По сообщениям из Оттавы, будущее для Алексея Яшина выглядит очень туманно. Хозяин "Оттавы Сенаторс" Род Брайден воспринял прошлогодние действия Яшина как личное оскорбление и намеривается сделать всё нужное, для того чтобы преподать российскому нападающему надлежащий урок. На сегодняшний день "Сенаторс" продолжают ожидать решения судьи Лауренса Холдена по вопросу, сможет ли Алексей Яшин стать ограниченным свободным агентом. Шансы на победу в этом споре у Яшина велики, но Брайден уже сказал официальным лицам НХЛ, что он побьёт любое предложение от любой команды лиги, так как расчитывает на помощь НХЛ по специальному плану, который позволяет канадским командам побивать предлагаемую цену американских команд канадскими долларами.

Все разговоры в последнее время об обмене Яшина так скорее всего и останутся разговорами. "Я не уверен, что они собираются его обменять," - сказал один из руководящих лиц НХЛ. Генеральный менеджер "Сенаторс", Джонсон и президент Млакар в душе наверняка хотели бы избавиться от строптивого хоккеиста и получить сильное подкрепление взамен, но пойти против решения хозяина клуба просто не в их силах. В то же время, пошли разговоры о заинтересованности "Сан-Хосе Шаркс" в Алексее Яшине. "Акулам" нужен хороший центральный нападающий и в обмен они готовы отдать пару игроков с будущим (одним из них называют Патрика Марлеу) и определённую сумму наличных денег.

Более подробнее вы сможете узнать о планах "Сенаторс" в отношении Яшина из нижеприведённой статьи канадской прессы. 

Another year's exile for Alexei?

By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun

There are mixed messages coming from the Senators' offices these days, and all of them surround Alexei Yashin's future. 

The word is Senators owner Rod Bryden might make the disgruntled superstar sit next year as well. 

While the Senators are still waiting for arbitrator Lawrence Holden to decide if Yashin will be granted restricted free agency July 1, those close to Bryden say he's digging in his heels. 

How ugly is this fight? 

Indications are Bryden has told league governors he'll match any Group II offer Yashin gets with help from the NHL plan that allows small market teams to match U.S. offers in Canadian dollars. 

That could mean Yashin won't get any Group II offers. 

In fact, NHL lawyer Bob Bannerman suggested as much to Yashin's agent Mark Gandler during a conference call between all the parties prior to last month's arbitration hearing in New York. 

Bannerman told Gandler that Bryden was in no hurry to trade Yashin even if he's granted the right to free agency, and that he'll at least wait until after the July 11-12 hearing to decide if any damages should be awarded to the club. 

Bryden can say anything he wants to about Yashin being a fine young man, but the reality is there's been bad blood between these two for years.

Ideally, Bryden would like to bring Yashin to his knees. 

Teams interested in Yashin have been told by Ottawa GM Marshall Johnston that nothing will be done until his status is clarified by the league. Johnston also indicated he would call everybody if and when the club decided to make a deal. 

"They're not listening to anybody and they said they're not going to do anything until they get that decision from the arbitrator -- if they do anything at all. I'm not sure they're going to trade him," said an NHL executive. 

They will deny it publicly, but team president Roy Mlakar and Johnston would have liked to have made a deal involving Yashin during the season. However, Bryden insisted on carrying on this fight for the rest of the league. 

He wanted to show everybody the Russian superstar wasn't going to push him around. If Yashin wasn't going to honour his contract with the Senators, then he'd have to retire because he wouldn't play again. 

Instead of coming back begging for forgiveness, Yashin decided to push his battle to the limit by sitting the entire season while working out with a club team in Kloten, Switzerland. 

Now, the battle has landed in the hands of an arbitrator and Holden could hand down his decision any day now. 

Ideally, all parties would like to hear it before the expansion draft begins next Friday at the Calgary Saddledome. 

Still, if you listen to those close to Bryden, it may not matter. 

Determined to make his point with Yashin, Bryden could make him sit next season because all the Senators have to do to retain his rights is make him a qualifying offer with a 10% raise. 

Yashin's wish is to be traded. The New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings have been among the rumoured suitors. 

FOGGY FUTURE 

What happens to Yashin could go a long way in determining the future of the Senators organization. Sources indicate coach Jacques Martin wants the situation settled because he wants to make sure the club is committed to winning. 

Bryden has proved his point with Yashin. 

Now the Senators would like to make the former Ottawa captain pay by convincing Holden to award the club $7 million US in damages from Yashin for his holdout. 

If Bryden stretches this fight into next season, then it may never end.

