Siberian
Registered User
Jaded-Fan said:Bettman said specifically that Russian clubs risked getting nothing if they did not sign onto the IIHF agreement. I linked the articles quoting Bettman last August when he said just those things when he went to Russia. He also said that the NHL would NOT allow any NHL clubs to negotiate separate transfer agreements for players.
Again, I will happily lay that bet above that an agreement gets signed this summer. Both sides have something to lose, including the NHL. Even with saying the above, the NHL benefits from the certainty of cost and method of players coming over from Russia.
Bettman is bluffing. He understands that Russians know that IIHF agreement is a joke. They already started signing all the young guys to 6 year contracts. By the time the hockey players in Russia reach 23-24 years old they don't give a damn about the rookie salary in NHL while they can make more money in Russia. This is the case with Grigorenko for example. If Malkin stays in Russia for two more years, then there is not much interest for him to go to Pens and make the peanuts for 3 more years and that is what the Russians are trying to do. I do not think it is the matter of the money but the matter of having the best talent stay in Russia.