Flames 2013 Draft Discussion

[CalgaryFan1988]

Cervenka signing in the KHL for 5.1 per season would have me terrified of drafting Nichushkin. Anyone else?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Cervenka signing in the KHL for 5.1 per season would have me terrified of drafting Nichushkin. Anyone else?

The problem already existed independently of Cervenka re-signing over there.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by nik-

The problem already existed independently of Cervenka re-signing over there.

Obviously, but If a player like Cervenka can get that kind of coin, why would Nichushkin even bother coming over?

I, for one, didn't realize they were dishing out those kinds of contracts in the KHL.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Cervenka signing in the KHL for 5.1 per season would have me terrified of drafting Nichushkin. Anyone else?

It's been confirmed as 5.1 over 3 seasons. Only the one vaguely self-contradictory Russian article has reported 5.1 per season.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Obviously, but If a player like Cervenka can get that kind of coin, why would Nichushkin even bother coming over?

I, for one, didn't realize they were dishing out those kinds of contracts in the KHL.

IIRC, Radulov is making something like $9m per, and Jagr was the highest paid player in the world when he was playing with Cervenka on Avangard Omsk, getting something like $12.5m per season.

Most KHL players make less than their NHL counterparts, but the top guys can bring in a lot of clams.

The Russian stars who started this season in the KHL were rumored to be making some ridiculous money as well.

[Commandant]

Ian McCoshen, an American D in the USHL with the Waterloo Blackhawks is 37.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/05/...er-profile-37/

[BACKCHECK!!!]

But every KHL team could offer a guy more money than an NHL entry-level contract without even blinking.

If Nichushkin is even close to being good enough to warrant a top draft spot, he'll be getting offers from the KHL many times bigger than an ELC can pay him.

Over a 3 year ELC, he could easily have to leave something in the ballpark of $10m on the table to come to the NHL.

Or he could just stay in Russia, cash in big time for a few more years, and come over to a big fat UFA contract when his NHL rights expire. That's what I would do if I were him.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

But every KHL team could offer a guy more money than an NHL entry-level contract without even blinking.

If Nichushkin is even close to being good enough to warrant a top draft spot, he'll be getting offers from the KHL many times bigger than an ELC can pay him.

Over a 3 year ELC, he could easily have to leave something in the ballpark of $10m on the table to come to the NHL.

Or he could just stay in Russia, cash in big time for a few more years, and come over to a big fat UFA contract when his NHL rights expire. That's what I would do if I were him.

He would still have to sign an entry level contract as a first year NHL player.

[dammage79]

Any Russian player worth a dang is playing the the NHL. If Nichushkin is good enough he will be in the NHL for a very long time. If it was all about the money all the prominant Russian born players would be in the KHL.

Fact is yeah the money is there but it's not the be all and end all in a players choice. It's the level of competition plain and simple. Add into the equation the quality of life for professional athletes in north america and the oodles of money in Russia means squat.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Any Russian player worth a dang is playing the the NHL. If Nichushkin is good enough he will be in the NHL for a very long time. If it was all about the money all the prominant Russian born players would be in the KHL.

Fact is yeah the money is there but it's not the be all and end all in a players choice. It's the level of competition plain and simple. Add into the equation the quality of life for professional athletes in north america and the oodles of money in Russia means squat.

You forgot that if they don't come over, it's because they hate Democracy.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by T@T

He would still have to sign an entry level contract as a first year NHL player.

Right. As a European player, he wouldn't be able to come over as a fully unrestricted player until he was 28 years-old, in 2023. He could do like Cervenka and come over as a UFA at 26, sign a one-year ELC, then become a full UFA at 27, but even that is 8 years away, and as we saw, is no guarantee of a big payday in the NHL.

[Vulcan]

The way I understand it, under the new CBA, a Euro draftee is tied to the team who drafts him for 4 years. If unsigned after that time, I'm not sure what his status is. Does he go back into the draft pool or is he an UFA?

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The way I understand it, under the new CBA, a Euro draftee is tied to the team who drafts him for 4 years. If unsigned after that time, I'm not sure what his status is. Does he go back into the draft pool or is he an UFA?

I believe he would go back to the draft like what Erixon threatened to do to the flames, not positive though. but he still couldn't sign a full UFA contract anyway.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by T@T

I believe he would go back to the draft like what Erixon threatened to do to the flames, not positive though. but he still couldn't sign a full UFA contract anyway.

and I believe that at the age of 22, like a college player (Erixon was 20), he'd become a UFA but it would be cool to get a definitive answer.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The way I understand it, under the new CBA, a Euro draftee is tied to the team who drafts him for 4 years. If unsigned after that time, I'm not sure what his status is. Does he go back into the draft pool or is he an UFA?

He would be a 22 year-old Unrestricted Free Agent (much like Justin Schultz last year).

He would be able to sign with any team in the NHL, but he could only sign a two-year ELC. At the end of his ELC, he would be 24 years-old with 2 years of NHL experience, so he would become a Restricted Free Agent. He would be eligible for full UFA status at 27 years-old.

If he waited until he was at least 24 years-old to sign his first contract, it would only need to be a one-year ELC, but he would still become an RFA the end of his ELC.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by getbak

He would be a 22 year-old Unrestricted Free Agent (much like Justin Schultz last year).

He would be able to sign with any team in the NHL, but he could only sign a two-year ELC. At the end of his ELC, he would be 24 years-old with 2 years of NHL experience, so he would become a Restricted Free Agent. He would be eligible for full UFA status at 27 years-old.

If he waited until he was at least 24 years-old to sign his first contract, it would only need to be a one-year ELC, but he would still become an RFA the end of his ELC.

That's another good reason for not drafting an iffy, already under a KHL contract, Russian.

[StrykerSteve]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Any Russian player worth a dang is playing the the NHL. If Nichushkin is good enough he will be in the NHL for a very long time. If it was all about the money all the prominant Russian born players would be in the KHL.

Fact is yeah the money is there but it's not the be all and end all in a players choice. It's the level of competition plain and simple. Add into the equation the quality of life for professional athletes in north america and the oodles of money in Russia means squat.

Have any notable Russians joined the NHL since 2008 when the KHL was formed? I can't think of any.

[$ven27]

^ Tarasenko.

[dammage79]

Notable Russians that have not played in the CHL before their draft year?

Tarasenko (2010), Filatov (2008) played in the NHL before going back because he felt he was treated unfairly. Kuznetsov is one year late but by all accounts should be playing for Washington next year. Oh and Khoklachev has come over to play in the CHL and AHL after finishing his contract in the KHL.

Namestnikov from TB is unknown at this point. As with Vasilevski but goalies take longer.

Link to McPhee interview about Kuznetsov from March 3rd. Don't think anything has changed since but who knows.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...rg-and-wilson/

My point was have any Russian players that were good enough to play in the NHL full time been lured back home by the promise of more money? Not overly. As I don't count Radulov, Filatov or that other one from CLB who bolted back when going got a little tough to be NHL calibre players, not because of their skill but because of their mentality.

But the argument will continue on because a high percentage of high profile Russian prospects come to NA to play in the NHL via the CHL won't count into the Russian factor.

Yakupov, Girgorenko, Burmistrov, Kulikov all came to NA spurning the opportunity to make more money at home to play in the NHL by choosing to develop in the CHL. Don't see why that doesn't count for a strong case against the idea that players will choose money over level of competition or quality of life.

[nik-]

Kuznetsov isn't coming over until after the Olympics, so likely the 2014/2015 season. It's quite possible he's being extorted for his Olympic roster spot by the Russian hockey federation, but who knows.