Football

• Titled, The Players All-Star Classic [New College Football All-Star Game comes to Little Rock].
• Agent that was a subject of ESPN’s “The Dotted Line” comes out with a mobile app [ETL's Play on Sunday].
• Great for integrating mobile app and social game licensing [NFL Players, Inc. Partners with Playmark to Launch New Licensing Platform].
• As long as the owners believe in the UFL product.. [UFL says it will return in 2012].
• Big day today for Blake as he appears before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions [An inside look at case against former UNC assistant John Blake].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (10/28/11) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Lucky for you, this article isn’t about country music. No offense to anyone who enjoys some Garth Brooks.

The Predators acquired Fisher on Wednesday in exchange for a 2011 first-round draft pick and a 2012 third-round selection.

I’ll say this loud and clear: Mike Fisher is a well-paid NHL player. His current contract (signed in 2008) is for 5-years and worth $21,000,000.

That’s a lot of chicken.

Fisher is due $4-million this season, as well as the same amount next season. For his final season (2012-2013), Fisher will be paid approximately $3-million.

The official cap hit for each of Fisher’s contracted seasons? $4,200,000.

However, since the Predators acquired Fisher mid-season, they will only be responsible for $1,354,839.

According to the fine folks over at CapGeek.com, the Predators are projected to finish the 2010-2011 season with $51,013,844 in spending, which would be $8,386,156 under their $59.4 million cap limit. The Predators already had some wiggle room as far as finances are concerned.

On the other hand, the Ottawa Senators needed to make some salary cap room. Like the Predators, Ottawa has a $59.4 million limit. With the ousting of Mike Fisher from their books, the Sens are projected to finish the 2010-2011 season with $57,825,197 in spending, which would be $1,574,803 UNDER the limit.

Mission accomplished.

The Salary Cap Effect of The Mike Fisher Trade from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Sports Law

• Was the damage preventable? [With 3 players gone, UNC will tighten rules]
• A state of Ohio lawmaker wants to expand the authority of the Ohio attorney general [Sports Agents In Crosshairs At Statehouse].

Basketball

• And now every agent thinks his players deserve big contracts in Turkey [Turkish team offers Iverson $2 million deal].
• And the 19-year-old is still smiling [Xavier Henry knows all about the business of basketball].

Football

• Some Doc guy and a white dude named Josh wanted to talk to one of Bechta’s clients [Agent Josh Luchs tells all for SI].
• Another Jack Bechta piece.  How many top rated juniors and seniors are currently on the take? [Majority of highest-rated players on the take].

Hockey

• About ‘Make My Day Mondays #MMDM’ [Interview with NHL Sports Agent Scott Norton on Social Media, Twitter Campaigns].

Tennis

• Mahesh Bhupathi has won 11 Grand Slam titles, but after the 2012 Summer Olympics, he plans to devote his time to being an agent [Indian Tennis Star Looks To Double Pleasure As Sports Agent].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (10/15/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

And so the grueling road stretch for me continued on Thursday September 30^th when I drove up to Saginaw, MI for the Wolves’ game against the Saginaw Spirit. Highly touted Russian prospect Ivan Telegin (101^st overall pick by Atlanta in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft) skates for the Spirit, so it give me a great chance to see another Russian talent, still developing his game. It’s about a four and a half hour drive from Chicago to Saginaw, which is less than appealing when you’re just going to catch one game, but as I said, I probably wouldn’t be able to make it to many of the Wolves’ games after the first few weeks of the season.

I arrived at the Dow Center in Saginaw just as the starting lineups were being announced. You could tell that the Wolves were continuing to play better as the younger players became adjusted to the speed of the OHL game and new comers became more familiar with their teammates. Despite the improved performance by the Wolves, they weren’t able to capitalize on some golden opportunities, and after Saginaw posted a late empty net goal, the Spirit skated away with the contest by a final score of 4-1.

Afterwards I spoke with Kuchin for a bit, and while he’s not the type of player who gets overly emotional, he was definitely upset that he wasn’t able to burry a goal that normally would have found the back of the net. I told him not to worry about it – it’s still early in the season and as long as he keeps working hard, he’ll be fine. Before long, the coaches wanted to get out of town, so we said “goodbye” and I told him I’d see him Sunday in Windsor.

Friday morning I woke up to a call from Moscow. One of my advisees over there had a friend looking for a spot in the USHL. This particular player (we’ll call him John Yasak) was a very solid goaltender, with KHL experience mind you, who was receiving a few contract offers from Russian teams, but wanted to test the waters in North America. I told my friend that I’d make some calls and see what I could do, but since it was early in the season it might be tough to find a club willing to make a goaltending change now – especially since bringing this kid in would require the team to have an open Import spot.

