Fedotenko signs in KHL
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Fedotenko signs in KHL
The dominoes are already starting to fall.
The NHL’s third work stoppage since 1994 is no more than a few hours old, after commissioner Gary Bettman locked out players on Sunday morning at midnight, but players are already starting to bolt for European leagues.
Ruslan Fedotenko was the first Flyer to sign elsewhere.
Fedotenko, 33, is going home. Fedotenko signed a temporary contract with HC Donbass in Russia’s KHL, though the team is based in Donetsk, Ukraine. They are the only KHL team located in the Ukraine and this will be their first season of play in the league. Fedotenko was born and raised in Kiev.
The deal was first reported by Fedotenko’s agent, Allan Walsh.
Fedotenko will remain property of the Flyers whenever this current lockout ends. He signed a 1-year, $1.75 million deal with the Flyers in July. His contract with the Flyers needed to be insured in-full against injury.
Since Fedotenko signed just a 1-year deal in Philadelphia for a relatively small amount of money, his contract was easier to insure than most.
That is what is holding up some other players from signing elsewhere. Others, like Ilya Kovalchuk, Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk are diving right in. They have all already signed in Russia.
Most will sit and wait.
Jake Voracek, for instance, signed a 4-year extension this summer in Philadelphia worth $17 million. Even at his younger age, it still costs a ton to insure a guaranteed $17 million.
Voracek is still training in Montreal. His former teammate and close friend, Jaromir Jagr, has already signed in their shared hometown of Kladno, Czech Republic, with the HC Kladno franchise that he owns and his father runs. Voracek has a standing invitation from Jagr to join him.
“I still haven’t decided,” Voracek told the Daily News in a text message on Sunday. “It’s tough because of the insurance.”
ALSO: Free agent Pavel Kubina, who ended last season with the Flyers, has signed with HC Vitkovice in the Czech Extraliga.
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
And I have signed on with XBox 360 to play in the NHL 13...— Brian F.- I recently signed a similar deal Brian..— FlyerFan8
- No "Center Ice" this year I guess....will save me some money.— dogman5
- Who cares. Rich owners, rich players I can't relate to their selfish ego's. Just trying to survive as a middle class worker who makes enough money to just live. Hope hockey goes away to who cares where. Everyone who keeps paying rediculous prices for season tickets They are always gonna want more. First scheduled home game when they get back don't go maybe they will see who gives them their right to haggle over money!— zbeachigo
- Will miss NHL and feel bad for all the regular people that are losing money but I will find plenty of other things to do.— NYPHILLYPHAN
- When rich people have problems between themselves with business the poorer people suffer.The players and owners have plenty of money to hold them over but the support staff will find it stressful making money stretch that they have.The parties need to meet each other half way on the last proposed numbers.— Andrew Grier
