That will have an impact on the ability of NHL teams to quickly and efficiently sign KHL free agents. But teams remain permitted to do so, so long as they are free and clear of contractual obligations.
The NHL notified the KHL that it “will continue to respect existing and future KHL contracts,” though it will no longer have the ability to verify contractual status directly.
“We will have only limited contractual information regarding players who are currently or last played in the KHL,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in the memo.
In order to sign a player from the KHL, the interested NHL team must inquire with Central Registry to inquire if the last information available from the KHL demonstrates that the player is on an expiring KHL contract, and teams must produce “independent written evidence demonstrating that the player is entirely free of any and all potentially conflicting contractual obligations in the KHL for 2022-23 and beyond.”