Another NHL player is heading to Russia but not as a free agent or as a player still under contract signed away by a KHL team like Alexander Radulov.
New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello announced veteran defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski cleared waivers over the weekend, but rather than being bought out or demoted to the minors to clear salary cap space, he'll be signing with an as-yet-unknown team in Russia's KHL.
This move will be similar to what the New York Rangers did with defenseman Darius Kasparaitis last November, when they "loaned" him to SKA St. Petersburg.
Vishnevski has two years remaining on his current contract with the Devils meaning they'll retain his NHL rights over the period but he'll be paid by a KHL team thus they won't have to pay him his remaining salary for as long as he's playing in Russia.
As the Globe & Mail's James Mirtle observed, it's yet another crafty move by "Loophole Lou", as the Devils GM has freed up $1.8 million in cap space from this year's payroll and possibly again next season.
For NHL general managers looking for a way to dump salary, the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the KHL gives them a viable option.
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