Seravalli: NHL officially severs ties, communication with Russia’s KHL

On Monday, the NHL provided formal notice to Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League that they have suspended operation of their Memorandum of Understanding, officially severing communication between the two leagues as a result of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

In a memo distributed to GMs on Monday, obtained by Daily Faceoff, the NHL instructed its teams to “immediately cease all dealings [direct or indirect] with the KHL and KHL Clubs [and all representatives of both], as well as with player agents who are based in and continue to do business in Russia.”

The suspension of the NHL’s MOU with the KHL also resulted in the “cessation of communication between our respective personnel.”

That will have an impact on the ability of NHL teams to quickly and efficiently sign KHL free agents. But teams remain permitted to do so, so long as they are free and clear of contractual obligations.

The NHL notified the KHL that it “will continue to respect existing and future KHL contracts,” though it will no longer have the ability to verify contractual status directly.

“We will have only limited contractual information regarding players who are currently or last played in the KHL,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in the memo.

In order to sign a player from the KHL, the interested NHL team must inquire with Central Registry to inquire if the last information available from the KHL demonstrates that the player is on an expiring KHL contract, and teams must produce “independent written evidence demonstrating that the player is entirely free of any and all potentially conflicting contractual obligations in the KHL for 2022-23 and beyond.”

NHL teams are free to continue to communicate with their Russian players and or prospects, and with their North American-based agents.

The NHL announced last week that it was suspending all business ties with Russia, including sponsorship agreements, and publication of the league’s Russian-language web site and digital media properties.

What remains to be seen is whether the NHL’s freeze out of Russia will have an impact on the upcoming 2022 NHL Draft. Sources say NHL front offices have expressed concern about drafting Russian-born players, out of fear that the U.S. and Canada may not be willing to grant work visas for Russian-born athletes seeking to play in North America.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, two KHL teams – Finland-based Jokerit Helsinki and Latvia-based Dinamo Riga – withdrew from the Russian league on the eve of the Gagarin Cup playoffs.

The 22-team KHL, founded in 2008, is widely considered the best professional hockey league in Europe. Teams from the NHL and KHL have previously faced off in exhibition games in the preseason as part of the Premiere Series.