Filatov case dropped by KHL...Mayorov is another story..

Not that it would have mattered in terms of being a Blue Jacket or not but Slapshots.blog.nytimes.com has learned that the claimes again Jackets 6th overall pick from the 2008 NHL draft, Nikita Filatov, have been dropped by the KHL.

However, the IIHF announced the KHL dropped its claims on five players it said were under contract but who signed instead with the NHL: Nikita Filatov (Columbus), Jason Krog (Vancouver), Tomas Mojzis (Minnesota), Fyodor Fedorov (New Jersey) and Viktor Tikhonov (San Jose).

Even though he would have been in Columbus anyways its still good news as Nikita is clear to participate in any international tournaments including the World Junior Championships this December which we know is important to him. Of course that will all depend on how he performs in camp and where he ends up come the regular season. If he's on the big squad then no WJCs but say he's in the AHL then I could see Columbus letting the kid represent his country in that tournament.

The latest report is that Filatov should arrive in Columbus next week on September 10th.

The new news here out of the same post is that now Columbus' other young Russian signed this summer, Maxim (or is it Maksim?) Mayorov, is now under IIHF review.

The IIHF also announced court or binding arbitration in three new cases that the KHL disputes involving teenaged Russian players signed by NHL clubs in the last 10 days, Andrei Loktionov and Vyacheslav Voynov of the Kings and Maxim Mayorov of the Blue Jackets.

Mayorov signed his deal just over a week ago and this is the first I'm hearing of any dispute of his eligibility to be signed by the NHL. I'm sure the Dispatch will have more on this as the story develops.

In signing his contract Mayorov certainly signaled that he's committed to play in North America this season - probably the AHL - so it will be interesting to learn if he had a previous contract comittement in Russia or what the dispute by the KHL is here. The good news for Mayorov and Jacket fans is that he is already in North America.

One thing is for sure -- its going to get a lot uglier between the KHL and NHL before it gets better.

For now lets continue to cross our fingers that Filatov is in Cbus sometime next week.

Update: A poster in the comments (thanks June!) pointed out this new article from THN.com about some new even newer developments between the KHL vs. NHL war. Apparently now the KHL is willing to send the Radulov dispute to a third party for final resolution:

“We have gone with an open hand to the NHL,” KHL president Alexander Medvedev told thn.com in a telephone interview Saturday. “We are hoping to get a positive reaction from the NHL.”

“We would like to create an environment where mutual respect of contracts is more than just a nice slogan,” Medvedev said. “I believe every objective analyst or supporter of hockey, regardless of nationality or location, should appreciate that we are doing everything possible to have a civilized, transparent and legally solid method of player transfers between the KHL and the NHL. Our friends will never forgive (the KHL and NHL) if we create an environment and all of hockey will suffer. We know people are watching us and waiting for a decision.”

Unfortunately this latest article also says this:

The KHL, however, continues to dispute the NHL contracts signed by Andrei Lohtionev and Vyacheslav Voinov of the Los Angeles Kings and Andrei Mayorov of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

I personally don't see the NHL agreeing to a third party as they will continue to say that Radulov had a signed contract and he broke it thus there is nothing for an independent party to rule on.

My question is this -- where was the NHL last year when Svitov broke his contract last season and bolted for Russia? How was that any different from this Radulov case? The obvious answer -- its not except Radulov carries a much higher profile.

-LTL