Evgeni Malkin and the Continental Hockey League

[Dobber]

There is a very active thread going on this topic and Lanky asked me to weigh in, however - if I weigh in on such a topic, I don\'t want it to be buried on page 5 of a thread :lol:

To find the thread and join the big discussion, CLICK HERE



I know it\'s taboo to double up threads, but like I said - I want my opinion in the spotlight because I\'m so great. ahem.

B)



Malkin will make around $3.75 million this year with bonuses and around $8.5 million per year after that in keeping with sliding behind Crosby. It would take him almost 2.5 seasons to make $15 million.

Will he go? No.

There is no transfer agreement, but he got out of his contract in Russia by giving two weeks notice. Russian law has since been changed to close that loophole, but at the time it was there and he took advantage. In the US, he can\'t get out of a contract by \"giving two weeks notice\", so a World Court would decide for the NHL here.

Does he want to go? No.

The trade-rumor talk has been garbage created on an idiot website (no, not this one). He also prefers to be behind Crosby in the spotlight. The NHL is his dream and he has had a small taste of the Stanley Cup. He\'s staying.



Now that I have put that to rest - time for my suggested solution. Does the NHL have foresight? Probably not. Are the owners too greedy to shed some money for the greater good? Hell yes. But here is my suggestion anyway:

The First and Second NHL All-Star teams, every season, get a $4 million dollar stipend to each of the ensuing three seasons. That means that 12 of the best players in hockey (not THE best, because it is by position, which can vary, but close enough) will receive on top of their salary an added $4 million. So Crosby would receive $12.7 million next year. If he wins again, $16.7 and a third time $20.7 per season.
By the third year of its implementation, the total stipend would be $144 million per year. Each team chips in $4.8 to the \"competition fund\" each year.

Important Note: This has nothing to do with the All-Star game, this is decided every year at the NHL Awards. First All-Star Team, Second All-Star Team - one player per position, 12 players in all.

This cash does not impact the salary cap.

This ensures that a Bobby-Hull-WHA-like offer can never threaten this league again. Are some teams paying for a player they will own once every 50 years at best? Sure. But the integrity of the league will be intact. It\'s 12 best players of each of the last three years...perhaps 25 to 30 in all (considering some players will be chosen two or three times)...cannot be poached.

This will also urge the starts to play harder. The number doesn\'t need to be $4 million...that\'s just a number. But what if it is $3 million? Or $2 million? Food for thought.


Dobber for GM of the NHL!

B)



PS - about Malkin - now is the time to go after him while his owners start to waiver on his status....

[Crazynuck]

Dobber thx for making us Malkin owners feel better. Will this effect Filatov\'s stock?

[Dicks]

Rads stock?

[rockachop]

Comon Guys NHL contracts are binding read this.....


IIHF statement on media report on Evgeni Malkin
Jun 20, 2008, 12:41 PM EDT

Malkin
Zurich, Switzerland, June 20, 2008

IIHF News: IIHF statement, René Fasel

Although the International Ice Hockey Federation does not usually issue statements following unsubstantiated media reports, the IIHF finds it principally important to address the newspaper story (Toronto Star, June 20) that reports about the Russian league allegedly preparing an offer to Pittsburgh Penguin player Evgeni Malkin, who is under contract with the NHL-club.

“Although there will be no imminent Player Transfer Agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, all involved parties are in principal agreement to honour each other’s contracts,” says IIHF President René Fasel. “The NHL has informed the IIHF that this will be the policy of the league during the period without a PTA, and conversely, the IIHF has obligated its member national federations and leagues to do the same in its relations with the NHL.”

“We would view any signing, from either side, of a player under a valid contract, who does not have any legally valid out-clause, to be a clear violation of the mutual understanding and existing principle. It would potentially be punishable with suspended national team eligibility and suspension from all competition or activity organized by the IIHF or any IIHF member national association. This would include events like the Olympic Winter Games, the IIHF World Championship or international club competitions like the Champions Hockey League.\"

\"Given this, we are confident that the report is not substantiated.\"

[lanky522]

Ahhh... well put.

Leave it to Dobber to discuss everything (that it\'s taken us 45+ posts to talk about) in just one clear post.

Well it\'s good to know that the NHL will likely avoid a bomb (this time), but it\'ll be interesting to see if the KHL does indeed manage to poach one of the NHL\'s stars before the NHL gets their act together.

