UPD: KHL independent from IIHF, season finish on May 31: impact on hockey

[Hanji]

UPDATE

As of mid-July the Russian parliament adopted the law (soon to be signed by president) making international professional leagues independent from russian national sports federations & international sports federations (IIHF, FIFA, UEFA, FIBA, FIVB etc). It means the KHL (as international professional leagues) is independent from Russian hockey federation (FHR) & IIHF. The change has two major consequences

1. KHL will finish their playoffs in May instead of April. Players contracts will finish on May 31 instead of April 30.

2. KHL clubs do not neeed the IIHF Transfer Card when signing the players from foreign leagues/ clubs. This applies to IIHF member leagues (Sweden, Finland etc) as well as NHL.

So the KHL and NHL are in the same boat now.
That said the NHL still voluntarily adheres to the IIHF Transfer Card process. Will the KHL do the same?

 

[vorky]

So the KHL and NHL are in the same boat now.

You are correct.

That said the NHL still voluntarily adheres to the IIHF Transfer Card process. Will the KHL do the same?

I am not familiar with all details regarding the NHL & IIHF Transfer Card process. But I read these days the following from Fasel interview - you do not need the IIHF Transfer Card if a player moves from European league/club to NHL club. But, you need the IIHF TC if a player moves from NHL club to European club/ league. That applies too when a player is under NHL contract but playing in minors /AHL/.

To reply you. Seems NO. The KHL will do not need the IIHF Transfer Card to register a contract of a player coming from abroad, for example the contracts of the guys below. The league said the clubs not to follow the IIHF Transfer Card process anymore.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809147730888953913

The KHL will honour the players´ contracts with clubs in Europe. Of course with NHL clubs as well (MoU).

 

[Albatros]

Okhotiuk has far more NHL games than Prosvetov, Samorukov, Ishakov, and Afanasyev put together, and he has 67 in four years. Certified NHL guys.

 

[Hanji]

You are correct.


I am not familiar with all details regarding the NHL & IIHF Transfer Card process. But I read these days the following from Fasel interview - you do not need the IIHF Transfer Card if a player moves from European league/club to NHL club. But, you need the IIHF TC if a player moves from NHL club to European club/ league. That applies too when a player is under NHL contract but playing in minors /AHL/.

To reply you. Seems NO. The KHL will do not need the IIHF Transfer Card to register a contract of a player coming from abroad, for example the contracts of the guys below. The league said the clubs not to follow the IIHF Transfer Card process anymore.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809147730888953913

The KHL will honour the players´ contracts with clubs in Europe. Of course with NHL clubs as well (MoU).

I know that. Legally both the NHL and KHL do not need to adhere to the transfer card process. Yet the NHL does anyway via their IIHF brokered transfer agreements with European Leagues. That process goes through USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. The NHL has done the same with KHL players for the sake of uniformity.

My question is, like the NHL, will the KHL still adhere to the process even though they're not required to. They didn't with Fedotov.

 

[wetcoast]

Dumb analogy.

The KHL wanted this long before any suspension. It wants to be like the NHL, free from the constraints of the IIHF.

What was stopping them exactly?

The IIHF’s banishment of Russia just enabled it because it reduced the influence of the FHR to act as a counter-balance to the KHL.

Kind of convenient eh?

 

[vorky]

I know that. Legally both the NHL and KHL do not need to adhere to the transfer card process. Yet the NHL does anyway via their IIHF brokered transfer agreements with European Leagues. That process goes through USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. The NHL has done the same with KHL players for the sake of uniformity.

My question is, like the NHL, will the KHL still adhere to the process even though they're not required to. They didn't with Fedotov.

To reply your question. My understanding is that KHL will not adhere to the process. I will use the example of the guys in that tweet, for example Guryanov. He had the NHL contract last season. Two scenarios:

1.BEFORE the law - CSKA would need to get the IIHF Transfer Card (process through USA Hockey - FHR - IIHF). Then registered his contract in KHL CIB.

2. NOW - CSKA will skip the IIHF Transfer Card process. So, they just sign the contract with Guryanov and registed it in KHL CIB. The league will register the deal without IIHF Transfer Card. Likely the KHL will contact the NHL to confirm Guryanov´ status as they had done before.

 

[Hanji]

To reply your question. My understanding is that KHL will not adhere to the process. I will use the example of the guys in that tweet, for example Guryanov. He had the NHL contract last season. Two scenarios:

1.BEFORE the law - CSKA would need to get the IIHF Transfer Card (process through USA Hockey - FHR - IIHF). Then registered his contract in KHL CIB.

2. NOW - CSKA will skip the IIHF Transfer Card process. So, they just sign the contract with Guryanov and registed it in KHL CIB. The league will register the deal without IIHF Transfer Card. Likely the KHL will contact the NHL to confirm Guryanov´ status as they had done before.

Okay. But that would make Guryanov ineligible for international competition in the event Russia returns to IIHF touraments.

 

[vorky]

Okay. But that would make Guryanov ineligible for international competition in the event Russia returns to IIHF touraments.

My question is what rule will Guryanov break? I mean the player, not the club/league (If). Guryanov is currently without a contract both in the NHL and in another European league.

The IIHF international transfer regulations knows the transfer to Non-Member Organization (NHL, KHL). They regulate the transfer from MNA (any European league) to Non-Member Organization & vice versa. But, does the IIHF transfer regulations say something about a transfer from Non-Member Organization (NHL) to Non-Member Organization (KHL)? I doubt ... but you can prove me wrong. If the IIHF rules do not regulate such transfers (NHL to KHL), how can the IIHF sanction a player / club? All process happening outside IIHF jurisdiction. You said "NHL still voluntarily adheres to the IIHF Transfer Card process even though they're not required to."

