A surprising guest was on hand today as Avangard Omsk held a light-hearted inter-squad game as part of their final preparations for the start of the KHL season on Wednesday. The man spotted sitting in the stands with Omsk head coach Sergei Gersonski and general manager Anatoli Bardin was none other than New York Rangers assistant coach Mike Pelino. Pelino was joined by a translator, and explained his presence in Omsk to Oleg Malitsky of Championat.ru. “The purpose of my visit is to become acquainted with the systems of the Avangard hockey club and support the relationship between our clubs. I have spent some time here and must say that I am very impressed with everything I’ve seen. The hockey operations in Omsk are first class. The arena, infrastructure, organization… We with the Rangers would very much like to maintain close contact with Avangard. Maybe play some exhibition matches, and also start an exchange program for the training staff.” Pelino’s comments on the relationship between the two teams echo those of Bardin during his visit to New York in April to woo Jaromir Jagr to Siberia. Of course, Bardin also said at the time that Ranger 2007 draft pick Alexei Cherepanov would join the Rangers for camp this fall — a statement that has since proven false.

While Pelino wasn’t asked about Cherepanov, he was asked about Jagr and whether he had spoken to the former Ranger during his visit. Pelino had the following to say about the man who lead his team in scoring in each of the past three seasons: “Jagr, of course, on any team is given special status, the status of star. It’s a pity for us that he left New York, but I see that he is doing well in Omsk. And I’m only happy for him.”

The already-contentious relationship between the NHL and KHL appears to have taken another step in the wrong direction.  In response to the Los Angeles Kings’ signing of 2008 draft picks Viatcheslav Voynov and Andrei Loktionov this week, the KHL has declared itself free of any obligations to respect NHL contracts, seemingly declaring an end to the agreement reached in Zurich in July between the two leagues in which each agreed not to sign players under contract with the other.  The KHL maintains that both Voynov and Loktionov remain under contract with KHL teams Traktor Chelybinsk and Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, respectively, and that by allowing the Kings to sign them, the NHL has violated the July agreement.  The KHL issued the following statement on their web site regarding the matter:

The Continental Hockey League strictly adhered to the unilaterally declared moratorium on the invitation of hockey players with operating contracts with clubs of the National Hockey League.  The NHL has violated the agreement reached earlier in Zurich and on August 28th announced the completion of contracts with hockey players Andrei Loktionov and Vyatcheslav Voinov by the Los Angeles Kings.  The specified players have operating contracts with KHL clubs Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl) and Traktor (Chelyabinsk), respectively.

In connection with this the KHL considers itself free of any obligations with respect to the observance of the earlier announced moratorium on the transfer of players.  On September 6th at the headquarters of the International Ice Hockey Federation in Zurich a meeting will take place on this topic, after which the Continental Hockey League will define subsequent actions in relation to the National Hockey League.

KHL president Alexander Medvedev commented on the situation to Russian site Sport Express last night. “We believe that the NHL has broken the agreement which was reached at the meeting in Zurich.  Now we consider ourselves free from commitments to not sign contracts with players who have operating contracts overseas,” Medvedev said.  “However, until September 6th, I have recommended that our clubs not do it, since first I want to consult with the management of the International Ice Hockey Federation. On the 6th we have planned this meeting in Zurich.”

Russian labor law allows players to terminate their contracts by providing 30 days notice and paying an agreed-upon buyout fee.  It is unclear whether Voinov and Loktionov have done so.  Despite signing NHL deals, both players are expected to play in the Canadian junior league this season; Voinov with the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Loktionov with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

UPDATE: On Saturday the Columbus Blue Jackets added more fuel to the fire by announcing the signing of 19-year old, 2007 draft pick Maksim Mayorov.  As of this spring, Mayorov was reported to be under contract with AK Bars Kazan through 2012.

Photo: Hartford Wolf Pack

Former Hartford defenseman Ivan Baranka probably hoped the shorter schedule and less physical style of play of the KHL would allow him to finally make it through a season injury-free. Those hopes have been dashed before the KHL season even began. Baranka, who’s been playing on the top defensive pairing for Spartak Moscow during the pre-season, suffered a broken rib during Spartak’s 3-2 shootout loss to Dynamo Moscow yesterday and will miss 2-3 weeks.

The Hartford Wolf Pack have added some depth in goal, signing 25-year old Mike Brodeur to an AHL contract. A four-year pro, Brodeur has bounced between the ECHL and AHL since leaving the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL at the end of the 2003-2004 season. He was originally drafted in the 7th round (211 overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 8 games with the Rockford Icehogs, Chicago’s AHL affiliate, last season, where he put up a 2.81 GAA and .904 save percentage. He added 26 games in the ECHL with the Pensacola Ice Pilots, where he averaged 2.83 goals against and a .918 save percentage, good for 8th in the ECHL. The 6′2″, 190-pounder will challenge Matt Zaba for the backup spot in Hartford, or could begin the season with the Rangers ECHL affiliate in Charlotte.

