Amidst the frenzy of UFA signings, arbitration news and the Edmonton Oilers attempts to sign Thomas Vanek and Dustin Penner, several unrestricted free agents have found themselves unable to land contracts as the summer’s progresses and available cap space shrinks.
That’s spurred what appears to be a growing number of fading and marginal NHL’ers to sign contracts with European clubs next season.
Forwards Alexei Yashin and Petr Nedved were the most notable players to sign with European teams, but they’re not the only ones.
Goaltender Jussi Markkanen, who starred for the Edmonton Oilers during the 2006 Stanley Cup finals in relief of injured starter Dwayne Roloson, signed with the Finnish club Jokerit on July 30th.
Despite his Finals heroics, Markkanen was never going to displace Roloson as the Oilers starter, but it’s surprising that he was unable to land with another NHL team as a backup.
Forward Oleg Saprykin, who played on two Stanley Cup finalists in Calgary and Ottawa, wound up rejecting the Senators qualifying offer to sign with CSKA Moscow of the Russian Super League.
Saprykin had a decent 2006-07 season with the Phoenix Coyotes (14 goals, 34 points, +8 in 59 games) and after being dealt to the Senators earned some praise for his strong play on Ottawa’s fourth line during their playoff run.
Former Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers forward Dmitry Afanasenkov signed on August 1st with Moscow Dynamo of the Russian Super League.
Afanasenkov, a member of the Lightning’s 2004 Stanley Cup championship team, was once believed to have a bright future in the NHL as a checking line winger but failed to play up to expectations and attracted little interest as an unrestricted free agent.
Not all of those heading overseas are European.
Forward Jamie Lundmark will be joining Afanasenkov on the Dynamo. Once a highly touted first round pick of the New York Rangers, Lundmark never played up to expectations.
Since the 2005-06 season he bounced from the Rangers to Phoenix to Calgary to Los Angeles. He’s only 26 but unless he can significantly improve his game in the Russian Super League, his NHL career could be over.
Former Calgary Flames backup goaltender Jamie “Noodles” McLennan signed with Mettalurg Magnitogorsk of the Russian Super League.
McLennan is a 12-year NHL veteran who has played on six NHL teams and won the Masterton Trophy in 1998. Most recently, he incurred the wrath of Detroit Red Wings fans everywhere with a vicious and uncharacteristic slash to the stomach of Wings forward Johan Franzen during a Wings-Calgary Flames playoff game in 2007.
Well-traveled defenseman Ric Jackman signed with Red Bulls Salzburg of the Austrian League. Jackman played on six NHL teams since 1999-2000 in a career that saw him bounced between the NHL and the minors.
He earned a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the defending champion Anaheim Ducks and looked good in his limited post-season performances with the team, but that apparently wasn’t good enough to entice the Ducks to re-sign him or other NHL teams to snap him up.
Most of these players might also have “out clauses” in their new contracts, which would allow them to sign an NHL contract for next season if an NHL team comes calling.
However, if those players get signed after the start of the 2007-08 NHL season they’d have to pass through waivers, where they could be plucked away by a rival NHL team.
Don’t expect to see Yashin back, as he one of the few who apparently doesn’t have an escape clause in his contract to return to the NHL this season.
Out of all the players mentioned leaving to play in Europe, I'm most surprised about Jackman. Granted, he's nowhere near the same player he was early on in his career, but he still looked solid for the Ducks. When he was climbing the ranks as a youngster, he played hard and was in the game (many trips to the box), but after some injuries in the IHL he never showed the same grit. I think it was the lockout year while playing in Europe he regained some of his game back and looked good the next year for the Pens, but again lost the grit. Maybe another year in Europe will do him some good, but I think the NHL level is pretty much over for him now. Too bad, there are still some teams in the NHL who could use a solid stay at home guy as the Ducks did last year.
Great rundown Spec. A couple more that also crossed the pond this summer:
- Petr Tenkrat from the Bruins joined Timrå IK
- Ville Niemenen from the Sharks/Blues joined Malmö Redhawks
- Mattias Weinhandl of the Wild joined Linköpings HC
Markkanen probably could have found a job as a NHL backup, but he has the chance to start for Jokerit and will most likely get paid more there. Saprykin leaving for the RSL is surprising given how strong his showing was in the SCF. I think, for him, it was a financial decision as well.
When Jamie McLennan signed with a european team, I was happier then a pig in ####! He's done in the NHL and it just goes to show what kind of players the european leagues will take.....anyone who will play there. I'd hate to have to watch hockey there, they either have good young players or old washed up NHLers.
