In the end Petrov has a signed contract and a guaranteed income, Ak Bars is under no obligation to buy him out, nor are the Islanders obligated to pay a KHL team to release him, and then give him an NHL or AHL contract.
His agent's job is to look out for his client, which may not include walking away from a binding agreement. No doubt Petrov and his agent also have taken a good look at the roster depth on the Islanders, and his realistic chances at winning an opening night roster spot.
Ak Bars owns his rights, like any NHL player under contract they could easily trade him to another KHL club, or demote him to their junior club as their did earlier last season when he was sent to Neftyanik Almetievsk.
Of course, we have no idea if Petrov is paid less in Russian juniors, as many North American players are when sent to the AHL.
There are also a lot of signed prospects in Bridgeport under contract who have played every game of their agreement in the Islanders system, those player agents will be looking closely at any possible negotiations.
Petrov has played only fourteen regular season games the last two years for Ak Bars here, he was sent down to the development team for a short time before the WJC a year ago where he played seven games.
Some folks may recall when Robin Figren signed, the agreement was he would play the first year of his Islander contract in the SEL, before coming to North America last season. It was never announced (to my knowledge) if the Islanders or his SEL team paid his salary for year one of that contract.
In the past the European deadline for players to sign or reach agreements was July or August 15th. With no transfer agreement involving KHL, plus given Alexander Radulov left Nashville with a signed NHL contract, there are no enforceable rules beyond a verbal agreement that was not honored, with the IHL having no real authority over an independent league to prohibit anyone from participating.
When Jiri Hudler left Detroit to sign in KHL last summer in early July, Shawn McBride, the KHL's North American spokesman had the following:
"There's been a gentleman's agreement in place to not pursue situations like Radulov but this is a different situation," McBride said. "As a result of there not being a formal transfer agreement there are not bylaws or any binding legal parameters that have been outlined."
Having written this the KHL season opens September 8th, with Petrov's Ak Bars squad.
Training camp will for them likely opens in about two weeks. From what I could understand Ak Bars exhibition schedule opens around August 22nd.
This may well go beyond what the Islanders can do because this player is not a free agent. Only Ak Bars knows what it intends to do.
Bottom line a decision has to be reached soon.
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The Telegram: Calvin deHaan, had a few words on his shoulder injury as team Canada's development camp at Mile One Centre in St. John’s.
Prospect Casey Cizikas is part of roster also.
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