The IIHF international transfer regulations, article 8.1, is very interesting. Quoting: "All MNAs, their leagues, and clubs must respect all existing and valid Contracts of Players playing in other MNAs or Non-Member Organizations. " Question: must Non-Member Organizations (NHL, KHL) respect all existing and valid Contracts of Players playing in other MNAs? My understanding is that it is the point of the rule to make the NHL free to not respect all valid contracts of players in Europe (MNA). Hence the need to sign the NHL Transfer Agreement. But it is not an obligation. So, even without NHL TA the European clubs would have to respect the NHL valid contracts, but the NHL would not need to respect the valid players contracts with European clubs. Yes, the rule is one-sided, giving the NHL an advantage. ... now the same applies to KHL if the IIHF will honor their rules.

All transfers from NHL to KHL & vice versa will very soon happen outside IIHF jurisdiction. The same applies to transfers from MHL (Russian major junior league) to NHL (not CHL/USHL).

 

[Albatros]

Players violating their contracts can and will be banned by the IIHF and can not return back to any IIHF competitions without doing the time.

Transfers of players in leagues outside the jurisdiction of the IIHF belong by default to their home associations, in other words these will effectively replace the FHR unless the player in question is Russian.

 

[Namejs]

No impact on hockey whatsoever, other than the Kazakhstan national team.

 

[kp61c]

idiots in the khl that do what the presidential administration tells them to do will change the schedule again once iihf unbans russia. putin's ego is above it all after all and must be stroked from time to time. disgusting stuff.

 

[Zine]

What was stopping them exactly?

Kind of convenient eh?

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation, whose power and influence are basically nil at the moment for obvious reasons.

But I suspect the KHL will be reined in a little bit when the country returns to international play.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The worlds are already such a watered down event. Banning Russia really hurt the quality of the tournament, they nearly always sent their top dogs which put some pressure for other nations to do the same. Now we get mostly a bunch of no-name rosters fighting for gold, riveting.

 

[Albatros]

The worlds are already such a watered down event. Banning Russia really hurt the quality of the tournament, they nearly always sent their top dogs which put some pressure for other nations to do the same. Now we get mostly a bunch of no-name rosters fighting for gold, riveting.

Tournament MVP when ROC last participated was... Andrew Mangiapane. Peter Cehlárik took the best forward award. Top Russian scorers were Alexander Barabanov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Anton Burdasov, Dmitri Voronkov, and Anton Slepyshev.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Tournament MVP when ROC last participated was... Andrew Mangiapane. Peter Cehlárik took the best forward award. Top Russian scorers were Alexander Barabanov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Anton Burdasov, Dmitri Voronkov, and Anton Slepyshev.

You should still get my point. Not so long ago the worlds were a more competitive tournament with higher amounts of top players. That simply isn't the case atm.

 

[Fil]

You should still get my point. Not so long ago the worlds were a more competitive tournament with higher amounts of top players. That simply isn't the case atm.

Team USA actually tried this year and still lost the best national team of all time lol (kidding obviously)

 

[Czechboy]

You should still get my point. Not so long ago the worlds were a more competitive tournament with higher amounts of top players. That simply isn't the case atm.

That was true but the last ones had pretty stacked teams from US, Swiss Slovak, Sweden and Canada. Finn's had a great team but went non NHL players mostly. Most talent since covid.

 

[Zine]

The worlds are already such a watered down event. Banning Russia really hurt the quality of the tournament, they nearly always sent their top dogs which put some pressure for other nations to do the same. Now we get mostly a bunch of no-name rosters fighting for gold, riveting.

Take it for what it's worth, but Podkolzin just said the Swedes on Vancouver told him the WC is not the same without Russia. Everyone wants there to be another strong team in international play.

 

[Namejs]

Take it for what it's worth, but Podkolzin just said the Swedes on Vancouver told him the WC is not the same without Russia. Everyone wants there to be another strong team in international play.

Ukraine has been progressing lately and is playing in DivIA now. Give them a few years.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Take it for what it's worth, but Podkolzin just said the Swedes on Vancouver told him the WC is not the same without Russia. Everyone wants there to be another strong team in international play.

Not really surprising. Athletes want to compete against the best at the highest possible level, the Russia ban has made that impossible at an international level. Also, Russia was the best at bringing in their star NHL talent to these tournaments.

 

[vorky]

Done.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816210418857099671

 

[Namejs]

Done.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816210418857099671

Congratulations, the KHL now has the same legal status as myself - we're both independent from the IIHF and no one gives a shit about that

 

[MeHateHe]

Congratulations, the KHL now has the same legal status as myself - we're both independent from the IIHF and no one gives a shit about that

I care. Not about the KHL, but I care about you.

 

[vorky]

Congratulations, the KHL now has the same legal status as myself - we're both independent from the IIHF and no one gives a shit about that

Great!! I am joining your league with my local team ..

 

[MeHateHe]

How many more thinly disguised Russia-is-a-victim, won’t-someone-think-of-poor-benighted-Russia threads are we going to see here? This had the thinnest veneer of being related to international tournaments and yet here we are.

This is purely an internal matter within Russia and won’t impact anyone else. The actual topic is probably just a political move in any case. But it has no business being dumped on those of us who don’t care about what happens inside Russia.