KHL Trades, Rumors and Free Agent Talk Part 6

[ForsbergForever]

zherdev on a tryout in minsk lmao, fingers crossed he somehow makes the team

He must be broke and looking for some quick cash. He could have been an NHL star if he had a better attitude and committed himself to becoming a well-rounded player.

 

[SoundAndFury]

He must be broke and looking for some quick cash.

Or he simply truly enjoys playing hockey. On his own terms.

 

[alko]

Samuel Bucek signed with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.
Interesting is, he was under contract with Kraken farm team.

Now he is bellowed by many Slovak fans. Discussion on Hokejportal is very hot.

 

[Rigafan]

Samuel Bucek signed with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.
Interesting is, he was under contract with Kraken farm team.

Now he is bellowed by many Slovak fans. Discussion on Hokejportal is very hot.

I read before on reddit that Seattle signed him to AHL only contract so it ends up at like $50/80k only

 

[ForsbergForever]

Or he simply truly enjoys playing hockey. On his own terms.

Wanting to play "on your own terms" doesn't usually bode well for a successful professional career.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Wanting to play "on your own terms" doesn't usually bode well for a successful professional career.

Not gonna argue about that. He still made millions though.

 

[alko]

I read before on reddit that Seattle signed him to AHL only contract so it ends up at like $50/80k only

Sure, but where is the hunger to play some games in NHL? Sportsmanship. Not mentioning all this other issues connected with Russia. He is still young. I think, in his age (22 years) money should be not the first decision moment.

 

[vorky]

Crazy conditions from Schwenningen?

 

[Caser]

Sure, but where is the hunger to play some games in NHL? Sportsmanship. Not mentioning all this other issues connected with Russia. He is still young. I think, in his age (22 years) money should be not the first decision moment.

You can't even play these some NHL games while you're on an AHL contract, even more, it is already a success if they don't send you to the ECHL. So it might be that in the KHL he will be closer to the NHL than if he'd be on the AHL contract.

Crazy conditions from Schwenningen?

The case is interesting as, if I understood correctly, it is the same as with Indrasis contract as reportedly both used a digital signature for their contracts and that was their argument to have those cancelled.

 

[vorky]

You can't even play these some NHL games while you're on an AHL contract, even more, it is already a success if they don't send you to the ECHL. So it might be that in the KHL he will be closer to the NHL than if he'd be on the AHL contract.


The case is interesting as, if I understood correctly, it is the same as with Indrasis contract as reportedly both used a digital signature for their contracts and that was their argument to have those cancelled.

That is a weak argument in the 21st century.

But, generally, it is a very dangerous situation. Especially what some hockey officials have been saying for a couple of months. Their arguments are driven by propaganda & hate. But they do not realise that if they succeed with their mission to terminate the KHL contracts by force, it will have a boomerang effect on them. Players´ contracts with clubs from Sweden, Finland etc are not even worth a paper they are written on. Just one case and their situation will be even worse. We all know what happened after Radulov, now we challenge even more dangerous cases as you mentioned.

Pacta sunt servanda

 

[Rigafan]

Josh Ho-Sang (Josh Ho-Sang at eliteprospects.com) has agreed to another year with Ufa and even took a 5m Ruble (€55,000) pay cut. His new salary for 2023/24 is 40m Rubles or around €445,000.

Some comments suggesting the team took his medical expenses out of his new contact! He was injured in the first game of last season and only managed 5 appearances.

 

[vorky]

Geraskin matched to be traded for over one million dollar.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Geraskin getting 700k is insane. I guess they really don't have anything better to spend that money on.

 

[vorky]

Avangard - Metallurg 1-0, soon to be 2-0

 

[SoundAndFury]

There was a much bigger conversation about the imports potentially deserting Russia last year but I think the way things are developing this year also deserves the mention. In 15 days of free agency so far, there has been ZERO import signings coming into the league announced. While quite a few imports of those who decided to stay in the KHL before the beginning of the last year are changing teams (guys like Sukel or Press, who all of a sudden are the league's premier defensemen and undoubtedly making a bank), no fresh imports so far.

Usually, the "big" signings from the other European leagues would be announced by WC so one can only assume there is absolutely none. Also explains why, for example, Avangard is paying absolutely ridiculous amounts of money both for and to Geraskin.

 

[vorky]

So far, six guys over ₽80 million without bonuses. All clubs, so far per «СЭ-Деньги», over $100 million, more to come.

 

[Caser]

There was a much bigger conversation about the imports potentially deserting Russia last year but I think the way things are developing this year also deserves the mention. In 15 days of free agency so far, there has been ZERO import signings coming into the league announced. While quite a few imports of those who decided to stay in the KHL before the beginning of the last year are changing teams (guys like Sukel or Press, who all of a sudden are the league's premier defensemen and undoubtedly making a bank), no fresh imports so far.

Usually, the "big" signings from the other European leagues would be announced by WC so one can only assume there is absolutely none. Also explains why, for example, Avangard is paying absolutely ridiculous amounts of money both for and to Geraskin.

I think it should be viewed in context that now there's almost zero stuff is going on at the market both in terms of domestic and import players, almost no signings and trades after a bit of activity in the first day. So if guys like Gusev, Tkachyov and Tolchinsky are still on the market, Gritsyuk and Jaskin trades are on hold as well as almost all of the offer sheets are matched it shouldn't be surprising that no one is after the new imports, as it is not the highest priority like at all.

Not to mention I'm not sure we expect much new faces at all, especially from Europe, as teams will try hard to secure the existing foreigners with the foreigner limit being cut, Kunlun releasing players who won't take Chinese passport and the "Kazakhs" like Dietz potentially counting against the limit again. From the strong rumors I think Gernat was heavily linked to Lokomotiv, also Sklenicka and Klok should be returning to the KHL, but they are not new but returning.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I think it should be viewed in context that now there's almost zero stuff is going on at the market both in terms of domestic and import players, almost no signings and trades after a bit of activity in the first day.

But that's the whole point, isn't it? Would be kinda weird if all this lack of activity is somehow coincidental.

 

[Caser]

But that's the whole point, isn't it? Would be kinda weird if all this lack of activity is somehow coincidental.

I think it is kind of a bit of dominoes here: I'd expect for these expected trades to start happening first, after that the domestic UFA signings, then the teams will more or less know who will they have on the roster from the domestic players, so they will start going after the foreigners with the priority given to the ones who have played here before (as they are less risky). For example Amur is not expected to be involved in much trades and hard to imagine top Russian UFAs signing there, so they already know who they can count on and so they started going after foreigners by signing Broadhurst today.

The big question is what is everyone waiting for then (I mean, if the trades are clearly brewing let's get those finally done) and as dumb as it might sound I haven't found any other explanation than the ongoing vacations - a lot of players and even management personnel are in a partial or total "do not disturb" mode during that.

 

[vorky]

Now it is official, Czech forward Jaškin to Ak Bars

 

[vorky]

Now it is official, Gernát to Loko

 

[aonb]

I see on eliteprospects that Bogdan Yakimov is retired now. Wow. Only 28 years old. Injury related?

 

[Caser]

I see on eliteprospects that Bogdan Yakimov is retired now. Wow. Only 28 years old. Injury related?

Yeah, iirc he had issues with his knee for a long time back since he played in NA, he barely played in the last 3 seasons at all.

 

[aonb]

Any rumors on Gusev? Where will he play next season?

 

[vorky]

Any rumors on Gusev? Where will he play next season?

He negotiates with Dynamo Moscow