So I grabbed my phone and called a few teams that had some goaltending issues the first weekend of games. I got some interest from two or three teams, but they wanted to wait at least another weekend before they would really consider making a switch. I called back over to Moscow to let the boys know what I’d been told, and while waiting was the last thing John wanted to do, if he wanted to play in the USHL, that’d be his only option.

Saturday night I had a bachelor party for one of my oldest and best friends, Dave. I knew I was going to have to wake up extremely early on Sunday morning to make the 2pm EST Wolves game in Windsor, but Dave’s always been one of those friends that has always been there for me and it was important to me that I be there for him. After hanging with the boys for a few hours, I headed back home around midnight to try and get a few hours of rest.

Sunday it was back on the road for another four-plus hour drive. It’s pretty convenient that Windsor’s located just over the U.S./Canadian border, but construction in town turned what is normally a four and a half hour drive into a six hour stress-fest. At least the OHL teams do a pretty solid job of covering the game on the radio, so I listened to the pregame show and the first five minutes of the game while I snaked my way through traffic. During the pregame show, it was great to catch an interview with Wolves forward, Marcus Foligno (104^th overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2009). During the discussion, Foligno was asked about playing with Kuchin and McFarland on a line. “I’d imagine that you three would be pegged as one of the top lines in the entire OHL,” the commentator noted. As it turned out, the three didn’t play together on Sunday as coach Trent Cull decided to shake the lines up a bit, but it was definitely nice to hear teams other than Sudbury acknowledge the boys’ skill and potential.

The atmosphere at the WFCU Centre was pretty amazing. By the time I finally got to the rink, the game was already underway, so I had to park in a lot over a mile away and jog it in from there. During the game the Wolves took a number of undisciplined penalties, and when you’re playing a team as skilled as Windsor, that’s something you just can’t afford to do. Two players in particular I was interested to see play were Zach Kassian (12^th overall pick by Buffalo in 2009) and Alexander Khokhlachev (2011 NHL Draft eligible). Kassian had just been sent back to Windsor from the Buffalo Sabres and got off to a fast start to his OHL season – notching a goal and adding three assists. Khokhlachev was likewise impressive, getting two pretty helpers of his own.

Late in the game, with the Wolves down big, Kuch was able to set up defenseman Jake Cardwell with a beautiful feed for a nice power play goal. Overall Kuchin didn’t see nearly as much playing time as usual, but as I said, when a team’s a little slow out of the gate it’s usually time to start mixing lines up a bit – and with the amount of ice time Kuch had seen in the first four games, it really wasn’t anything to worry about.

Afterwards I hung around the lobby while the boys got showered up. Security wouldn’t let any parents or agents down by the locker rooms, so I mixed and mingled with a few of the parents that’d I’d gotten to know so far this season in the concourse. After a while, a number of the boys came up to say “hi” to their families, but I still hadn’t seen Kuch. Fortunately, Johhny McFarland flagged me down and told me that Kuch was looking for me down by the bus.

When I got down there, I could tell Kuchin was upset. I mentioned how he really didn’t get enough ice to get in the groove of the game. “It was my fault. I played really bad in Plymouth,” Kuch responded. Since Kuchin’s someone that I consider a very close friend, it’s always tough to see him disappointed. Nevertheless, as both his friend and his agent, it’s really great to see when a player is accountable for his play. He understood why he didn’t see as much ice and knew what he needed to do.

After a short chat, it was time for the team to board the bus and for me to head back home to Chicago. As Wolves coach, Trent Cull passed by, he called out “man Scott, you’re really racking up the frequent flyer miles.”

“I wish. Unfortunately the toll way doesn’t give frequent driver miles,” I jokingly responded.

It was too bad I didn’t get to see a win, and at least part of me was hoping I’d be able to catch Kuchin’s first OHL goal, but you just can’t control when those milestone moments are going to come – just ask MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig.

Late last week I received a call from a USHL team who’s interested in one of my Russian advisees currently playing in Moscow. The coach wanted to wait until after one more weekend of games to pull the trigger, but he let me know I could start talking to the player and his family and see what it would take to get him over here at some point this week. Originally I had planned a trip up to Hamilton, Ontario over the weekend for the Tim Horton’s Tournament hosted by the Hamilton Reps, but I knew I needed to get this issue taken care of and that’d best be done at home.

To make up for my absence, I made a few calls to some OHL scouts that I knew would be in attendance in Hamilton. I have one advisee in particular who would be playing in the tourney and since I couldn’t be there personally, I wanted to make sure that there’d be some eyes on him throughout the weekend. The guys I spoke with were very helpful and have given me some really good feedback since the tournament concluded.

The rest of this week will hopefully be spent getting travel arrangements in place for my Russian kid. I’m actually waiting on a call from the coach as I type this, but I’ll be sure to keep you all posted via the Facebook Fan Page and my Twitter account.

