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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 25, 2005 19:46:10 GMT -5
What do you think of the scenario of European players (who presently constitute 30% of the total NHL player population, and a much higher percentage of skilled players in the league) returning or staying home en masse to play for club teams in their native lands? Factors which may keep European talent at home due to aperceived or actual work stoppage:
- Those players who have already played a number of years in the NHL under lucrative contracts decide to take their nest-eggs and go home. They are able to now quite easily afford to play for their local team without money worries, and boost the prestige and quality of the local product.
- Current and future draft choices receive much stronger cautionary advice from family and friends about commiting themselves to coming over to North America.
- Players elect to stay and play at home even if it means getting paid less. Hypothetical example: Andrei Markov is offered $2 million by the Habs, and is also offered $900,000 (tax free) + apartment + car = proximity to his friends, family and above all 2 year old son who he confesses to missing very much while he's away on business in the NHL.
The above are possible reasons for a reverse talent drain. Much, and rightly so, is made of the business aspect of the potential work stoppage. IMO, the human element in decision making is being woefully neglected. If, under a new CBA and a restructured NHL, the old get-rich-quick option is greatly diminished or eliminated, why not stay home amid those you know and love and play in your virtual backyard?
If enough top-drawer European talents arrive at the above decision, it's a sure thing a lot a top line positions will open up for the current surplus of North American muckers and grinders. Wouldn't that just make the product all the more attractive, eh? So far there haven't been any big names among the players who will be playing in Europe this season, but they do exist. The Philadelphia Flyers alone are losing three players to this trend as Radovan Somik, Mattias Timander and Marcus Ragnarrson will all play overseas. Florida Panther Andreas Lilja, a guy who was starting to come into his own in the league, will play in Sweden as well. Lilja's decision likely has more than a little to do with his involvement in a sex scandal while playing in Sweden last season. I'll update this list as more players announce they won't be returning to the NHL. - mirtle.blogspot.com/ |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 26, 2005 11:16:09 GMT -5
Unhappy Jagr Weighs OptionsBy REUTERS Published: July 26, 2005 Filed at 7:01 a.m. ET PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech winger Jaromir Jagr is weighing his options for next season after the NHL's new labor agreement limited his earning potential with the New York Rangers. A strong critic of the deal -- which outlines that no player can earn more than 20 percent of the $39 million salary cap set for each of the NHL's 30 teams -- Jagr is considering playing in Russia instead. - www.nytimes.com/reuters/sports/sports-nhl-jagr.html?oref=login
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 26, 2005 11:22:47 GMT -5
Datysuk may opt to play in Russia this seasonTuesday, July 26, 2005 By Ansar Khan DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings appear to have some serious competition in their bid to retain star center Pavel Datysuk. According to Datsyuk's agent, Gary Greenstin, the talented 27-year-old is pondering a lucrative offer from Russian Superleague team, Moscow Dynamo, the club Datsyuk played for during the canceled 2004-05 NHL season. "We have a great offer," Greenstin said Sunday. "It's huge, big." - tinyurl.com/98kzb
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 26, 2005 11:24:56 GMT -5
Leverage—a key to any successful negotiation. Competition, ya gotta love it! What separates "democracy" from "communism", right?
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 26, 2005 11:49:35 GMT -5
What do you think of the scenario of European players (who presently constitute 30% of the total NHL player population, and a much higher percentage of skilled players in the league) returning or staying home en masse to play for club teams in their native lands? Factors which may keep European talent at home due to aperceived or actual work stoppage:
- Those players who have already played a number of years in the NHL under lucrative contracts decide to take their nest-eggs and go home. They are able to now quite easily afford to play for their local team without money worries, and boost the prestige and quality of the local product.
- Current and future draft choices receive much stronger cautionary advice from family and friends about commiting themselves to coming over to North America.
- Players elect to stay and play at home even if it means getting paid less. Hypothetical example: Andrei Markov is offered $2 million by the Habs, and is also offered $900,000 (tax free) + apartment + car = proximity to his friends, family and above all 2 year old son who he confesses to missing very much while he's away on business in the NHL.
The above are possible reasons for a reverse talent drain. Much, and rightly so, is made of the business aspect of the potential work stoppage. IMO, the human element in decision making is being woefully neglected. If, under a new CBA and a restructured NHL, the old get-rich-quick option is greatly diminished or eliminated, why not stay home amid those you know and love and play in your virtual backyard?
