KHL amps up rhetoric

Still no word on the Radulov ruling, but if Larry Brooks's recent NYPost article is any indication, the KHL is preparing to go to all-out war with the NHL in the 2009-10 season by holding its own universal draft -- which, unprecedentedly, is to include NHL players still under contract:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08152008/sports/sportsshorts/nhl_losing_on_radulov_124543.htm

Wow. Things are gonna get nasty.

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:Wow. Things are gonna get nasty.

Ban all players involved from the NHL for a minimum of 5 years.

504Heater wrote:

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:Wow. Things are gonna get nasty.

Ban all players involved from the NHL for a minimum of 5 years.

It may come to something like that. Regardless, even if it doesn't, how does this affect Meszaros' stance? If the rumours are true (of him wanting to play in the NHL, and using KHL only as leverage), should he cave now and avoid retribution later? I would.

Actually, can the new CBA include a penalty clause for breaking a contract under specific circumstances? If the KHL is willing to offer $1M bribes to break an existing contract, then shouldn't the little lawyer be able to figure out a clause to counter that? Not this year, sure, but for the next CBA? Of course the owners would need to take one for the team as well (i.e. different buyout rules).

wprager wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:Wow. Things are gonna get nasty.

Ban all players involved from the NHL for a minimum of 5 years.

It may come to something like that. Regardless, even if it doesn't, how does this affect Meszaros' stance? If the rumours are true (of him wanting to play in the NHL, and using KHL only as leverage), should he cave now and avoid retribution later? I would.

Maybe it doesn't mean much to him, but if it was me, I'd want a fruitful future in the NHL, not the RHL or KHL or whatever. What do they play for? The Vodka Cup?

[quote="504Heater"]

wprager wrote:
Maybe it doesn't mean much to him, but if it was me, I'd want a fruitful future in the NHL, not the RHL or KHL or whatever. What do they play for? The Vodka Cup?

Never underestimate the power of the $$$ on a young man who loves to party. Their season is short, so he'd have more time to "play" in the off-season.

[quote="wprager"]

504Heater wrote:

wprager wrote:
Maybe it doesn't mean much to him, but if it was me, I'd want a fruitful future in the NHL, not the RHL or KHL or whatever. What do they play for? The Vodka Cup?

Never underestimate the power of the $$$ on a young man who loves to party. Their season is short, so he'd have more time to "play" in the off-season.

Very true Wprager. Also BTW 504Heater just passed you in posts as second most active poster.

Cap'n' Clutch wrote:
Very true Wprager. Also BTW 504Heater just passed you in posts as second most active poster.

Actually he'd passed me a little while back (I was offline for quite a while), and we've been neck-and-neck for a while. It was fun while it lasted, but I'm starting a new job Monday, so my stats will go down.

rooneypoo wrote:Still no word on the Radulov ruling, but if Larry Brooks's recent NYPost article is any indication, the KHL is preparing to go to all-out war with the NHL in the 2009-10 season by holding its own universal draft -- which, unprecedentedly, is to include NHL players still under contract:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08152008/sports/sportsshorts/nhl_losing_on_radulov_124543.htm

They'll get crushed by the NHL and IIHF. If players want to go over there, and then the IIHF steps in and says no participation in international events, then those guys are going to start thinking twice about the move they want to make.

PKC wrote:
They'll get crushed by the NHL and IIHF. If players want to go over there, and then the IIHF steps in and says no participation in international events, then those guys are going to start thinking twice about the move they want to make.

I thought at least North American (NHL) players did not get compensation for international events; not sure about Europeans or junior players. If a player would rather get more money to play in the KHL, than to get a shot at the Stanley Cup, then what are the chances that same type of player gets influence by whether or not he can represent his country at international events?

wprager wrote:

PKC wrote:
They'll get crushed by the NHL and IIHF. If players want to go over there, and then the IIHF steps in and says no participation in international events, then those guys are going to start thinking twice about the move they want to make.

I thought at least North American (NHL) players did not get compensation for international events; not sure about Europeans or junior players. If a player would rather get more money to play in the KHL, than to get a shot at the Stanley Cup, then what are the chances that same type of player gets influence by whether or not he can represent his country at international events?

I don't know. But use Meszaros as an example since he's a starting defenseman for his national team. I'm almost positive that playing international competition (Olympics, World Championships, etc...) is huge for him. He'd probably get pressured by his country for choosing more money over international eligibility. But, again, I don't know.

I can't imagine that there aren't some sort of "perks" that go along with being on the national team. I'm sure that the teams find ways of compensating their players adequately, so that they have enough incentive to cut into their time off.

Acrobat wrote:I can't imagine that there aren't some sort of "perks" that go along with being on the national team. I'm sure that the teams find ways of compensating their players adequately, so that they have enough incentive to cut into their time off.

I'm not a professional athlete, but my incentive would be pride. How many kids here in Canada dream of playing in a gold-medal game at the Olympics?

PKC wrote:

Acrobat wrote:I can't imagine that there aren't some sort of "perks" that go along with being on the national team. I'm sure that the teams find ways of compensating their players adequately, so that they have enough incentive to cut into their time off.

I'm not a professional athlete, but my incentive would be pride. How many kids here in Canada dream of playing in a gold-medal game at the Olympics?

That's you. I agree with you, and I'd say eighty percent of athletes are like that, but definitely not 100%.

Look at the NHL All-Star Game (unpaid - minimal compensation, some non-NA players are starting to say "no") or the MLB All-Star Game (same thing, several players have declined, some openly stating that they would go if they were being paid).

For most, there is the pride of achievement and success in competition. For some, there is only the pride from attainment of material goods. (Wow, did that ever sound like a sermon...)