Well I better get back to work. If any of you are friends with me on Facebook, you probably heard that EA Sports’ NHL 2011 has Kuchin rostered on the Barrie Colts, so I’m going to get a hold of them shortly and ask them to fix that. Not really a big issue, but I imagine if I was in a video game I’d prefer to be on the correct team – and I suppose if I have to deal with my first client trade, I’d prefer it be in the virtual world of EA Sports. Anyway, I hope all you Canadian readers out there had a very happy Thanksgiving and until next time…it’s time to hit the showers.

Rookie Duties: Early Season Adjustments from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

There is about to be a new hockey agent, and there is nothing typical about his background.  Darcy Tucker played 14 seasons in the NHL prior to making the announcement that he will be starting a new career representing those who have aspirations of performing at a professional level.

In an ESPN report, Pierre LeBrun says that Tucker retired and decided to become an agent at least partly because he wants to finally put his wife and three kids ahead of his career.  Perhaps he should think about pursuing a different profession in that case.  A 9-5 job guarantees at least a few hours a day with family.  An agent’s job is anything but 9-5.

Tucker was drafted in the sixth round of the 1993 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.  In his hockey career, he also played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Avalanche.

His new sports agency is called Turning Point Sports Management, and includes his former agent, Carlos Sosa in its management team.

Darcy Tucker Creates Turning Point Sports Management from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

David Frost

One parent after getting wind of who “Jim McCauley” might be did some research only to find a picture of Frost on the internet.

“He’s been deceiving people for nearly six months” says a parent whose son trains at the academy. When asked if he will continue sending his son there he responded, “Not anymore”.

I am not surprised.  This is the same guy who was once told to stay away from the Phoenix Coyotes training camp.  He was also an NHL player agent before resigning in December 2005.

David Frost Is Going By Jim McCauley from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The love of hockey in Pennsylvania is unquestionably stronger with the recent success of the two NHL teams located in the state – the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.  As far as the NHL’s Eastern Conference goes, the Keystone State has dominated the playoffs in each of the last three years.

However, the college hockey landscape will certainly change with the addition of a nationally recognized athletic program, such as PSU, to the region.

1. It is clear that there is financial backing to the plan, which means more competition for the top recruits.  Alumnus Terry Pegula and his wife Kim donated a hefty sum, to the tune of $88 million, to fund a new men’s program and build a state-of-the-art facility.  That amount of money is no laughing matter for any school’s athletic program, even Penn State’s.  PSU is reporting that the amount is the “largest private gift in the University’s history.”  Money is never a bad thing to have to grow a D-I program essentially from scratch.  That sum will be especially helpful in showing a commitment to becoming a national powerhouse, such as with new facilities, training staff, coaching staff, player equipment, and travel amenities.  All of these material elements, plus many more, never hurt when trying to recruit the best players in the nation.  PSU already is capable of doing this in football, and now hockey will likely be the same.
2. The new facility will rival those of any college team in the nation.  Plans call for construction of a 5,000-6,000 seat arena to be built almost immediately once a suitable architect is found.  The teams will open the 2014-2015 season in the new arena, playing in the Greenberg Indoor Sports Complex in the meantime.  The GISC, accommodating around 1,350 when filled to capacity, will no doubt undergo a few changes to make room for the crowds likely to attend the first games.  This means that there will no doubt be a request for NHL teams to come play in the new arena, perhaps as part of a pre-season game.
3. Hockey will now have an even stronger presence in the State College region.  With the new complex to have two sheets of ice, the only one rink of this caliber apparently within an 80-mile radius, there is no need for hockey fans to travel quite as far as Philly or Pittsburgh to get a quick hockey fix.  Add on top of that, the current club hockey team is among the best in the nation, winning seven national titles.  Fans in State College will no doubt line up early and often to catch a glimpse of the new squad when they hit the ice.
4. Penn State will join others in the state of Pennsylvania in welcoming the NCAA Frozen Four to the area in 2013 & 2014.  Can you imagine the home crowd if Penn State were to be playing for a national championship down the road in Philly in 2014?  Enough said.
5. Penn State will be looking for a conference to join when the new arena opens and the team sheds its independent status.  This is easily the most significant ramification for all of D-I hockey.  It is no secret that the Big Ten is amongst the best leagues in college football and other sports.  With members Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio State already being among the perennial best in college hockey, a Big Ten hockey conference would surely be among the most competitive in the nation if were it to form in 2014.  The leagues that currently house these five teams would certainly be scrambling to replace the high level of competition that the teams provide.   Further, leagues such as Atlantic Hockey or the ECAC would love for a strong program such as PSU to join their schedules.  However, despite the lack of geographical proximity to the other Big Ten teams, the desire to create a college hockey super-conference might be able to overcome that concern.  As one commentator stated:

Sources indicated earlier this week that a 2014-15 start date for a Big Ten hockey conference was being discussed, but a conference statement Friday said the formation of a league wouldn’t happen “without a significant amount of discussion both internally with conference chancellors, presidents, administrators and coaches, and externally with the hockey community as a whole.”