If enough top-drawer European talents arrive at the above decision, it's a sure thing a lot a top line positions will open up for the current surplus of North American muckers and grinders. Wouldn't that just make the product all the more attractive, eh? So far there haven't been any big names among the players who will be playing in Europe this season, but they do exist. The Philadelphia Flyers alone are losing three players to this trend as Radovan Somik, Mattias Timander and Marcus Ragnarrson will all play overseas. Florida Panther Andreas Lilja, a guy who was starting to come into his own in the league, will play in Sweden as well. Lilja's decision likely has more than a little to do with his involvement in a sex scandal while playing in Sweden last season. I'll update this list as more players announce they won't be returning to the NHL. - mirtle.blogspot.com/Interesting. There will probably be some top players who opt for Europe, but I don't see Lemieux going to play in Omsk next year to get around the cap. |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 26, 2005 15:43:21 GMT -5
-The New York Daily News reports that defenceman Kenny Jonsson, a restricted free agent, will stay in Sweden this year rather than come back to the Islanders. "I'll call him in the next few days," Isles GM Mike Milbury told the newspaper. "Kenny was with us nine years, I'd expect at least a call from him." - www.nhl.com/news/2005/07/230940.html |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 27, 2005 17:49:02 GMT -5
Unhappy Jagr Weighs OptionsBy REUTERS Published: July 26, 2005 Filed at 7:01 a.m. ET PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech winger Jaromir Jagr is weighing his options for next season after the NHL's new labor agreement limited his earning potential with the New York Rangers. A strong critic of the deal -- which outlines that no player can earn more than 20 percent of the $39 million salary cap set for each of the NHL's 30 teams -- Jagr is considering playing in Russia instead. - www.nytimes.com/reuters/sports/sports-nhl-jagr.html?oref=login By JOHN DELLAPINA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Jaromir Jagr's heart might be in Omsk, but his skates will be in New York this season. Bobby Holik's heart was pledged to the Rangers, but the club's silence regarding his status has made him philosophical. Published reports in two Czech dailies yesterday quoted Jagr as saying he was torn between returning to the Rangers and playing with Avangard Omsk, the Russian team he skated with during the lockout. However, under the terms of the transfer agreement between the NHL and International Ice Hockey Federation that governs the movement of players, Jagr simply cannot play for any pro team other than the Rangers for the duration of his contract, which runs through the 2007-08 season. - www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/331740p-283494c.html |
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Post by BadCompany on Jul 29, 2005 7:24:17 GMT -5
The Ottawa Citizen is reporting that Anton Volchenkov is staying in Russia, now that his 3 year entry level contract has expired.
Volchenkov, for those of you who don't remember, is the guy who crushed and injured Mike Ribeiro. He's a monster hitter, and that would be a big loss for the Senators, especially if he never comes back.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 29, 2005 8:15:21 GMT -5
The Ottawa Citizen is reporting that Anton Volchenkov is staying in Russia, now that his 3 year entry level contract has expired. Volchenkov, for those of you who don't remember, is the guy who crushed and injured Mike Ribeiro. He's a monster hitter, and that would be a big loss for the Senators, especially if he never comes back. Memo to Bob Gainey: Please have Nikolai Vakourov (Habs Russia scout) take Anton out for a long lunch TODAY! Expense account be damned. * Markov-Volchenkov Souray-Komisarek Hainsey-Rivet |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jul 29, 2005 9:28:28 GMT -5
The Ottawa Citizen is reporting that Anton Volchenkov is staying in Russia, now that his 3 year entry level contract has expired. Volchenkov, for those of you who don't remember, is the guy who crushed and injured Mike Ribeiro. He's a monster hitter, and that would be a big loss for the Senators, especially if he never comes back. Memo to Bob Gainey: Please have Nikolai Vakourov (Habs Russia scout) take Anton out for a long lunch TODAY! Expense account be damned. * Markov-Volchenkov Souray-Komisarek Hainsey-Rivet Absolutely. I remember the exact hit BC referred to. But, I also remember this guy making an instant impression the moment he made the Sens. It would take a lot free up his rights from the Sens me thinks. Cheers. |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Aug 3, 2005 18:36:07 GMT -5
Aug. 3, 2005. 01:00 AM Is Nik going to play in Russia?Leaf centre wants to stay, but can't ignore juicy offers
GM Ferguson has little wiggle-room under salary capPAUL HUNTER SPORTS REPORTER If it's not enough that the Maple Leafs must compete for players in a new economic world, now they must also compete with the world. Toronto forward Nik Antropov said yesterday he has received two serious offers from Russian club teams that would double or triple the $1 million (all figures U.S.) qualifying offer he has received from the Leafs. The 25-year-old said the money is so good in Russia now that he expects some players to spurn the relatively frugal offers from the salary-capped NHL to go home. He's just hoping, he's not one of them. - tinyurl.com/d8463 |
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