Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
Alexander Svitov of Russia, a 19-year-old power forward and the team's No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, signs a three-year, $3.6-million deal.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 18, 2002
TAMPA -- Jay Feaster wanted to believe it, needed to believe it, had to believe it.
All he had to do was see it.
The Lightning general manager wasn't going to declare victory in Tampa Bay's year-long attempt to get Alexander Svitov out of his native Russia until the 19-year-old power forward walked into Feaster's Ice Palace office.
The No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, a player the Lightning thinks can make a significant impact next season, showed up at about 1:30 p.m. Monday.
"Until we saw him," Feaster said, "we knew anything in this thing could go wrong."
As far as can be determined, and as far as Svitov's agent Jay Grossman will say, everything seems to have gone right the past few weeks.
Svitov apparently was discharged from the military after completing the obligation that had kept him from joining the Lightning. His visa was approved, and Sunday's flight from Moscow to New York and Monday's flight to Tampa were smooth and on time.
At a news conference, Svitov officially signed his three-year, $3.6-million contract (he signed a binding document by fax on July 14, 2001, but the NHL likes originals) and put on a No. 16 jersey.
Svitov wanted No. 15, but it belongs to Nikita Alexeev. Funny how things work out. No. 16 also is worn by New Jersey's Bobby Holik, to whom Svitov has been compared.
"I'm happy to be here," Svitov said through interpreter Vadim Azrilyant. "The reception has been great."
"It's sort of like waking up Christmas morning," Feaster said. "You know what you've asked for but you're never quite certain if it's under the tree. To find this kind of present under the tree today, it's pretty exciting."
To say Svitov's arrival in Tampa was a surprise is an understatement. The Lightning had determined he was serving a two-year military obligation that was not supposed to be complete until December. Other reports said Svitov signed up for five years.
Grossman said Svitov "satisfied" his obligation and things were done "to speed up the process." But he would not give details and called the situation "complicated."
Alexeev and former Lightning defenseman Andrei Zyuzin have said they bought their way out of Russian military service. The price was thought to be around $50,000.
Grossman, Svitov's point man when dealing with the Russian military, said money was not exchanged.
"He has served his duty," Grossman said. "He has not avoided his duty and that was important for him from the beginning. Military service over there can be for any duration, basically."
But Svitov's saga was about more than military obligation. It was about Anatoly Bardin, president of Svitov's hometown team in Omsk, Siberia, trying to prevent Svitov and Stanislav Chistov, picked fifth overall by Anaheim, from going to the NHL.
It was about Bardin and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation using military obligation as a way to keep players at home. The NHL's agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation on the transfer of European players says such an obligation is the only thing that trumps a signed NHL contract.
Feaster said it was the first time that provision had been used to block players from the NHL.
There also was an internal struggle. The military transferred Svitov and Chistov to Moscow and the powerful Central Red Army team. Bardin appealed to the Russian Federation, which ruled they could not play, though they practiced and Svitov played in two international tournaments.
"It was a big political tug of war over this issue," Grossman said. "The team (in Omsk) wanted to keep him and punish him for leaving."
Svitov said his father, Nikolai, took the heat.
"He took a lot verbally from the fans and management," Svitov said. "Emotionally he has been beat down. Everything was left at my father's feet. Basically they said my father sold them down the river."
Lightning scout Yuri Yanchenkov, based in Moscow, said the passion is understandable considering the NHL has taken much of Russia's top talent.
"It is not a very big city," he said of Omsk. "They live hockey and they came to watch Svitov.
"They wouldn't want to lose him and the local media created the opinion he was not doing something good by going out."
But Svitov is out, and so, Grossman said, is Chistov, who is expected to sign his contract today.
"I don't think any of us can understand what this young man went through this past year," Feaster said.
"And he went through it with great dignity and the courage of his convictions."
Feaster has his own conviction.
"As long as I am general manager of this hockey team we're not taking a player from Omsk," he said, only slightly tongue-in-cheek. "I don't care if it's Bobby Orr reincarnated we won't be drafting him. It's not worth what we've gone through in this case."