11 мая 2000 года.
Yashin lawsuit tossed

OTTAWA (CP) -- The lawsuit launched against holdout centre Alexei Yashin by an Ottawa Senators' fan was thrown out of court on Thursday. 

Ottawa real estate magnate Leonard Potechin launched a $27.5-million lawsuit in November on behalf of Senators fans against Yashin, agent Mark Gandler and International Sports Advisors Co., when Yashin walked away from a $3.6-million US contract with the Senators.

In dismissing the lawsuit, Justice Michel Z. Charbonneau said that Potechin didn't establish he had a contractual right entitling him to have Yashin on the Senators's roster in 1999-2000.

Both the plaintiff and the defence relied on testimony given by Senators president and CEO Roy Mlakar, who was questioned on marketing practices of the Senators. The wording of season ticket licences was also examined. 

"It's the outcome that I had hoped for and that I had expected, but there's always suspense." said lawyer Fred Seller, who represented both Yashin and Gandler. "You never know what's going to happen." 

Seller said he hasn't spoken to Yashin directly, but that Yashin had been advised of the decision. 

"I'm sure he's pleased," said Seller. "Nobody likes to be involved in litigation. 

Yashin has been in St. Petersburg playing for the Russian hockey team at the world championship. 

Seller had asked in a statement of defence filed earlier that the case be dismissed and costs awarded Yashin and Gandler. 

Charbonneau has asked for written submissions on the subject of costs and Seller will do that on behalf of Yashin and Gandler in the next 15 days. 

Yashin's future in the NHL will be determined at an arbitration hearing May 24-25 in Toronto where he hopes to be declared a restricted free agent once his contract runs out July 1. 

The Senators contend Yashin still owes them one season at the $3.6-million US salary he reneged on this season.

1 мая 2000 года.
Ruling suits Yashin. Arbitrator says Sens holdout can slip on a Russian uniform
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun

PHILADELPHIA -- The Senators' season is over, but Alexei Yashin's is just beginning. Finally. 

The holdout Senators centre scored another victory in his battle with the NHL yesterday when New York arbitrator George Nicolau ruled Yashin will be allowed to play for Russia at the world championships. 

Yashin, who refused to honour the final year of his contract with Ottawa, will be in the lineup tonight against the United States at the championships, which got under way Saturday in St. Petersburg, Russia. 

When Yashin steps on the ice for Russia, it will be the first time he has suited up for a game since last year's worlds in Norway. He has been a holdout since Senators' training camp in September and spent the season training in Switzerland with the Kloten Flyers club team. 

"I'm pleased that I'm going to get a chance to play," said Yashin last night. "If it didn't happen, I wasn't going to worry about it, but I'm honoured that I'll be able to play for my country. I've always been proud of being Russian."

Lawyers from the NHL argued Saturday during a six-hour hearing in front of Nicolau that Yashin shouldn't be allowed to play because he had been suspended for the balance of the season by the Senators. 

Uphold suspension 

NHL lawyers tried to contend that Yashin has a valid contract with the Senators until July 1 and the suspension should be upheld -- even though the Senators were knocked out of the playoffs a week ago by Toronto. 

But the agreement between the International Ice Hockey Federation and the NHL makes it clear that players who are under contract are allowed to play in the championships once their team is eliminated from the playoffs. 

"This never should have gotten this far," said Alex Berkovich, a New York-based lawyer who represented the Russians. "What the NHL tried to do was drag this contract dispute onto the international stage. There was no place for it. 

"The language in the agreement is pretty plain. The NHL was trying to say the IIHF should uphold one of its suspensions, but that's not the case. It's pretty obvious there's a lot of bad blood between the Senators and Alexei Yashin." 

The Russians didn't believe they stood a chance after the hearing in New York. Officials thought they were simply going through the process and the hearing was a waste of time because they didn't expect Nicolau to rule in Yashin's favour. 

"I'm just glad that he's going to play," said Mark Gandler, Yashin's New Jersey-based agent. "I know he's been working hard to get ready for this and I know that the Russians are excited about having him. 

"I spoke with the Russian coach Alexander Yakushev (Saturday) and he told me that Yashin was just in great shape. He looked great in the practices and he's going to be a big addition for that team." 

The NHL was disappointed with the decision, but doesn't feel it will affect a hearing set May 24-25 in Toronto to decide if Yashin will have a right to restricted free agency July 1 or still owe the Senators a year on his contract. 

"We are disappointed by the arbitrator's decision, which permits the Russian Ice Hockey Federation to engage Mr. Yashin's services in the world championships despite his valid suspension by the Ottawa Senators," said league legal chief Bill Daly in a statement.

"While we obviously intend to abide by the terms of the arbitrator's ruling, the decision does not in any way bear on the other pending issues relating to Mr. Yashin's continuing obligations (to the Senators and the NHL)." 