I think that dobber\'s suggestion is an amazing one if not for the way that the all-stars are picked... If players will be getting bonuses, it has to be completely independant of popularity amoung fans, coaches, or general managers in my opinion.

[lanky522]

rockachop wrote:

Comon Guys NHL contracts are binding read this.....


IIHF statement on media report on Evgeni Malkin
Jun 20, 2008, 12:41 PM EDT

Malkin
Zurich, Switzerland, June 20, 2008

IIHF News: IIHF statement, René Fasel

Although the International Ice Hockey Federation does not usually issue statements following unsubstantiated media reports, the IIHF finds it principally important to address the newspaper story (Toronto Star, June 20) that reports about the Russian league allegedly preparing an offer to Pittsburgh Penguin player Evgeni Malkin, who is under contract with the NHL-club.

Although there will be no imminent Player Transfer Agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, all involved parties are in principal agreement to honour each others contracts, says IIHF President René Fasel. The NHL has informed the IIHF that this will be the policy of the league during the period without a PTA, and conversely, the IIHF has obligated its member national federations and leagues to do the same in its relations with the NHL.

We would view any signing, from either side, of a player under a valid contract, who does not have any legally valid out-clause, to be a clear violation of the mutual understanding and existing principle. It would potentially be punishable with suspended national team eligibility and suspension from all competition or activity organized by the IIHF or any IIHF member national association. This would include events like the Olympic Winter Games, the IIHF World Championship or international club competitions like the Champions Hockey League.\"

\"Given this, we are confident that the report is not substantiated.\"

Check the referenced thread... we already discussed this... this statement is by no means ironclad...

I do agree though that the NHL could force Malkin into staying through the end of his contract given the distinguishment that dobber makes between the NHL and the russian elite league two years ago...

Thanks for the post dobber.

[mister_mcgoo]

That\'s an interesting take on it Dobber but the whole \'two weeks notice\' thing is really grasping at straws IMO. I remember reading that when the story first broke a couple years ago and my opinion of it now is the same as then...the Pens and/or the league hired a team of sneaky little lawyers to dig thru Russian lawbooks for a few weeks looking for anything they could use to break the law of Malkin\'s contract. Once they found it they acted quickly and downplayed the Russian outrage to make it seem like it was all on the level and they were completely in the right. They had him locked into an NHL contract almost immediately thus rendering it largely a moot point.

So then when the Russians responded with their suit it was decided in favor of the Pens and the league by a U.S. court, the same corrupt legal system that absolves the Enron gang from all wrong doing. So now do you really think that if Malkin actually does re-defect back to Russia and breaks his contract with the Pens that they\'ll have any recourse? Russia is mostly run by gangsters and the mafia, they already don\'t play by the rules and if they do get Malkin signed in Russia there won\'t be a damn thing the NHL or the Pens can do about it, the Ruskies will flip them the finger and tell em to beat it...or if they\'re feeling generous they\'ll put on a show of being fair about it and run it thru their court system and I guarantee that wont have the same results as in the U.S.

EDIT:
The IIHF rules on this adds a definite wrinkle to this as they probably don\'t want to damage their position there. But Malkin only has to play one more season with the Pens, I cant see any reason why he cant sign a contract with the CHL in advance, certainly the NHLs rules on that cant apply to that sort of thing?

All that said, I still think he stays in the U.S. because of the challenge and calibre of play... call it a hunch.

The other possibility that we haven\'t considered is this could all be a charade orchestrated somehow by Malkin (maybe he knows someone who knows someone, y\'know?) to land a big payday from the Pens :lol:

[Chuk]

The First and Second NHL All-Star teams, every season, get a $4 million dollar stipend to each of the ensuing three seasons. That means that 12 of the best players in hockey (not THE best, because it is by position, which can vary, but close enough) will receive on top of their salary an added $4 million. So Crosby would receive $12.7 million next year. If he wins again, $16.7 and a third time $20.7 per season.
By the third year of its implementation, the total stipend would be $144 million per year. Each team chips in $4.8 to the \"competition fund\" each year.

Very interesting idea but I have a few concerns with this idea.

1)The method of selecting the all-star team would have to be totally revamped. Players and the union would be in a very difficult spot to determine who would be on the committee, what the criteria are for selection, position and ranking.
2)This immediately puts pressure on the teams/coaches, to pad the stats of the top players. When you have 2 players of all-star calibre on 1 team (Crosby/malkin), the coach would have even more pressure to make sure both would compete for the coveted $$$.
3)This system seems to completely circumvent the present CBA and salary cap. The Penguins would essentially be able to get Crosby to take a lesser salary in lieu of his all-star bonus. This is not a guarantee, but it would be a bargaining tool.