Alexei Cherepanov tallied the first goal of the game as the Russian junior team faced off in the final game of the Four Nations tournament in Brno, Czech Republic, but the home team rallied back with five straight goals to defeat Team Russia 5-3.  Yegor Dubrovsky, who started the tournament (and likely finished it) on a line with Cherepanov and Alexei Lazarev scored Russia’s remaining two goals.  The win gave the Czech junior squad the top spot in the tournament with 8 points, followed by Russia with 6, and Sweden with 4.  Team Finland was winless in the tournament.

A scoresheet from Russia’s first game vs. Finland finally turned up online, and it confirms that Cherepanov didn’t factor in the scoring, but was called for a hooking penalty early in the second period.  The scoresheet also reveals that coach Sergei Nemchinov has been using Cherepanov on the penalty kill — though only because it shows that he was on the ice for 2 of Finland’s three power play goals.

Photo: Russian Hockey Federation

Alexei Cherepanov and the Russian junior squad rolled over the Team Sweden today in the Four Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic, 5-2. Russia’s goals came from Evgeni Dadanov (2), Yegor Dubrovsky, Igor Golovkov and Ilya Vochkov. Once again no box score was available to indicate who else factored in the scoring.

Here in the New York, Larry Brooks of the NY Post offers this (non-)story, meant to send Ranger fans into a tizzy of hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing over the potential loss of their future Russian star. In the story, Brooks reveals that former NHLPA boss Ted Saskin is set to testify tomorrow against the union he once led in regards to a grievance filed against the NHL by the players association which challenges the league’s current ruling on the rights of yet-unsigned, European-drafted players.

As per the current CBA, the rights of European draftees expire on June 1st of the second year following their draft, similar to the rights of players who are drafted from North America (excluding those who opt to play in the NCAA). This was a change from the rules that were in place prior to the lockout, which saw the rights of European players retained by the clubs that drafted them for (near) eternity.

With the collapse of the international transfer agreement in May, the NHL declared that the provision in the CBA whereby a team’s rights to a player expired after two years was no longer valid. Since then, the league and its teams have been working under the old rule, which set no expiration date on a European player’s rights. This is what has allowed the Rangers to retain the rights to 2006 draft picks David Kveton and Lukas Zeliska beyond this past June 1st (though realistically, neither looks likely to ever be signed by the team anyway.) The NHLPA, not surprisingly, is challenging the legality of the league’s decision on behalf of its players.

As Brooks points out, if the NHLPA emerges victorious, the 2-year expiration date will be re-instituted.

The Rangers, therefore, would lose their rights to Alexei Cherepanov, whom they selected 17th overall in 2007, if the Russian does not sign by June 1, 2009. Under terms of the CBA, Cherepanov, currently under contract to KHL Omsk, would be available for claim in the 2009 Entry Draft. The Rangers would receive the 17th pick of the second round as compensation.

This is all very much true. But utterly and completely premature. First, we have to wait and see if the NHL’s decision stands or if the the NHLPA succeeds in their challenge. Second, if Cherepanov does decide to come over to the NHL next season, there will be plenty of time between the end of the KHL season in April and June 1st in which to get a deal done. Third, if he doesn’t come over, the likelihood of another team wasting even a low-round draft pick on him would be extremely small, given the fact that there will be other high-grade, lower-risk Russian talent available.

Ultimately, the Rangers knew the risk involved when they drafted him; at the time the 2-year rule for European draftees was very much in effect, and it played a large role in why a top-5 player like Cherepanov fell to them at number 17 in the first place. If Cherepanov doesn’t come to New York next year, it will likely mean he’s either signed or is poised to sign a lucrative new deal to stay in Russia. At that point there would be little reason to believe he’d ever leave for the NHL.

Avangard Omsk is two-for-two in pre-season tournaments after winning today’s final match in the Viktor Blinov Memorial Tournament, hosted annually in Omsk. Omsk defeated Sibir Novosibirsk 6-5 in a shootout after squandering 3-0 and 4-2 leads. Anton Kuryanov, who’s been centering a variety of right wings while Alexei Cherepanov is in the Czech Republic with Team Russia, scored two goals, giving him five points to lead the tournament in scoring. Jaromir Jagr’s linemate Pavel Rosa was named the tournament’s top forward. Jagr picked up his third assist in the tournament in today’s game, but was on the ice for three of four Novosibirsk goals. Video highlights and a photo gallery from the game are available at the Avangard web site. This was the final pre-season match for Omsk before the KHL season starts on September 2nd.

Photo: Avangard Omsk

In the Czech Republic, Alexei Cherepanov and the Russian junior team got off to a good start in the 3-day Four Nations Tournament, defeating Team Finland 4-3. Islanders 2008 3rd round pick Kiril Petrov lead Russia with a hat trick. Alexei Potapov was credited with the fourth Russian goal. The only information available on the game right now is a three sentence blurb on the Russian Hockey Federation web site, so who else factored in the scoring is unknown.

