A New Cold War

Well, Russia is being Russia again.

This whole Kontinental Hockey League is getting under my skin just a bit. It obviously still has to prove that it is competitive with the NHL (outside of paying salaries) as the top hockey league, but if they want to be greasy about things they might pull it off eventually.

Just a few days ago, the NHL & KHL reached some kind of 'peace treaty' that promised to respect player contracts within each league. But JUST KIDDING because the next thing you know, Nashville Predator Alexander Radulov skips on over to the KHL even though he still has one year left on his Preds contract. I mean, dishonoring your contract and letting your entire team down is no big deal, right? Oh but it's okay, because he told a Russian newspaper, "I wish the Predators to win the Stanley Cup." Mmhmm.

IIHF President Rene Fasel has informed the KHL that the contract violates the agreement and is void, but the Russian league claims that the deal was done before the agreement was in place. I'd love to see Radulov have to come back to the NHL and see the 'warm' welcome he'd receive. Warm = boos, boos, boos.

Right now it's a game of politics where no one is going to say what they really think: there's a decent chance that Russia will play dirty regardless of what 'peace pact' they agreed to.

Let's hope this isn't the start of a hockey Cold War. It sure has potential to be. I like our chances though: we have Philly fans, Brian Burke and George Parros' mustache.