KHL Contraction Part I (Mod Warning - Post #15)

[Jumptheshark]

The financial impact is interesting to watch. I am shocked it took so long for it to actually happened. I am watching the believed max exodus from Saint Petersburg. This team is to the KHL is to that of the Bruins or hawks of the NHL. It is viewed as one of the main corner stones of the league and with nearly 3/4 of the team rumoured to be leaving town it will be interesting to find out what happens. The team is owned by Gazprom which is a state controlled energy company. Several other KHL teams have been accused of under paying players, mostly foreign born players who did not read the fine print of their contracts and were chocked when they checked the bank account when they got home to see 1/2 of what they thought they were getting (in most cases they saw the US dollors and not the Ruble amounts and due to the Ruble taken a hit against the US and other currencies players did not realise till later how much it cost them

 

[vorky]

The financial impact is interesting to watch. I am shocked it took so long for it to actually happened. I am watching the believed max exodus from Saint Petersburg. This team is to the KHL is to that of the Bruins or hawks of the NHL. It is viewed as one of the main corner stones of the league and with nearly 3/4 of the team rumoured to be leaving town it will be interesting to find out what happens. The team is owned by Gazprom which is a state controlled energy company. Several other KHL teams have been accused of under paying players, mostly foreign born players who did not read the fine print of their contracts and were chocked when they checked the bank account when they got home to see 1/2 of what they thought they were getting (in most cases they saw the US dollors and not the Ruble amounts and due to the Ruble taken a hit against the US and other currencies players did not realise till later how much it cost them

Agents should know that players are paid in rubles, non-russian clubs might pay in other currency.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Agents should know that players are paid in rubles, non-russian clubs might pay in other currency.

here is where the fun begins. I have talked to several players and they read their contract (that was in Russian of course) and they just fixated on the $ they saw and did see the the ruble sign and amont. A few did not realise that most contracts gave the exchange rate of the day on the contracts and assumed they would end up with the $ and not the rubles.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

here is where the fun begins. I have talked to several players and they read their contract (that was in Russian of course) and they just fixated on the $ they saw and did see the the ruble sign and amont.

If the player can't be bothered to understand his own contract then he has no right to moan.
And in what language should contracts be? You think the Capitals offered Ovechkin a contract in Russian?

 

[vorky]

here is where the fun begins. I have talked to several players and they read their contract (that was in Russian of course) and they just fixated on the $ they saw and did see the the ruble sign and amont. A few did not realise that most contracts gave the exchange rate of the day on the contracts and assumed they would end up with the $ and not the rubles.

I would understand the suprise in 2014/2015 season, when the ruble crashed. At the time, Chernyshenko became the KHL President & one of his first decisions was to fix all salaries in rubles (before, salaries could be paid in the way to match the dollar´s amount). Since then, nobody should be suprised that his salary is paid in rubles amount written in the contract.

 

[Exarz]

If the player can't be bothered to understand his own contract then he has no right to moan.
And in what language should contracts be? You think the Capitals offered Ovechkin a contract in Russian?

Well, most Western clubs offer a translated contract as well.

 

[SoundAndFury]

And in what language should contracts be? You think the Capitals offered Ovechkin a contract in Russian?

It's common practice to translate all legal documents. So yes, Caps would absolutely translate his contract to Russian if asked.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

It's common practice to translate all legal documents. So yes, Caps would absolutely translate his contract to Russian if asked.

Key part bolded. The players do have agents, if both agents and players can't be bothered with all this, then how can you blame anyone else?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Key part bolded. The players do have agents, if both agents and players can't be bothered with all this, then how can you blame anyone else?

That's true but your argument about languages was terrible.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

That's true but your argument about languages was terrible.

Maybe it was misworded. I mean these guys sound like Lecavalier, who was pissed off because waiters in bars in Kazan didn't speak English.

 

[filip85]

Maybe it was misworded. I mean these guys sound like Lecavalier, who was pissed off because waiters in bars in Kazan didn't speak English.

At least he didn't expect from her to speak French

 

[filip85]

Any news for next season, which teams will leave (or join) ?

 

[cska78]

Any news for next season, which teams will leave (or join) ?

Rumor is Severstal is out.

 

[Caser]

Rumor is Severstal is out.

I think it has changed in the recent months and currently main candidate is Slovan.

 

[vorky]

I think it has changed in the recent months and currently main candidate is Slovan.

I do not think so.

Slovan with a new owner will stay. Admiral/Amur will stay, no doubt.

Clubs in question are Severstal and Neftekhimik.

That is really a big problem, I mean hockey journalists do not understand the KHL. And they promote their wrong opinion to fans. I have just read an article on championat, therefore I mention journalists.

 

[MaxV]

I think it has changed in the recent months and currently main candidate is Slovan.

What has changed? They are still bottom feeder and their junior program is meh. I think this team would be the one.

 

[ozo]

I think it has changed in the recent months and currently main candidate is Slovan.

