KHL Rules on Signing NHL Players Matter for 2012-2013

Now that the NHL is in yet another lockout, the rules of the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League) that apply to singing NHL Players during a lockout, matter. Since the lockout will ultimately lead to my excessive boredom and, at times, depression, I have diligently put together a list of the rules that the KHL has in place on signing NHL players when a lockout occurs!

Disclaimer: I do realize that not all NHL players and stars are going to sign in the KHL but as far as I could tell through research, the other European leagues do not have rules on signing NHL players during lockouts.

KHL Rules on Signing NHL Players

• There are currently 20 Russian based teams in the KHL 

• A Russian based KHL team can only sign a maximum of three NHL players
• One of those signed NHL players must be a non-Russian
• The Non- Russian has to be an accomplished player who meets at least one of the following criteria:
• Played 150 games in the last three seasons
• Won a Stanley Cup or played in the finals
• Previously played in the KHL or played for his country in past years
• The above mentioned rules DO NOT apply to the one team that is based in each of the following countries that are a part of the KHL:
• Belarus
• Ukraine
• Latvia
• Slovakia
• Czech Republic
• Kazakhstan
• Signed NHL players will not count towards the respective teams KHL salary cap
• The team can not pay more than 65% of the signed players NHL salary 

I hope that the rules set forth above from the KHL are of interest and help during these hard times as we enter NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman's 3rd lockout during his 19 years as commissioner. I will also provide you with a list of NHL stars that have signed over seas.

Lets start with the Washington Capitals:

Alex Ovechkin - KHL - Dyanamo Moscow (official as of 9/18/12 3:10pm EST)

Michal Neuvirth - Czech Extraliga - HC Sparta Praha (not official but expected)

Others:

Joe Thorton - San Jose Sharks - Swiss National League - HC Davos

Logan Couture - San Jose Sharks - Swiss National League - HC Geneva

Ilya Kovalchuck - New Jersey Devils - KHL -  SKA St. Petersburg 

Evgeni Malkin - Pittsburgh Penguins - KHL - Metallurg

Sergei Gonchar - Ottawa Senators - KHL - Metallurg

Jason Spezza - Ottawa Senators - Swiss National League - Rapperswil Jona

Mark Streit - New York Islanders - Swiss National League - Bern

Rich Nash - New York Rangers - Swiss National League - HC Davos

Jaromir Jagr - Dallas Stars - Czech Extraliga - Kladno

Semyon Varlamov - Colorado Avalanche - KHL - Locomotiv Yaroslavl

Nicklas Backstrom - Minnistoa Wild - KHL - Dynamo Minsk

Nikolai Kulemin - Toronto Maple Leafs - KHL - Metallurg

Ruslan Fedotenko - Philadelphia Flyers - KHL - HC Donbass

Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit Red Wings - KHL - CSKA Moscow

Rumored:

Sidney Crosby - Pittsburgh Penguins - KHL - Metallurg

Carl Hagelin - New York Rangers - Swedish Division II - Mora 

I hope this provides some sort of relief to you all as it temporarily did for me! Let us hope that we can get this season underway in a reasonable amount of time. Sadly, all signs do not point in that direction but there is always hope!

Until Next Time,

Will