At least one commentator is less than thrilled about a Big Ten hockey conference scenario.  He further added that another current member of the Big Ten, Indiana, is rumored to be the next college to add a D-I hockey program.  Although a bit far-fetched, one could only imagine if the others in the Big Ten, such as Nebraska (joining the Big Ten 2011-2012), decided to add hockey as well.  Top-level players would have plenty of choices if these top tier schools add to their programs.

These same factors will have the same effect on growing a women’s program as well.  With the women’s team at Mercyhurst already among the top in the nation, having another in-state rival will no doubt fuel rivalries for players, not to mention on the ice.

So while it is not time to send the D-I hockey crowns to State College just yet, with the proper resources and a solid following, you might just see PSU at the top of the men’s and women’s D-I college hockey rankings sooner rather than later.  The real question that remains is, who will join them next?

One thing is certain about the PSU program, as Craig Patrick, the former GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins stated:

“Adding Penn State’s brand to hockey will make Pennsylvania one of the top hockey states in the country.”

What Does Penn State D-I Hockey Mean for College Hockey? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

If you haven’t been following the trials and tribulations of the Ilya Kovalchuk saga over the last few months, you either aren’t a sports fan or you are still wrapped up in the Lebron James to Miami Heat ordeal.  In case you had other news on your mind, here is a recap of the events that came to an abrupt, and somewhat anti-climatic, end last Friday, September 4th.

In mid-January of this year, a fellow SAB writer noted that Kovalchuk’s future was in flux with his then-team, the Atlanta Thrashers.  Not too long before the March 3rd trade deadline, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils for a player package of several prospects, including Patrice Cormier.  While many saw this trade as purely a rental player situation for the Devils, team officials apparently thought otherwise, as they kept pursuing a long-term contract with Kovalchuk after their season ended with an early playoff exit in the first round.

However, after that period, things turned down right wacky with Kovalchuk’s contract situation.  He officially became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) as of July 1st.  Unlike past years, where big ticket UFAs were signed right after the start of the free agency period, Kovalchuk remained unsigned for several days.  At one point, Kovalchuk was rumored to be in negotiations with several teams, including the Devils and the Los Angeles Kings.  In fact, rumors circulated that the Kings had even nearly worked out a contract with the Russian sniper, only to be spurned at the last minute as the Devils re-signed him to a long term, lucrative offer…or did they?

While the NHL community broke news that forward had signed an extremely front loaded deal with New Jersey worth $102 million over 17 years, that same deal was soon challenged by the NHL front office as a circumvention of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The NHL Players Association did not take this rejection of the contract offer lightly, and the dispute soon went before an arbitrator, which eventually sided with the NHL after a 2 day hearing.  Because of this ruling, Kovalchuk was instantly deemed a UFA, once again, on August 9th.

While to many, this may seem like a strange group of events in and of itself, the story does not end there. The Devils then made a reported offer of nearly $100 million over 15 years, which was submitted to the NHL around August 27th.  On nearly the same day, Kovalchuk’s agent, Jay Grossman, reportedly threatened to sign his client to a contract to play in the KHL next season if that specific version of the contract was not approved within a 48-hour deadline.  Clearly neither the 48-hour deadline nor the reported threat to leave for the KHL were enforced by Grossman.

Of course, now that Kovalchuk is officially signed, his agent may have been trying to call the NHL’s bluff.  Unlike the departure of previous NHL players for the KHL, such as Jarmir Jagr, none have been in their prime nor still a potent offensive force quite as much as Kovalchuk.  He has scored no less than 29 goals in a season since coming on as an 18-year-old rookie 2001-2002, and that was in 65 games.  A player of Kovalchuk’s status would not have been a death blow to the NHL, but it would have certainly served as a healthy reminder that the KHL is surely becoming a comparable league.

Why does this all matter to NHL players and GMs?  Under the previous CBA language, GMs and agents had found an apparent loop-hole in the system.  Several high profile signings have taken place in the last several years that were top-heavy, meaning there were high paying early years and minimum salary requirements in later years.  These include the contracts of Roberto Luogno with the Vancouver Canucks, Marian Hossa with the Chicago Blackhawks, Chris Pronger with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Marc Savard with the Boston Bruins.  From the League’s standpoint, when a team structured deals in this manner, front loading contracts over a long period of time, it was a circumvention of CBA language regarding averaging the salary of a player over the life of the contract.  This means that in most cases, and likely in the case of Kovalchuk’s $102 million, 17 year offer, the contract would end long after he had ended his playing career.  Thus permitting teams to have a lower cap hit earlier in the contract when it truly mattered.