I am sure there are other concerns but these were the first major ones that would have to be addressed.

[angus]

in theory, it seems like a cool idea. But as Chuk has said, it would no doubt lead to preferential treatment and a slew of awkward and uncomfortable positions down the stretch.

Some players would value the bonus over the good of the team, and in turn that counteracts what hockey is about at its core (team game).

[Dobber]

NOT THE ALL-STAR GAME!!

Sorry about the caps but I want everyone to be clear on this. THE ALL-STAR GAME IS A SHOW.

But every year at the NHL awards, the league names it\'s First and Second All-Star team. One player per position, 12 players in all.

Chuk - Chuk - Chuk - edit your post so nobody else gets confused here!!!!! Oh man...that\'s way off base.

Your other points are good, I will edit initial post.

[angelofharlem]

Chuk wrote:

The First and Second NHL All-Star teams, every season, get a $4 million dollar stipend to each of the ensuing three seasons. That means that 12 of the best players in hockey (not THE best, because it is by position, which can vary, but close enough) will receive on top of their salary an added $4 million. So Crosby would receive $12.7 million next year. If he wins again, $16.7 and a third time $20.7 per season.
By the third year of its implementation, the total stipend would be $144 million per year. Each team chips in $4.8 to the \"competition fund\" each year.

Very interesting idea but I have a few concerns with this idea. It would definitely keep players from skipping the all-star game, if it meant forgoing the $$$. but...

1)The method of selecting the all-star team would have to be totally revamped. Players and the union would be in a very difficult spot to determine who would be on the committee, what the criteria are for selection, position and ranking.
2)This immediately puts pressure on the teams/coaches, to pad the stats of the top players. When you have 2 players of all-star calibre on 1 team (Crosby/malkin), the coach would have even more pressure to make sure both would compete for the coveted $$$.
3)This system seems to completely circumvent the present CBA and salary cap. The Penguins would essentially be able to get Crosby to take a lesser salary in lieu of his all-star bonus. This is not a guarantee, but it would be a bargaining tool.
4)You would have to remove all fan balloting and voting from the system in order to assure the fairness of the system. For $12 million someone will figure out how to get Rory Fitzpatrick voted in for sure.

I am sure there are other concerns but these were the first major ones that would have to be addressed.

Actually, I don\'t think Dobber is referring to the All-Star game players, but to the players who are named to the 1st and 2nd All-Star teams at the end of the season. And in reference to Lanky\'s post above, these players are not voted on by the fans.

[angelofharlem]

Dobber, you must\'ve posted this while I was writing my comments on this...

[Chuk]

Sorry boys, did not mean to confuse the issue. I edited my post. I erased point 4 because that is where I probably sent people off the rails.
My point about the game was that the PHWA chooses the all-star teams. I believe the players selected to play in the \"game\" influence that selection. Players will want as much exposure and fanfare as possible to get voted in.
This actually helps clarify my first point that should have said PHWA in the first place and not \"committee\". I guess the one thing we would actually see is more interviews and inside information being leaked to writers to secure a favorable vote count.

I hope the rest of my post made sense though.

[Dobber]

Yes - good sense, and it made me edit my initial post.

I don\'t think the actual All-Star game impacts the end-of-season votes - I think the First All-STar Team is very obvious. I mean - Lecavalier, Ovechkin, Malkin? etc.
Second All-Star team is not as obvious and may require a lot of political mess...but what if the money were $2.5 million for First All-Star team (added to salary for three years) and $1.5 million for Second All-Star team (added to salary for two years)??
Now you\'re talking about money that still helps the player avoid being poached...yet it\'s low enough to make it not really worth an agent\'s while to make too much of an issue if his client is not voted in.

[Chuk]

I like the idea Dobbs, but as soon a s money is involved how long before some lawsuit or grievance is filed?
Don\'t you think that hockey writer\'s that get interviews with player will be more likely to vote for them though? If a reporter gets a 1 on 1 interview with Crosby, that nets him some exposure in his own paper/media outlet, will that not influence the vote.
I guess I would be looking for a set of specific criteria to be assigned.

Look at the voting for the Vezina this year.. Nabakov should have won, but factors such as popularity, nationality, east coast/west coast and familiarity seemed to take precedents over statistics and results.