28 апреля 2000 года.
Senators holdout Alexei Yashin
By PIERRE LEBRUN -- Canadian Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (CP) -- Russia is holding its collective breath in hopes that Alexei Yashin will be cleared to play for the host country at the world hockey championships. Yashin, suspended for the season by the Ottawa Senators for reneging on his $3.6-million US contract, will find out today if he can play when Russia opens the tournament against France tonight. George Nicolau, the same arbitrator who ruled against Yashin in his bid to become a restricted free agent in 1995, will decide the issue following a 9 a.m. EDT hearing in New York.

Lawyers for the NHL and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation will present arguments. The Russian federation contends that Yashin should be free to play because players whose NHL teams have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs are free to join their respective national teams. The NHL says Yashin is under contract to the Senators until July 1, and therefore, remains suspended until that date.

The Senators were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week. The International Ice Hockey Federation has normally respected NHL suspensions and will do so in Yashin's case unless Nicolau states otherwise. The feelings of hockey fans in St. Petersburg on the issue are clear. From the Red Army soldier guarding the front door at the arena to the taxi driver spouting foul words at the NHL while swerving to avoid the many potholes on the road, the message is clear: Russians believe Yashin will be cleared to play. The players in the tournament aren't so sure. "It sounds pretty clear to me that if he's suspended by (the Senators) that he can't play in this tournament. It's going to be interesting to see what they say tomorrow," said Senators centre Vaclav Varada, practising with the Czech Republic on Friday. "I don't really care what happens but if we have to face Russia I hope he can't play."

Canadian centre Steve Sullivan first declined to comment but then changed his mind, unable to contain the strong feelings he had on the subject. "I don't agree with what he's done in the National Hockey League," said the Chicago Blackhawks speedster. "I'm a firm believer that if you sign a contract, you stick to it and you play. You sign your name on the dotted line, you have to respect that and you have to respect the team. "If he signed (his present contract) for long-term security, then he got it. That's the decision he made and I think he should have played in Ottawa. I disagree with what he did." But Sullivan isn't sure Yashin shouldn't be allowed to play here. "Should he play here? Ottawa is out (of the playoffs) so he'd be here anywhere (had he played with the Senators). I don't know what's going to happen."

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Adrian Aucoin wonders why it even got this far, with Yashin missing an entire NHL season. "As a player, it's weird, because most of us wouldn't be in his situation to begin with -- not too many ever have been."

24 марта 2000 года.
Yashin to hold court again After winning first round of arbitration battle, Sens holdout now faces civil action 
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun

Senators holdout centre Alexei Yashin will be on trial today, but he won't be making an appearance in an Ottawa courtroom. 

As the proceedings in a $27.5-million lawsuit filed by local lawyer Arthur Cogan on behalf of the fans gets underway, Yashin will be skating with the Swiss Elite League's Kloten Flyers just outside of Zurich. 

Yashin will be represented by Ottawa lawyer Fred Sellers along with New Jersey-based agent Mark Gandler as an observer. The civil action says that Yashin's absence has devalued the price of a season ticket. 

"I don't have to be there and neither does Alexei, but I want to see what these people have to say," said Gandler yesterday from his Montclair, N.J., home. 

Yashin and Gandler did have reason to celebrate when the NHL Players Association won the first round in a series of arbitrations which will determine whether or not Yashin is a restricted free agent July 1. 

While the union isn't commenting on the victory in the decision handed down by arbitrator Lawrence J. Holden, Gandler said it's a clear indication that the league can't simply change the language in the collective bargaining agreement. 

"I'm pleased with the decision. Even though it doesn't directly involve Alexei Yashin, it does affect him," said Gandler. "The decision shows the merits of the (collective bargaining agreement)." 

Gandler wouldn't say it, but several high-profile agents believe the decision means that Yashin should have no problem getting his right to restricted free agency -- even though he's not honouring the final year of $3.6-million deal. 

The hearing on Yashin's status is expected to be held May 25-26 in Toronto. At that time, union lawyers will argue that Yashin should have the right to free agency because the CBA isn't clear on this issue. 

"The league can't just change the rules of the game in the middle of the season. Nowhere in the collective bargaining agreement does it say that a player loses his free agency just because he doesn't report," said an agent. 

"It's going to be interesting, but in my opinion, that's a huge win by the union. The league has been saying that this one is going to be a slam dunk for them. Well this may be a little tougher than they expected." 

Yashin will only work out in Sweden for the next two weeks. Gandler said he'll then move to Moscow to continue his training and he's hopeful he'll be able to play in next month's World Championships with Team Russia.