Under the old CBA language, teams could then benefit from the lower cap hit in the early years because of the reduced pay when the player is the in the twilight of his career.  Then, as one commentator noted,

Under these circumstances the teams involved could potentially buy out the contracts at a much less punitive financial hit near the tail end of the deals.  It is also believed that the players involved have no intention of completing the contracts and would likely retire before they enter the final years at near minimum salary.

The saga was not without its critics.  Marc Savard’s agent, Larry Kelly, openly criticized NHL Comissioner Gary Bettman for his treatment of the events, and Kelly even threatened litigation if Bettman revoked his client’s contract.  While no players have been quite as outspoken, there are probably more internal rumblings than any outside of the locker room will ever hear.  Luckily for the League, no such revocation of contracts took place in the modification and Kelly can rest a bit easier.

However, with the signing of Kovalchuk comes some amendments to the current CBA that will effect how teams structure long-term contracts with players.  The NHL and the NHLPA agreed to change CBA language that now covers long-term contracts, or those for five years or longer.  With these changes, which went into effect as of Saturday, September 4th, teams are essentially prevented from securing long-term deals that will result in a lower cap-hit once the player retires at the tail-end of his contract.  Two changes are of particular importance for teams looking to sign a player to a contract of five years or more:

1. While players and clubs can continue to negotiate long-term contracts (five years or longer) that include contract years in a player’s 40s, for purposes of salary-cap calculation the contract will effectively be cut off in the year of the contract in which the player turns 41.

This basically means that if a 33-year-old player signs an eight-year contract, the amount owed to him in the first seven years of the contract will be averaged for the purposes of salary-cap computation. Then, in Year 8 of the contract, the salary he will make for that particular season will determine his salary-cap hit for that season.

…

2. In any long-term contract that averages more than $5.75 million for the three highest-compensation seasons, the cap charge will be a minimum of $1 million for every season in which the player is 36-39 years of age. That $1 million value will then be used to determine the salary cap hit for the entire contract. If the contract takes the player into his 40s, the previous rule goes into effect.

With these amendments comes an agreement by the NHL to drop its investigations into the contracts of the “suspicious” contracts entered into by the likes of Luongo, Hossa, Pronger, and Savard.  That part of the agreement is no doubt music to the ears of Grossman, Kelly, and others that represent the long-term contract players.

Now that an amicable end has been reached, one can only speculate what each side determined its primary bargaining chip to be.  Did the NHL really think it would be able to revoke the contracts of players that had already signed long-term contracts, with no immediate and long-term repercussions through the NHLPA and players defecting to the KHL?  Was Kovalchuk worried that he might not be able to a) receive similar compensation in the KHL or b) have to eat his own words and play in the KHL, which has an arguably less talented player crop top to bottom than the NHL?  Will the NHL reject contract offers from teams that attempt to find other “loop-holes” in the CBA down the road?

Just because the NHL has officially accepted the Devils’ contract offer with Ilya Kovalchuk, I have a feeling the fallout is far from over.  When the current CBA ends on September 15, 2012, long-term contracts will certainly be at the front of discussions for a future CBA.  There is no doubt in my mind that the NHL will put its mind to work determining what other loop-holes GMs and agents might find in the CBA.

The Kovalchuk Deal and the CBA Redux from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

My trip started out hectic as usual when my initial flight from JFK to London was delayed almost four hours. My connection at Heathrow was scheduled to depart only two hours after my original arrival time of 6:00am local time in London, so before I even left the States, I had to do some scrambling. Fortunately, British Airways had another flight to Moscow scheduled to depart at 1:00pm local time. It meant I’d have to sit around Heathrow for a few more hours than I would have liked, but at least there was something leaving that same day. It also meant, though, that I’d have to get in touch with Kuchin and my other Russian friends who planned on meeting me at the Domodedovo airport in Moscow, and let them know I would be arriving at 8:00pm local Moscow time instead of 4:00pm. My iPhone is global-capable, so I sent the boys a text and was able to get Sem on the phone and let him know.

After one more flight delay in London of about an hour, I finally arrived in Moscow at about 9:00pm local time Tuesday night. Overall, I think I was able to sleep maybe three hours during the course of my 24-hour excursion – sleeping on planes is not my specialty and I’ve heard it’s generally frowned upon when you’re behind the wheel as I was all day Sunday. I was completely wiped by the time I cleared customs, but luckily I caught my second (or maybe it was my third) wind when I saw that Kuchin was there waiting for me.

