Lightning players being drawn by Europe's allure

Vinny Lecavalier is headed to Russia with others close behind.

By TOM JONES
Published November 5, 2004

Another Lightning star is headed to Europe, and two more appear to be right behind.

Center Vinny Lecavalier said Thursday he will play in Russia during the NHL lockout, joining teammate and longtime friend Brad Richards on Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Hockey League.

Meantime, goalie Nikolai Khabibulin is expected to join Richards and Lecavalier in Kazan, and league MVP Martin St. Louis, who had harsh words for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, is mulling a deal to play in Switzerland.

Looking more and more like the NHL season will be canceled because of the owners' lockout, St. Louis compared Bettman to a dictator.

"Well, he's trying to be a dictator," St. Louis said. "He won't negotiate anything else but a salary cap and that to me is a dictator. I mean, if somebody doesn't want to do anything else but what he thinks is right, that's like negotiating with a dictator."

The NHL players and owners haven't had formal negotiations since Sept. 9 and the owners locked out the players when the collective-bargaining agreement expired Sept. 15. The players made the most recent proposal, but the owners rejected the offer, saying it was similar to a deal that was rejected by the owners 18 months earlier.

The main sticking point is a salary cap. The owners want one and the players don't.

"We made the last offer," St. Louis said. "I feel we've given up something, given up a lot. The bottom line is (Bettman) doesn't want to sit at the table until we come up with a salary cap. How do you negotiate with that?"

About 70 players met in Toronto on Tuesday and appeared more unified than ever. Bettman and union chief Bob Goodenow sound pessimistic about saving the season, and the NHL canceled February's All-Star Weekend on Wednesday. The best guess is a deal must be agreed upon by Dec. 15 to have any chance of salvaging the season.

Lecavalier, though, isn't optimistic that will happen unless the owners change their stance.

"As long as the owners keep pushing a salary cap, no, I can't see us playing this season," Lecavalier said. "We are not going to accept it. No way."

Last week, Richards agreed to play in Kazan and that prompted Lecavalier to agree to a deal, too.

"I talked it over with Brad and it sounded like a good situation," Lecavalier said. "Kazan is a nice place. It's a good team. There's good competition because a lot of NHL players are already over there. It seems like a good thing to do."

The money is good, too. Lecavalier declined to say how much he will be paid, but it's believed he and Richards each will be paid $300,000 a month. Khabibulin is expected to receive the same offer and is expected to take it.

The Russian league is on break and isn't scheduled to start again until later this month. Lecavalier said he will return to Montreal to work out for two weeks and then leave for Russia on Nov. 23. He and Richards are to report on Nov. 25.

"I miss playing," Lecavalier said. "Hopefully something will happen with the lockout and this will allow me to stay in shape until then because it's good hockey. But if the lockout doesn't end, then I will still be playing. I'm looking forward to getting out on the ice again and playing real hockey."

St. Louis has an offer to play for Lausanne in the Swiss National League. St. Louis' agent, Lewis Gross, said St. Louis likely will make a decision next week. Lightning center Tim Taylor is considering offers in Switzerland or France.

Several Lightning players are playing in Europe, including Fredrik Modin, Pavel Kubina, Martin Cibak, Vinny Prospal and Dmitry Afansenkov. Brad Lukowich is playing in the Central Hockey League for Fort Worth.

All players would return to the Lightning if and when the lockout ends, though Khabibulin also has had an offer to spend the entire season in Russia regardless of what happens with the NHL.

Times staff writer Damian Cristodero contributed to this report.

[Last modified November 5, 2004, 01:26:43]