Russia Declares war

[TBLfan 25]

Story

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has declared an all-out war on the National Hockey League (NHL), accusing the North Americans of stealing its best players.

Russian hockey officials were up in arms after several top players, including teenage prodigy Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins' number one pick in 2004, walked out on their contracts with Russian clubs to pursue a career in the NHL.

The Malkin case has been front-page news on both sides of the Atlantic since the young Russian secretly left his club Metallurg Magnitogorsk at Helsinki airport earlier this month.

Malkin, considered the best player in the world outside the NHL, vanished for several days before resurfacing in the United States last week and declaring his wish to play for Pittsburgh.

"This is pure sports terrorism," Metallurg general director Gennady Velichkin told Reuters following the sudden disappearance of his best player.

Velichkin said his club had already hired an American lawyer to look after their interests. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and Russian champions AK Bars Kazan said they also planned legal action against NHL clubs.

Lokomotiv are seeking compensation from the Edmonton Oilers and the Phoenix Coyotes after losing their best forwards, Alexei Mikhnov and Andrei Taratukhin, while Kazan also accuse Phoenix of poaching their top player, Enver Lisin.

Russian clubs received backing from the country's hockey chief Vladislav Tretyak and Sports Minister Vyacheslav Fetisov.

DISGRACEFUL OFFER

"We can't just sit around and do nothing while the NHL takes our best players," Tretyak told local media.

But the NHL said it would not negotiate compensation packages with any Russian club after the European nation refused to sign a transfer agreement with the North American league.

Russia remains the only major hockey power not to join the deal, approved by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 2005.

Under the agreement Metallurg would have received a basic $200,000 fee for Malkin. The Russian club reportedly wanted at least 10 times more.

Tretyak said the Malkin case was the main reason behind their decision not to sign the agreement while the Metallurg boss slammed the offer as "disgraceful."

Malkin has faxed a letter to Metallurg, asking them to annul his contract, which he said he had signed under pressure.

Velichkin denying putting any pressure on Malkin.

"He talks about pressure. What pressure?" Velichkin said.

"You can ask militia (Russian police) about pressure. Pressure is when they bang your head against a wall radiator.

"As far as the letter he faxed to us, it wasn't written by Malkin so I think it's a pure fabrication. I just threw it in the garbage can."

Asked about the sum he was seeking for Malkin, Velichkin said: "Before his disappearance I was asking for $2 million from Pittsburgh but now I want more, a lot more."

[gp3r 0]

You can't blame players for wanting to play in the best league in the world. Clearly, it's not about money for those players, since most of them would make more money by staying in Russia. It's about playing with and against the best players on this planet. I can understand the Russain teams that are pissed off because they lose they players, but hey, that's just the way it goes.

[gp3r 0]

Also, here's another interesting article concering the NHL-Russia hockey war:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=175115&hubname=

[mack 44]

Russia can't win actual wars, what makes them think they can win this one?

[Fire0nIce228 1]

"You can ask militia (Russian police) about pressure. Pressure is when they bang your head against a wall radiator.

This is priceless. I love Russia speak.

[Patrick67 1]

I noticed that line in perticular too!

Somehow I doubt it's something he just made up from the top of his head...

[Ivan 1]

Clearly, it's not about money for those players, since most of them would make more money by staying in Russia.

What he really wants is to play on smaller rinks.

Screw Russians hockey executives anyway.

[KillerCarlson 0]

Didn't I read that he signed his (Russian) contract at 3am or thereabouts...??

LOL...and the NHL are the Bad Guys!

Maybe it's just me - but if I'm doing anything at 3am, it's either sleeping or <edited for content>. That is, unless someone is banging my head off a "wall radiator" trying to get me to sign a contract...

[LkptTiger 1]

Maybe it's just me - but if I'm doing anything at 3am, it's either sleeping or <edited for content>.

Watching Cinemax??? Yeah, me too.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Didn't I read that he signed his (Russian) contract at 3am or thereabouts...??

Yep, here are some quotes and the likes to add some more drama to the mix

General manager of Metallurg, Velichkin :

"First we are going to complain by russian hockey federation. We want Malkin to be prohibited to play in any club in the world. If so, we will send the paper to Pittsburgh, if this club intends to sign a deal with Malkin. Then Pittsburgh will have to send Malkin back to Russia or to start negotiations with us about ransom money. If they will not do it , we are going to complain by us-court. As simple as that. Some time ago i wanted 2mil $ but after all this nervosity i suffered, our demand will be much higher.

Malkin:

It turned out that Viktor Rashnikov invited me and my parents to his villa outside the city and negotiations took place exactly there. About 90 minutes me , my parents and Rashnikov, Velichkin were talking about new deal.

After that i consulted my parents and then said to mr Rashnikov that i am not going to sign this deal. Then , in the street , Velichkin talked to me . His voice now was loud and he began to behave himself in a different way than before. In the street we talked about 1 hour. Then he told that he wants to come to our home because there is the new contract in the house lying.

After that we all came to our home and negatiated till 2, 30 am. And in the end i signed the deal. I knew he wanted 2 mil $ for me and so there was no point in negatiations because nhl would never pay that money and Velichkin wouldn't accept less money than that.

I think everybody understands me , my decision , i didnt know what to do. Guys are going to support me , i am sure. Now i am calmed down but there is still a dissapointment. Like people say "everything what happens leads to better things". If i 'll get an invitation for WM 2007 i will come with pleasure. Most important thing is that fans forgive me.

Jay Barry:

"according to us-law nobody has to fullfill a contract which has been signed by psychological pressure. We got visa for Malkin in 3 days, consulted the embassy and just waited for a call .

[TBLfan 25]

Hopefully Rashnikov doesn't know where Malkin's family lives!

[flip12 715]

"As far as the letter he faxed to us, it wasn't written by Malkin so I think it's a pure fabrication. I just threw it in the garbage can."

That's my favorite quotation from the whole thing. That's a pretty official document to just throw away isn't it?