Another Summer Saturday, another belligerent press statement from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).Yesterday, the LA Kings quietly announced the signing of two Russian prospects, center Viatcheslav Voinov and defenseman Andrei Loktionov, who spent last season playing in the Russian Super League. Earlier today, the KHL issued a statement declaring that both players were still under contract with their KHL clubs and that as a result, the KHL was abrogating the moratorium against signing players still under contract with NHL clubs -- with a proviso. Here's the translation, courtesy of the folks at Beyond the Blueshirts:
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.
