A previously secret meeting in Italy on Wednesday between Gary Bettman and KHL president Alexander Medvedev not only failed to broker a resolution on Alexander Radulov’s contractual situation, but rather ended with the parties an ocean apart on a working agreement, The Post has learned.
Radulov is the outstanding 22-year-old winger who has signed to play with Ufa of the KHL despite having one year remaining on his contract with Nashville. According to a source familiar with the meeting, when Bettman demanded that Radulov be returned to the Predators, Medvedev refused.
When Bettman threatened legal action, Medvedev essentially invited the commissioner to present his case in Russian court, reminding the commissioner that the NHL success rate in the Russian legal system is equal to the zero-percent success rate of Russian hockey interests in the US court system.
The Post has learned that Medvedev, citing common practice in international soccer, offered to pay a transfer fee to the Predators in order to resolve the dispute, but that Bettman refused to consider the proposal. The NHL has forbidden its teams to pay transfer fees to European clubs.
Radulov is one of five players under suspension by the IIHF, the international governing board of hockey that is currently investigating contractual disputes between the NHL and KHL. The IIHF findings are not binding on any league in any country, though the players could be suspended from international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.
The Post has learned that Medvedev also informed Bettman that the KHL would hold a universal draft for the 2009-10 season that will include players currently under contract in the NHL. Medvedev told Bettman KHL clubs will offer signing bonuses of $1M to players who are playing in the NHL this season.