When I arrived at Kuchin’s place, I wasn’t surprised to see that his family had prepared a huge welcome feast. They had chicken, pork, potatoes, salad, vegetables, bread, wraps, caviar, beer, wine, whiskey, and of course vodka. We stayed up until almost 3:00am drinking and talking. To be honest, I impressed myself with my ability to keep up with the Russian conversation. I don’t have too much trouble actually speaking Russian, but since I don’t get any real exposure to the language in the U.S., it’s usually pretty difficult for me to keep up when someone tries to speak to me. By the time I figure out what one sentence means, I’m usually a paragraph behind. And unfortunately, when I ask them to speak more slowly, most Russians only talk louder.

Wednesday morning was a nice day of recovery and relaxation. Kuchin and I went to a local beach with some of his friends, where we swam and played volleyball all day. By this time I could really feel the effects of jet lag. If I’d gained any confidence in my Russian language skills Tuesday night, it was gone within 24 hours. I just felt so tired mentally, that forming sentences seemed to be quite the task. I explained to a few people that it felt as though my brain was broken from all the travel and the nine-hour time difference.

That night Kuch, his girlfriend Lena, their friends Artem and Masha, and I decided to head down to Red Square to walk around for a bit. In case you didn’t catch some of the pictures I posted on Facebook, it was pretty amazing. I’d been to Red Square before a couple times, but I don’t recall ever seeing it lit up at night. The next day was going to be a long one, as Kuchin was beginning to skate with his Russian club, Chekhov Vityaz, and I had a meeting scheduled with Zhamnov after the team’s practice.  When we arrived home, it was a quick shower and time to go to sleep.

Thursday morning, Kuchin received a phone call from his coach letting him know that he’d be skating in Podolsk that day. Podolsk is where Vityaz’ MHL team (the second team) plays, and a few of the guys (mainly the talented younger players like Kuchin) bounce back and forth between there and the Chekhov (KHL) camp.

So we drove out to Podolsk for the day, where I’d get to see Kuchin play for the first time in Russia. It definitely was a fun experience – Kuchin was once again the best player on the ice, and he played much more physical than most of the other guys – you could certainly tell the difference after spending only a year competing in North America.

After his on-ice session, we hopped in Kuchin’s friend Artem’s car and headed over to the Chekhov facility to meet with Zhamnov. Kuch and I went up to Zhamnov’s office and chatted for a bit about the morning skate and his plans for the rest of his time in Moscow. We had to wait for the Vityaz Hockey Director to get out of a meeting, so Kuchin gave me a quick tour of the Chekhov rink, and I have to say, it was pretty impressive. The first time I came to Moscow it was also in the summer, but none of the teams were skating at the time, so this was my first chance to see the inside of any of the KHL rinks. By no means was it NHL-quality, but still it was very cool to see first-hand.

After about an hour of waiting, the Director came down to speak with us and Zhamnov. When Kuchin told him that I was his agent, the Director immediately asked “he’s not Russian?!?” I couldn’t help but laugh. As I think I may have said before, there really aren’t any American agents that work directly with Russian players, so while it might seem odd to a Russian front office official, that’s what helps me stand out from much of my competition.

The Director explained that for us to get his transfer card, we would need Sudbury to send over a letter to the Federation of Hockey in Russia (FHR). From there, the Federation would call Zhamnov to confirm the release for the season, and the Federation would certify the release to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). I quickly sent an email to Sudbury explaining the situation, and by the end of the day I had forwarded the letter from Sudbury to the FHR.

That afternoon, Kuchin would be moving into the Vityaz dormitory near the Chekhov rink, so Artem, Kuchin, and I drove over and Kuch gave us a tour of the place. The building itself was certainly nothing to write home about, but the equipment room and cafeteria were pretty cool with Vityaz logos and pictures all over the place. Kuchin would be staying up at Chekhov for the next few days. We said goodbye and Artem and I headed back to Lubertsy – the suburb of Moscow where Kuchin and Artem live.

When we arrived at Kuchin’s place, Artem and I had a quick lunch with Kuchin’s father, and then I had a few hours to relax before Golikov would be picking me up to stay with his family for a few days.

The Golikov’s are currently re-modeling their home (all Russians live in apartments in huge soviet-era buildings). This summer they are living in their dacha that is located just a few miles outside of Moscow. For an American, it can be nice to stay at the dacha because it’s actually the size of a small American house. But since you’re out in more of a rural area, some of those things we Americans consider necessities are difficult to come by. One prime example – there’s no internet connection like Russians would have in their home. Also, while many dachas have running water (Golikov’s does), it’s not always a sure thing – just yesterday morning the water wasn’t working.