Yeah, would make sense. For months Slovan is giving off Medvescak-esque vibes...

 

[Caser]

What has changed? They are still bottom feeder and their junior program is meh. I think this team would be the one.

I heard that Mordashov will give extra money, also they did some good stuff with Razin as coach and they're aiming quite high in the MHL - basically they're trying to earn some reputation to be considered a team important for Russian hockey due to developing young players.

On the other hand, as ozo mentioned, there's something strange going on with Slovan, for example Rudolf Cerveny and Marek Ciliak just had to leave through KHL's Disciplinary committee, which I guess means that they didn't got paid in time.

 

[MaxV]

I'm confused by this. I thought they were aiming to reduce the number of Russian teams specifically.

 

[vorky]

I'm confused by this. I thought they were aiming to reduce the number of Russian teams specifically.

You get it correctly.

The problem is that people do not read official documents nor study the topic deeply. They need to get rid of unprofitable markets. That are exclusively Russian teams from certain regions.

You can think whatever you want about Slovan, as Caser wrote, but if Slovan gets a new owner, the club will stay. For those who do not know, the owner should be from France.

I heard that Mordashov will give extra money, also they did some good stuff with Razin as coach and they're aiming quite high in the MHL - basically they're trying to earn some reputation to be considered a team important for Russian hockey due to developing young players.

On the other hand, as ozo mentioned, there's something strange going on with Slovan, for example Rudolf Cerveny and Marek Ciliak just had to leave through KHL's Disciplinary committee, which I guess means that they didn't got paid in time.

May you reveal your sources about Mordashov? All I read is that he dislikes hockey. He could transform Severstal into the biggest Russian club if he wished, but his sponsorship of Severstal is limited to the required minimum.

And yeah, the club can do whatever wants, hard facts are against them (attendance, TV demand, market). I admit they may be lucky again, but they will definitely go out within a few years.

 

[Caser]

You get it correctly.

The problem is that people do not read official documents nor study the topic deeply. They need to get rid of unprofitable markets. That are exclusively Russian teams from certain regions.

You can think whatever you want about Slovan, as Caser wrote, but if Slovan gets a new owner, the club will stay. For those who do not know, the owner should be from France.

May you reveal your sources about Mordashov? All I read is that he dislikes hockey. He could transform Severstal into the biggest Russian club if he wished, but his sponsorship of Severstal is limited to the required minimum.

And yeah, the club can do whatever wants, hard facts are against them (attendance, TV demand, market). I admit they may be lucky again, but they will definitely go out within a few years.

I don't have anything against Slovan, just I'm not sure it's a good sign when things like that (e.g. contract termination through the Disciplinary committee) are going on... I mean, something is definitely not right in that way.

As for Mordashov, no serious sources, just a hearsay from Cherepovets' hockey circles. While he doesn't sound like a hockey fan, it also isn't in his interests to loose a team in the KHL. But I agree that KHL wants them out, as Cherepovets is just too small.

 

[vorky]

I don't have anything against Slovan, just I'm not sure it's a good sign when things like that (e.g. contract termination through the Disciplinary committee) are going on... I mean, something is definitely not right in that way.

Fine. As you know, Slovan´s leadership is suspended, that may be a reason for the Disciplinary committee. Another explanation is what you wrote, unpaid wages.

I know first-hand that Russian journalists know nothing about internal issues of Slovan or the KRS. Therefore I wrote those words aiming the Russian press not you.

If you follow the press closely, you may note the anti-Slovan campaign. All articles are full of "the KHL cannot contract Russian teams because Slovan or KRS are worse and bring nothing to the league." If we look at ticket-prices or merchandising, TV deals etc, those foreign teams bring the value to the league. I do not say Slovan will play the KHL forever. I just say that with new ownership, the club will be just fine.

As for Mordashov, no serious sources, just a hearsay from Cherepovets' hockey circles. While he doesn't sound like a hockey fan, it also isn't in his interests to loose a team in the KHL. But I agree that KHL wants them out, as Cherepovets is just too small.

Fine if your sources say so. He did this last year, perhaps he will be lucky again. Who knows? It is only a matter of time when Severstal is gone.

The same rumours are about Neftekhimik, because they see that they are not capable of being KHL club long-term.

 

[SoundAndFury]

What has changed? They are still bottom feeder and their junior program is meh. I think this team would be the one.

That definitely isn't so. Shipachyov, Buchnevich, Chudinov, Kagarlitsky, Kiselevich, Vovchenko, Geraskin, Kudako.. I don't know how much does that warrant staying in the KHL but their junior program is great.

 

[MaxV]

I don't know if I would go with "great". Junior program results isn't much of factor probably, otherwise Novokuznetsk would still be in KHL.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I don't know if I would go with "great". Junior program results isn't much of factor probably, otherwise Novokuznetsk would still be in KHL.

For a town with barely over 300k in population, I'd say it is.