On another note, this has been a good year for me. Not only did I get offered to be the bruins GM/head coach this year, I also got offered a spot on the Dynamo roster.....
Seems to me that this is a reality brought about in the new CBA. In a salary capped world, not many teams are willing to give 2nd or 3rd chances to players who just aren't cutting it. Younger players come cheaper and have far more upside. It makes you wonder i####uy like Danny Briere would have been picked up off waivers or gone to Europe under this CBA. The positive is we won't see guys like Pat Faloon (I know he's not playing anymore but, c'mon, is there a better example?) signing with team after team after team always hoping to live up to the hype.
Last edited by flyersfan33 on August 6th at 9:55 AM.
You know, I've recently purchased the Montreal Canadiens franchise in a Strat-O-Matic League. I realize you've been offered positions with the Bruins and Moscow Dynamo, but I could really use a high-powered consultant to oversee hockey operations. (I'd ask Spector, but I'd hate for him to have to give up the blog thing.) Should I have my people talk to your people?
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on August 6th at 11:27 AM.
As for the NHLers headed overseas, this is an interesting trend, one that was predicted with the limits imposed by the salary cap world. And it's not just end-of-the-line guys that are pulling up stakes and fleeing east, either. You've got young players like Alexandre Perezhogin, who (admittedly) was underwhelming in the Habs line-up, but he's getting three times his old NHL salary to play in Russia.
Are the Russkies forced into overpaying inferior talent to attract whatever bodies they can (a la Edmonton, as some would argue) or is this a sign that the salary cap is going to lead to a slow bleed of skill from the NHL to Europe in search of cash?
If the Euro-leagues get their financial acts together and organize a Super-League, we could see the re-emergence of a bidding war for talent that would make the NHL-WHA salary battles of the 1970s look like a lovers tiff.
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on August 6th at 11:23 AM.
Undoubtedly some of the players who are going overseas COULD have stayed in the NHL. For those skaters who are from the country they will be primarily playing in or close to, this is a lifestyle choice as well as a financial one. For the most part, however, this strikes me as a very big positive from the labor negotiations. It's a bit of natural selection, as some of the late line "clingers" have to up their performance or risk being left out in the cold (no pun intended, though Russia appears to be quite nippy) in order to bring up a youngster.
Matt, unfortunately I've already signed OFF to a lucrative offer sheet twelve times what he's worth. I hate to do it to you, as I consider you a personal friend, but hey, you should have locked him up earlier. I'm sure you of all people understand.
Of all the low-down crummy things to do! You couldn't have called first? It would have killed you to pick up a phone and call me? And to think I once considered you a friend! You've just cut your own throat, pal. That was a desperate move, you no good so-and-so, and if your job wasn't hanging by a thread before...!
Aw, who am I kidding: It's my own dang fault for signing True_Kings_Fan to that big managerial contract first and then thinking I could low-ball OntarioFlamesFan with pocket change...
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on August 6th at 3:08 PM.
I'm just not sure what to do..........I love the money being thrown at me from all over the place, but I do want to stay with a winning organization....Who am I kidding?????? buisness is buisness and love is BS!!!
MPH, I'm happy to be a part of your organization and its "rich heritage". I really think we're going in the right direction with the recent additions of....well lets face it, I'm going to have to carry the organization.
You guys are too funny... now, who can i pursuade to come work for me in Nashville where i just bought the Predators for $400 million U.S.? Who to buy... er... pursuade to move to Music City...
Last edited by lonewolf40 on August 7th at 8:04 AM.
You're screwed?! I just hired a guy for more money than Midas whom I thought knew the importance of pleasing the season ticket holders, and all he does is stalk around the Bell Centre snarling "FIRE LOMBARDI! FIRE LOMBARDI!"
Note to self: Pay attention to reference checks...
LoneWolf40:
You know, the Nashville franchise IS still up for grabs -- as are the Ottawa and Dallas squads -- in the Strat-O-Matic league...
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on August 7th at 1:14 PM.
Here's the link to the Natural Hockey League. The website isn't much to look at -- I figure I'll donate some design time to the league down the road. The NaHL dates back to the mid-1990s. I've only been involved for a couple of weeks, but based on the owners I've chatted with via email thus far, it seems like a good group of chaps. I'm looking forward to playing this fall.
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on August 9th at 5:26 AM.
Not a bad idea. That would actually be an interesting twist to upcoming arbitration cases and should be worked into the next CBA. They can surely be squeezed in between the cheating midgets and the heavily-pierced transgendered old ladies.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