Once again I was greeted with a huge meal that was out and ready upon my arrival. I had stayed with the Golikov’s the last time I came to Moscow; I know the whole family very well. We sat for a few hours over some drinks – catching up and discussing Sem’s plans for his hockey career. Sem just recently switched clubs from the Soviet Wings to Moscow Spartak, and although he’s committed to play in Russia this season, he’s very interested in playing in North America next year. After dinner we finished off the night with a traditional Russia banya (sauna) and it was off to bed.

Saturday morning I went with Sem to make pit-stop number three on my tour of Russian ice rinks, where Spartak had an inter-squad scrimmage scheduled for 10:30am. I hadn’t seen Sem skate in maybe four years, but I was very impressed with what I saw from him. I knew he was one of the better players in the league, leading all forwards on his team with a +27 rating, being near the top of the scoring leader board, and winning Player of the Month twice (November and March), but I don’t think I expected him to dominate the way that he did. I noticed a couple other players that showed some serious potential, and one of them asked to speak with me after the skate. He told me that he’d like an opportunity to play in North America next season, and I told him what I always tell players – I always want to help and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we get him somewhere he’ll be happy and continue to develop his game properly.

That night Sem wanted to show me a little bit of the night life in Moscow. After dinner we stood up from the table to go get ready. Before we could reach the door (we eat all our meals out on the porch), some neighbors of the Golikovs came by. They were having a birthday party for their three-year-old granddaughter and had heard there was an American in town. Naturally they insisted on us coming over for a bit to visit. When Sem and I walked into their backyard, the grandfather immediately pulled out a chair at the head of the table and insisted I sit down. Within seconds I had a plate full of lamb, fish, potatoes, and vegetables. I explained that I had just eaten a large meal with Sem, but the Russian phrase for “I’m full” seems to get ignored. Fifteen minutes after sitting down, I’d shoved half my plate of food down and was already four shots of vodka deep – I’m telling you, the vodka stereotype is one that I can definitely confirm. So time to go right? Wrong – now I needed to have some of the home-made birthday cake.  I will tell you that it was fantastic, but at that point I was ready to explode. Sem’s family joked that I needed to warn Lindsey that I’d be coming back home a little heavier than I was when I left. Although to be honest, I seem to have trouble putting on weight even with all this food and alcohol and with my only exercise being 20-minute swims in the local swimming hole.

Out we went for a long, long night on the town. Sem and I met up with a few of his hockey buddies at a club called “Fresh” and I ended up having a fairly long conversation with a ’90 DOB goaltender who is interested in playing somewhere in North America next season. One of the best recruiting tools for any agent is having happy clients – especially ones you can consider close friends. Sem knows that I’m a good guy who works very hard and gets things done. While I had a few meetings set up with specific people before I even left for Moscow, I also knew that most of the connections I’d be making would probably be unexpected and random. So far I have spoken with three new players about representing them, and since they’re all more worried about next season, it gives me plenty of time to start getting things in place as far as their marketing to the North American teams.

Sunday afternoon, after a nice long nap, Sem and I headed back downtown as his father’s friend had a couple of extra tickets for the much anticipated CSKA vs. Spartak soccer game – a matchup that takes place only twice every year. The cool thing about the sports clubs in Russia is that there are so many teams located within close proximity to downtown Moscow, causing extreme animosity between the fans of each team. Also adding to the rivalries is the connection that most clubs have to a certain facet of Russian society. For example, CSKA is more commonly referred to in America as the Red Army. Dynamo and MVD, which recently merged into a single KHL team, are owned and run by the Russian police force and the special police force, respectively. Spartak, on the other hand, is considered to be the team of the people. Not only are you cheering for a specific group of players or logo, in Russia you’re also often rooting for a branch of Russian life.

I had never been to a professional soccer game, much less a European one, but I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Riding on the Moscow metro, fans of Spartak screamed chants at CSKA fans and Red Army cheers were thrown right back. Before we even left the square in front of the Sports Complex Metro Station we witnessed a fight between fans that was quickly broken up by the MVD. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ve ever been more scared for my life. The fights didn’t bother me, but in Moscow, where Chechen rebels often strike with bomb attacks when they know large crowds are present, the Metro Station and Stadium seemed like obvious targets. I didn’t want to look concerned so I internalized any anxiety I had, but trust me – it was there.

The game itself wasn’t anything too exciting, but the people-watching was amazing – flares going off, chants back and forth, and fans displaying banners so large I couldn’t believe it. One thing I should definitely point out though is how hot it’s been in Moscow since I arrived. Every day the temperature has reached around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and although it’s still not comfortable, I’ve at least accepted the fact that I’m going to be drenched in sweat most of this trip. Fortunately, with air conditioning being a rarity in homes, it’s a look that’s become socially acceptable. And at the soccer game this was certainly on display. The stadium seats were crammed in so tight that you literally were shoulder-to-shoulder and leg-to-leg with the people on each side of you. Not exactly an environment I’d like to revisit anytime in the future, but it’s something I’m glad I got to experience.

My itinerary for the rest of my time in Moscow includes a couple of Spartak MHL games, a Vityaz/Spartak KHL pre-season match, a meeting with hockey journalist and friend, Alessandro Rosso, and who knows what else. I just got word from Kuchin that he got us tickets for something, but for what and when, I have no clue – this was one instance where we couldn’t bridge the “lost in translation” gap.

Anyway, I’m once again not too sure when I’m going to be able to get my next entry posted. I’m set to return to the states next Wednesday afternoon and I should be getting back to Chicago next Thursday evening. Since I’m sure I’m going to once again battle some awful jetlag, and because I’m sure I’ll again have a lot to write about, I’d expect something to be up on Monday the 17^th. I’ll continue to update both the “Rookie Duties” and my personal Facebook page with pictures and videos whenever I can, but unfortunately the only place I’ve found internet lately is at McDonalds. Congrats to all of you who recently finished sitting for your state’s respective Bar Exam and I also want to congratulate Lindsey on starting her new job this Monday after her start date was delayed two weeks. I hope you all have a great week ahead and until next time…it’s time to hit the showers.

Rookie Duties – On Location In Moscow, Russia from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Ilya Kovalchuk

Following the season, it was rumoured that the Devils, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and even several teams in the Russian KHL were interested in signing Kovalchuk. But on Monday afternoon, after weeks of specultaion and negotiation, word came that Kovalchuk had signed a whopper of a deal: 17 years, $102 million. Although not the richest deal in terms of salary (still Alexander Ovechkin’s at $124 million), it was the longest contract signed since the lockout. The average salary for the course of the contract worked out to $6 million per year. However, like most long term deals signed in the past few seasons, that wasn’t actually the way the deal was supposed to work. Here’s how it would breakdown:

• 2010-11: $6 million
• 2011-12: $6 million
• 2012-13: $11.5 million
• 2013-14: $11.5 million
• 2014-15: $11.5 million
• 2015-16: $11.5 million
• 2016-17: $11.5 million
• 2017-18: $10.5 million
• 2018-19: $8.5 million
• 2019-20: $6.5 million
• 2020-21: $3.5 million
• 2021-22: $750,000
• 2022-23: $550,000
• 2023-24: $550,000
• 2024-25: $550,000
• 2025-26: $550,000
• 2026-27: $550,000

(from The Globe and Mail)

Kovalchuk would be paid $95 million of that money in the first 10 years of the deal and only $7 million in the final 7 years. A drop from an average salary of $9.5 million per year to $1 million is enormous. In all likelihood, Kovalchuk would likely retire after the first 10 years. The Devils would then have his contract off the books and would have the salary cap space free.

While the contract may seem long, and it seems highly unlikely that Kovalchuk will continue to play until 2027, stranger things have happened. And these contracts have been around for the past few seasons with Mike Richards, Marian Hossa, and Henrik Zetterberg benefiting from them. Clubs have been looking for creative ways to sign players, and this seems to be the most creative way.

But after the Devils and Kovalchuk held a press conference in Newark on Tuesday afternoon to announce the signing, the NHL did something it hadn’t done before: it rejected the contract. The official statement on NHL.com stated that the contract was a circumvention of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. While the league has always been uncomfortable with these extra long term deals and has even scrutinized a few (Hossa’s for one), this is the first time it has taken this stance.

What happens next remains to be seen. But I’d bet the deed to my condo that the NHL Players’ Association is going to have something to say about this. One commentator speculated that this is the NHL’s first shot against the PA’s bow with respect to the next round of CBA negotiations, which aren’t all that far away. The NHL is going to try to limit these contracts in the next CBA, and this could be the first step. Additionally, Don Fehr, the former head of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association, has been consulting with the NHLPA over the past year or so. If he is interested in becoming formally involved with the union, this may be a notice to him that the NHL won’t be pushed around. However, the NHLPA will want to show that it won’t take this rejection lightly either. I would expect a grievance to be filed by the NHLPA on behalf of Ilya Kovalchuk before the weekend.

So is the “decade deal“, as I’ve called it before, dead? We’ll see. Whatever is going to play out over the next few days should be very interesting. It’s possible that Kovalchuk and the Devils will go back to the bargaining table and negotiate a new deal with a different pay structure. It’s also possible that both sides will walk away and that Kovalchuk will accept the deal from the Kings that had been speculated for so long. And there’s always the possibility that he could go back to Russia and sign a rich deal with a KHL club. I expect to see Kovalchuk stay in North America, either with the Devils or Kings, but anything is possible at this point, and for the moment the contract is dead. Stay tuned.

REJECTED: The NHL Takes a Stand from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules