Hockey Widow wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2018 5:38 pm
By the way, is there such a thing as tampering between the NHL and KHL. I’ve understood that since there is no transfer agreement there is no tampering rule.
That is my understanding as well.
There is no "transfer agreement" but there is a "memorandum of understanding"
... which enforces a mutual respect of contracts.
I think (could be wrong) this allows for negotiating with a player under contract in the other league
... for a new contract that would come into effect
after the existing one expires.
Radulov signed with a KHL team in 2008 while he still had one year left on his Pred's contract.
The IIHF suspended him due to a perceived violation of said MoU, which had been signed earlier that month.
Well it turned out Radulov had signed with that KHL team a few days before said MoU was signed
... and so the IIHF lifted the ban = he had done nothing wrong.
So since the MoU came in (it has been renewed every year since) there can't be overlapping (if you will) contracts.
But teams in the NHL can negotiate with players playing in the KHL... as long as the contracts don't overlap.
It's common knowledge that KHL players can buyout the last year of their contract (pay 2/3 of the salary amount).
I have also read that an NHL team can legally include a bonus to a KHL player to cover that buyout.
(Leaves did that with some player a few years ago, but got into trouble because it was too high for an ELC)
I vaguely remember it happening a couple of other times... but yeah, doesn't happen very often.
Personally, I expect Nikita to return after the three years are up...