Steve Zipay at Blue Notes has released a list of 19 prospects and first- and second-year pros who will represent the Rangers in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament, scheduled for September 13 through September 17 in Traverse City, Michigan. This is the third season the Rangers will participate in the tournament, which is hosted annually by the Detroit Red Wings. This year’s tournament will pit the Rangers’ top prospects against squads from the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. A full tournament schedule is available at Red Wings Central.

A year ago, the Rangers prospect squad went undefeated en route to taking home the tournament title, thanks to strong performances by Alex Bourret (3-4-7), Brandon Dubinsky (3-4-7), Artem Anisimov (2-1-3) and Lauri Korpikoski (2-0-2). The defense was buoyed by the likes of Marc Staal, Mike Sauer and Bobby Sanguinetti. Of the players listed, only Anisimov and Sanguinetti will return to Michigan this September, and they’ll be looked upon to lead the team, along with second-year pros Brodie Dupont, Tommy Pyatt, and Vladimir Denisov. Other notables missing from last year’s line up include Corey Potter, David Kveton and Michael Busto, who attended the Rangers’ summer development camp, but who’s status within the organization seems to be in question based on this exclusion.

The defense, which includes only five players so far, is the biggest area of concern, though the organization is likely hoping for big things from 2008 first round draft pick Michael Del Zotto and 3rd round pick Tomas Kundratek, the top-rated Czech in the draft, who’s signing was finally confirmed by the club yesterday. Up front, 2008 draft picks Evgeni Grachev, Dale Weise, and Chris Doyle will get their first chance to represent the team that drafted them, while Tomas Zaborsky and David Skokan will look to improve on noteworthy performances at the tournament last fall as they each prepare for their first full pro season. In goal, Matt Zaba will make his debut at the tournament, while Antoine Lafleur will return for a second shot at the tournament title. Forwards Sergei Demagin, who’ll make his North American debut at the tournament, Rangers 2007 7th round pick Skokan, and Mike Taylor, who picked up four points in an 8-game tryout with the Hartford Wolf Pack last spring, and defenseman David Urquhart, who graduated from McGill University in May, are all signed to AHL contracts and are set to play the upcoming season in Hartford. Twenty-one year old free agent signee Justin Soryal rounds out the roster as it stands currently after completing a 4-year career with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Rangers also provided the names of 5 players who have been invited to rookie camp on a tryout basis. Most notable among them is the eldest son of former Ranger Captain Mark Messier, 21-year old Lyon Messier. He’ll join three other defenseman, including 6′5″, 225lb 20-year old Tysen Dowzak, 19-year old Czech David Stich and 20-year old Nick Pageau, who impressed enough at the Rangers’ summer development camp to earn himself a tryout. 19-year old right wing Matt Meropoulis will join the four defensemen in trying to earn an invite to the prospects tournament, and, if that goes well, main camp. Expect at least two defenseman — from that list or elsewhere — to supplement the currently shorthanded blueline corps in Traverse City.

Forwards
Artem Anisimov
Joe Barnes
Sergei Demagin
Chris Doyle
Brodie Dupont
Evgeny Grachev
Ryan Hillier (injured)
Thomas Pyatt
David Skokan
Justin Soryal
Mike Taylor
Dale Weise
Tomas Zaborsky

Defensemen
Michael Del Zotto
Vladimir Denisov
Tomas Kundratek
Bobby Sanguinetti
David Urquhart

Goalies
Antoine LaFleur
Matt Zaba

2007 Prospects Tournament Roster

2007 Tournament Box Scores
Rangers 6 - Lightning 4
Rangers 5 - Thrashers 3
Rangers 3 - Detroit 2
Rangers 5 - Blue Jackets 1

In a sure sign that hockey season is just around the corner, the Hartford Wolf Pack have announced their pre-season schedule for the 2008-2009 season.

Avangard Omsk defeated Barys Astana 6-3 today in the Vladimir Blinov Memorial Tournament, thanks to a two goal, one assist performance by defenseman Nikita Nikitin and two power play assists by Jaromir Jagr. Former NHLer John Graham got the win in goal. The victory qualified the tournament hosts for a berth in the finals tomorrow, where they’ll face Sibir Novosibirsk, who trounced them 6-1 to start the tournament, Omsk’s only loss in the tournament.

Back in the Czech Republic, Jagr was named the winner of his fourth “Golden Stick”, awarded annually to the country’s best hockey player. With Omsk’s pre-season in full swing, the big Czech was unable to attend, but sent his father to collect the award from Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek. After the ceremony, the elder Jagr offered some frank opinions on his son’s final season in the NHL and his decision to leave for Russia. A translation of his comments, which are sure to ruffle the feathers of some Ranger fans, is available at Blueshirt Bulletin.

Meanwhile, teammate Alexei Cherepanov arrived in Jagr’s homeland today, where he’ll spend the next three days competing in the Tournament of Four Nations against the under-20 teams of Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic.