Malkin and Contract Situation -- can he come to the NHL this season?

[jmelm]

Would it at all be possible for the Penguins to sign Malkin late in this season after the RSL is over and bring him to the NHL?

I know there are issues with bringing European players over after the season starts, but I also know teams have signed prospects and brought them on to the big club late in the season and am wondering if Malkin would be exempt to the "clearing of waivers" situation that faces previously signed NHLers such as Kovalchuk.

Does anyone know what this situation is?

Thanks

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[Big McLargehuge]

Wouldn't he need to come over during a European signing window? That would prevent him from coming over.

The only way he's playing in Pittsburgh this year is if we pull a Zherdev. We won't do that. Unfortunately.

 

[flyercide]

i am glad someone else asked this because id like to know as well. he would be great late season addition for pit. players have been brought over in the past for the playoffs hope with all the changes that wont be one of them. would really help my fhp too.

 

[Puck33]

Well has anybody got some info on this guys status?

 

[kdb209]

Wouldn't he need to come over during a European signing window? That would prevent him from coming over.

The only way he's playing in Pittsburgh this year is if we pull a Zherdev. We won't do that. Unfortunately.

The European signing window was part of the NHL/IIHF transfer agreement. Since Russia never signed on, Malkin would not be covered by it.

It's uncertain if Malkin would need to clear waivers if he signs after playing a game in Russia after the start of the NHL season - assuming the new CBA is similar to the old one.

Under the old CBA, it is unclear whether Malkin could come over during the season:

13.21
f. In the event a professional or former professional player plays in a league outside North America after the start of the NHL regular season, other than on loan from his Club, he may thereafter play in the NHL during that season (including playoffs) only if he has first either cleared or been obtained via waivers. For the balance of the season, any such player who has been obtained via waivers may be assigned only after again clearing waivers or through waiver claim.

The question then is is Malkin considered a "professional" player. There are several different definitions of professional in the CBA - some cover only NHL and affiliated minor leagues (AHL), others include playing in "NHL regular season and playoff games, minor league regular season and playoff games, and games played in any European professional league while under NHL contract". None of these definitions seem to explicitly cover Malkin, other than the broadest definition of playing in a professional league in Russia.

If Malkin is considered a professional, then no, he could not be signed during the season or playoffs - well, technically he could and then get claimed by someone else on waivers, but it ain't gonna happen. The "after the Russian Season ends" has no bearing on the situation. You're probably thinking of Canadian Junior players who are eligible to play in the NHL (or AHL) after their Junior season and playoffs end - there was no such clause for overseas players.

 

[Sixty Six]

The European signing window was part of the NHL/IIHF transfer agreement. Since Russia never signed on, Malkin would not be covered by it.

It's uncertain if Malkin would need to clear waivers if he signs after playing a game in Russia after the start of the NHL season - assuming the new CBA is similar to the old one.

Under the old CBA, it is unclear whether Malkin could come over during the season:


The question then is is Malkin considered a "professional" player. There are several different definitions of professional in the CBA - some cover only NHL and affiliated minor leagues (AHL), others include playing in "NHL regular season and playoff games, minor league regular season and playoff games, and games played in any European professional league while under NHL contract". None of these definitions seem to explicitly cover Malkin, other than the broadest definition of playing in a professional league in Russia.

If Malkin is considered a professional, then no, he could not be signed during the season or playoffs - well, technically he could and then get claimed by someone else on waivers, but it ain't gonna happen. The "after the Russian Season ends" has no bearing on the situation. You're probably thinking of Canadian Junior players who are eligible to play in the NHL (or AHL) after their Junior season and playoffs end - there was no such clause for overseas players.

The after the season part is very relevant because, he said he won't leave in the middle of the season and they can negotiate next season, however once the season is over, they could be negotiating again. The importance of the season being over has nothing to do w/ the CBA but just what was said between Malkin and the Pens

 

[flambers]

Would it at all be possible for the Penguins to sign Malkin late in this season after the RSL is over and bring him to the NHL?

I know there are issues with bringing European players over after the season starts, but I also know teams have signed prospects and brought them on to the big club late in the season and am wondering if Malkin would be exempt to the "clearing of waivers" situation that faces previously signed NHLers such as Kovalchuk.

Does anyone know what this situation is?

Thanks

No, its my understanding once a player plays a game (Over Seas) after October 5th they can not come back to the NHL with out clearing Waivers. This would include Malkin as Kovachuk would of been in the same situation.

 

[jmelm]

No, its my understanding once a player plays a game (Over Seas) after October 5th they can not come back to the NHL with out clearing Waivers. This would include Malkin as Kovachuk would of been in the same situation.

I just figured maybe he would not be in the same boat as Kovalchuk because Malkin would be coming in as a previously unsigned rookie with no previous contract/experience in the NHL. I also thought perhaps he could even come in on an amateur tryout contract, as I have seen before with Euros in the AHL.

Well perhaps if he didn't come to Pittsburgh, he could go to Wlikes-Barre for the baby Pens playoff run.

 

[Benji Frank]

Once Dec 1st rolls around if he's not signed I didn't think he could play this year anyway regardless of when the European season ends.....

 

[jmelm]

Once Dec 1st rolls around if he's not signed I didn't think he could play this year anyway regardless of when the European season ends.....

Again, I think this is only for RFAs/holdouts. I don't think this applies to unsigned draft picks, and I'm not sure whether it stands for UFAs.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

When the Euro elite league seasons are over, players are allowed to sign with NHL clubs. Remember Esa Tikkanen in the playoffs as a rookie for the Oilers? Remember Kent Nilsson, Reijo Ruotsalainen with the Oil as welll? Remember Brian Bellows coming back with the Capitals in '98?

That's not the problem. Since the Russian Hockey Federation never signed the IIHF agreement, they are working with their own set of rules right now. THAT's the problem.

Let's face it, if signing Malkin after his current season in Magnitogorsk ends was going to be easy, then signing him this PAST off-season would have been easy.

I don't think we'll see Malkin in Pittsburgh until the standstill between the NHL, Russia and the IIHF is resolved.

Sad but true.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

When the Euro elite league seasons are over, players are allowed to sign with NHL clubs. Remember Esa Tikkanen in the playoffs as a rookie for the Oilers? Remember Kent Nilsson, Reijo Ruotsalainen with the Oil as welll? Remember Brian Bellows coming back with the Capitals in '98?

That's not the problem. Since the Russian Hockey Federation never signed the IIHF agreement, they are working with their own set of rules right now. THAT's the problem.

Let's face it, if signing Malkin after his current season in Magnitogorsk ends was going to be easy, then signing him this PAST off-season would have been easy.

I don't think we'll see Malkin in Pittsburgh until the standstill between the NHL, Russia and the IIHF is resolved.

Sad but true.

I would think it more likely than not that the IIHF agreement gets hammered out before the season ends, don't you? Everyone seems to expect Malkin here next season at the very latest, including his Russian GM in an interview right after Malkin declared that he was playing in Russia this year. I just can not see this go until next year without Russia being part of the agreement.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Will he be a free agent if not signed by next summer (something I HIGHLY doubt would ever happen)? Since it'd be two years and that's what the Euro draftees adhere to now also.