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AP Photo/Nick Wass
Michael Nylander spent a lot of time this past season in the doghouse in Washington. The high-priced center fell out of favor with Bruce Boudreau. With the salary cap problems looming, the Washington Capitals would probably love to send Nylander somewhere else. But who would take on his massive (in today's terms) contract?
Apparently, there is interest for Nylander out there. And it is coming from across the ocean. KHL's Avangard Omsk would like to see Nylander in Russia playing for the Siberian powerhouse. Let's remember that Jaromir Jagr is currently playing for Avangard. Jagr had some good numbers playing with Nylander for the New York Rangers. Now he might be behind the idea of having Nylander in the KHL centering his line in Omsk.
Omsk region governor's hockey advisor Anatoli Bardin, who not long ago was President of Avangard Omsk, spoke with Dmitry Ponomarenko of Sovetsky Sport and said that the team is in negotiations with two NHL players:
"We would like to see the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman František Kaberle and the Washington Capitals forward Michael Nylander in Avangard Omsk."
When asked how the transfer of Nylander to the KHL might work, because the player has an active NHL contract, Bardin replied:
"Trust me, if we are working on it, that means there is a way [to get Nylander to come to Avangard]. We are still working on it. When we have some concrete information, Sovetsky Sport will be the first to know."
Nylander has two years left on his contract with the Capitals. But with so many young stars in the pipeline, the Capitals will need all the cap space they can have to keep their young players gunning for the Cup. Writing off Nylander's $9 million over the next two years will help the team financially. Now, the only question is (apart from what his wife has to say): How can Nylander move to the KHL with an active NHL contract?
A few years ago the New York Rangers let Darius Kasparaitis go to play in Russia (and had the Russian club take over his salary) by waiving him.
Stay tuned for more in the next few weeks.
Comments
The Caps can loan Circles to Avangard. Depending on the terms of the loan, he'd stay there, and the KHL team would pay his salary.
They can also waive him and allow him, depending on the terms of his NMC/NTC.
"Circles" - Ha, hilarious!
Amazing how far how fast Nylander has fallen. He was the engine that made the Rangers PP go two years ago when it was among the best in the league. He had six goals and seven assists in 10 playoff games. The PP even with Jagr disintegrated the next year and this year it was non-existent. When he was with the Rangers he dominated play in the offensive zone, some nights you'd think you were watching Jean Beliveau. Many think it was a huge mistake to let him go but they had signed Gomez, Drury, and Cullen (since departed) at C and he had a big offer from Edmonton which he wife would veto, so he was gone. I wonder if his wife will agree to Omsk.
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