to sign up to three players from the NHL for the duration of the possible lockout in the NHL. Of the three, one may be from any country other than Russia.

Furthermore, none of these "lockout-long" contracts would count towards the KHL salary cap, which is a "soft" cap to begin with.

At the same time, the KHL rule allowing only five non-Russian born players per team to be on the roster for any given game will remain. The rule only applies to teams based in Russia (the KHL is, after all, not only a Russian league).

With countries like Sweden no longer an option in Europe for NHL players, the KHL is trying to make itself more attractive to world stars. Medvedev also tries to play to NHL player's advantage. Asked whose side he is on in the current CBA dispute Medvedev said: "I talked a lot with the PA chief Donald Fehr, and he described the players' position to me. I think the League is trying to be too tough on players. And it is at least unfair."

Tags: cap, , , , , Mark Messier, , , , , wayne gretzky
No Comments Share Read More

NHL players want posted list of divers, embellishers in every arena

23 Aug
2012

It's like a wall of shame at local supermarkets, gas stations and liquor stores: a collection of bad checks and occasional mug shots near the cash register, alerting clerks not to fall for these charlatans again. (Especially when they use a $100 bill to pay for an $8 ice cream cake.)

The NHL has it own problem with counterfeiters: Divers and embellishers, drawing penalties with egregious overacting as on-ice officials remain trigger-shy in calling them out on it.

So at the NHL's rules summit in Toronto with NHL VP Colin Campbell, some players suggested a similar form of public shaming. Via Dan Rosen of NHL.com:

The players in the session, including Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman John-Michael Liles, led an impassioned discussion on enforcing the diving/embellishment rule (Rule 64.1), Campbell told NHL.com. He said the players want to distribute a list of divers around the League so it can be posted in all 30 dressing rooms and be delivered to the on-ice officials.

"They want to get [the list] out there," Campbell said. "They want the player to be caught, whether it's on the ice by the referee or by us on video. They are all tired of diving. The object is to make them stop eventually and, by doing that, they can get it out there around the League, embarrass them. The referees will know it, too, so the divers don't get the benefit of the doubt."

A few general reactions to this idea, with varying degrees of incredulity.

1. The players I've spoken to about diving swear on a stack of bibles (i.e. copies of Ken Dryden's "The Game") that they don't dive. Neither do their teammates. It's the other guys that do, of course. So it would be a hoot to see a document hanging in the dressing room that chronicles the habitual divers in that room. If only to see the new levels of creative vandalism that would be reached in that document's honor.

2. How does one get on the list? Who determines it? NHL referees that refuse to call diving? The NHL's rules enforcement execs that don't fine divers? The NHL players that won't narc on their own teammates?

3. How does one get off the list? A full season staying on his skates? Sworn testimony from opposing players? Is it like the No-Fly List where it takes an ACLU lawsuit to get your name removed?

4. Are we to believe that there isn't a list of divers and embellishers passed around from official to official, if not on paper than through some tribal referee folklore? We're two years removed from learning that Campbell himself would label players (or just Marc Savard) as a "little fake artist" to the head of NHL officiating. Does there need to be a stone tablet chiseled with Mike Ribeiro's name in order for referees not to give him "the benefit of the doubt?"

5. "Ah," you say, "but it's more about public shaming than the education of NHL officials." At the risk of turning this part of the post into a confusing outline for a college term paper, here are a few ways to publicly shame NHL players for diving and embellishment:

a. Calling a penalty for diving that negates a power play.

b. Altering the rules so that a dive negates the original penalty, thus putting the diver's team in a shorthanded situation.

c. Revamping the NHL.com stats pages to break down player infractions by type of penalty, so that "unsportsmanlike conduct — diving" can be better quantified.

d. Fining or suspending a player that dives habitually so they'll, like, stop doing it.

e. Developing Department of Player Safety-esque videos that shame the divers with lowlights of their embellishments. May we suggest "Hockey Night in Canada" host Ron MacLean? (Ask Alex Burrows).

6. Make embellishers play in full SCUBA gear. Yes, including the flippers.

As we mentioned on Wednesday, we're all for going after embellishment — especially the stick-and-glove-tossing nonsense that's happening on every love tap. We're also in favor of the NHL calling out these players for their embellishment.

So as Phoenix Coyotes Coach Dave Tippett said, it's nice to see the players enthusiastic about cracking down on diving — even if, at the end of the day, it'll take more than landing on Santa's Naughty List to change behavior.

Tags: benefit, Colin Campbell, , embellishers, embellishment, , , , ,
No Comments Share Read More

NHL proposes expanded revenue sharing in CBA talks (Yahoo! Sports)

31 Jul
2012
NEW YORK (AP) -- NHL players began examining the league's proposed expansion of revenue sharing in the latest round of labor talks on Tuesday.
Tags: , expansion, labor, , , , ,
No Comments Share Read More

NHL clarifies CBA proposal; impact of NHLPA salary rollback examined

25 Jul
2012

The NHL added some details to its first offer in collective bargaining with the NHL players on Wednesday and hey, good news: The issues regarding training camps, injuries, roster moves and medical care were ones that NHLPA chief Donald Fehr said don't involve "a big difference in opinion" between the sides.

Hooray, no lockout!

Oh, right: There's still that whole redefinition of hockey-related revenue and desire to lower the players' share from 57 percent to 43 percent. Which is a bit of a sticking point.

According to David Shoalts of the Globe & Mail, the salary rollback inherent in that proposal would have a huge impact on player salaries; in fact, salaries would once again be rolled back by 24 percent, as they were during the 2004-05 lockout:

The overall effect, the analysts discovered, would actually shrink the players' share of the revenue to 43 per cent from 57 once the effect of reducing the HRR was added. Under those numbers, for example, the salary cap last season would have been $50.8-million, rather than $64.3-million, and the floor or minimum payroll would have been $38.8-million rather than $48.3-million.

To the individual player, this meant if he made a salary of $1-million, it would have been cut back to $760,000.

Do we really want to live in a world where Colby Armstrong is actually a $760,000 player? I think not …

Tags: , collective bargaining, Donald Fehr, , , , NHLPA, , , rollback
No Comments Share Read More

Recent Posts

  • Holliday (back) in Cards lineup for NLCS Gm 7 – Matt Holliday | STL
    Holliday (back) in Cards lineup for NLCS...
    October 22, 2012No Comments
  • Junior C forward Tyler Clarke’s unbelievable, spinning goal of the year candidate (VIDEO)
    Junior C forward Tyler Clarke’s unbeli...
    October 22, 2012No Comments
  • Tour Report: Els blog: What a weekend (PGA Tour)
    Tour Report: Els blog: What a weekend (P...
    October 22, 2012No Comments
  • Charles Woodson breaks collarbone, out 6 wks – Charles Woodson | GB
    Charles Woodson breaks collarbone, out 6...
    October 22, 2012No Comments
  • Panthers send top CB Chris Gamble to I.R. – Chris Gamble | CAR
    Panthers send top CB Chris Gamble to I.R...
    October 22, 2012No Comments