Viktor Kozlov: Headed to the KHL?
by tuvanhillbilly on May 15, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
in Translations
75 comments
[File this one under "wild rumors and speculation," but it's one that seems to be picking up steam. The following article appeared in Monday's edition of the Russian sporting news website "Sport Den' Za Dnyem" ("Sports Daily"). H/T Capitals Forum.]
Viktor Kozlov to Russia?
"Sports Daily" has been informed that the St. Petersburg Army team will be strengthened during the offseason by the addition of three forwards-the Czech Petr Čajánek, Sergei Zinoviev and Viktor Kozlov. Year before last, Čajánek and Zinoviev were with Ak Bars, and last year they returned to Moscow Dynamo. But while Čajánek moved into the white and blue camp this summer as a free agent, Zinoviev required the intervention of the KHL to terminate his contract. Kozlov has been in the NHL since 1993 and during that time has played for four (sic) clubs: San Jose, Florida, the Islanders, New Jersey and Washington. During the last regular season he played 67 games for the Capitals, accumulating 41 (13+28) points. It is also true that Salavat Ufa is also interested in the services of the 34 year-old hockey player. The club from the Bashkortostan capital may also continue the career of former SKA forward Andreas Johansson, who missed last year due to injury and worked as a commentator for Swedish television during the World Championship.
-- Tatiana Chernova, Hockey Department reporter
Update: Per The Washington Times, Kozlov "said teams from Russia are interested in him but he wants to stay here and specifically with the Caps. He said he’s going to talk everything over with his family before deciding on his future."
Additionally, Sport-Express's Slava Malamud has apparently indicated that "Viktor Kozlov would play in the KHL next year."
Stay tuned...
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Did anyone really expect Kozlov to be back next year?
by Sct112 on May 15, 2009 10:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
For the right price, perhaps. He .. almost turned it on during the playoffs, certainly more than in the past. I wouldn’t sign him to anything longer than a 1 year contract though.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was basically my feeling as well. I thought that Kozy was a good fit on that first line for most of the year, he is so strong on the puck that he really helped the other two guys he skated with.
That said, I expected him to want more than I would have been willing to give him. C’est la vie.
by Sct112 on May 15, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like him back for a year at $2 million. Until Fehr or someone else (Clark again?) proves capable of a RW spot on the top two lines Kozlov is our best option there.
The keyboard is mightier.
by breed16 on May 15, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
$2M would be my ceiling.. I think even then you’re pushing it a bit for what he actually offers you.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I thought he’d be back for one more try.
by wittcap79 on May 15, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmmm. Interesing. Isn’t his family pretty well settled in Florida?
by capfan on May 15, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That’s sad; he was the one guy of the UFAs that I would have liked back.
Well, at least there’s some extra cap space for next year.
by marks4java on May 15, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If this is true, I really hope we resign Feds for one more year.
Without those two guys, we have zero guys currently eligible for the second line.
by Love and Osechkin on May 15, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’d like to see us trade for Andy McDonald, personally. The guy is fast as all hell, and is a pure second line center, when compared with Backs, at least. He played with Anaheim under Getzlaf, and has got a little grit in him, too. I think he’d be a good pair with Semin.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just what we need! Another skilled forward who can be rag-dolled out of the crease area.
The keyboard is mightier.
by breed16 on May 15, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He got over-paid by STL and locked up long-term – he’s not going anywhere.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 15, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he does go, it takes some pressure off McPhee. Not resigning him might have been disruptive to our other Russians, but his leaving of his own accord gets McPhee off the hook. Combine Kozlov’s $2.5 million with Feds $4 million, Brash’s $1 million, Mo’s $2 million and a possible buyout of another high price vet and you’ve got the room to resign Semin and Backstrom and still go after a rugged D-man and/or forward.
by b.orr4 on May 15, 2009 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
doesn’t that make it:
Ovie-Backstrom-Fehr
Semin-?-Flash
Brads-Steckel-Laich
Gordo-Nyls(?)-Clark
I think we all know that center position needs filling, but are Fehr and Flash really going to do it with top six minutes? That’s where I’d like Kozlov and Feds back with 1 year deals.
by Love and Osechkin on May 15, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They definitely need to find a #2 center. Even if Feds comes back, he can’t carry the load for a whole season.
by b.orr4 on May 15, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hope he doesn’t, frankly. We can’t take another injured Feds for 2 months at the end of the year again.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wouldn’t be surprised (outside of a big FA splash or trade) to see Laich getting some major time at center.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s fine defensively, but Laich as a second-line center is a terrible option overall, imo, because he’s just not a skilled playmaker. At all.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 15, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wasn’t necessarily pinning him on the second line… but he’s (unfortunately, I guess) the best option next to Nylander & Aucoin of those currently signed.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
McPhee: "Not buying out Nylander"
According to Tarik
by b.orr4 on May 15, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And why would he? It’s been discussed here ad nauseum and it’s just not an intelligent move for the club. Good to see GMGM isn’t an idiot, but we already knew that.
by wittcap79 on May 15, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trading Nylander, on the other hand…..
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nyls has a no-movement clause. He would already be out of here if he didn’t have that…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on May 15, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not necessarily – you still need to find a willing partner, and indications are that that has been more the sticking point in some cases than the NMC itself (which he could waive).
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 15, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That and the salary cap issue… he was pretty close to heading to Chicago, for which I suspect he might have waived the NMC.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on May 15, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Khabibulin I think will be out of Chicago, because no team wants to spend 11 million a season on goalies. That clears up some room for him, and I think Havlat leaves as well.
by red army line on May 16, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe, but I would imagine Chicago could find a better use for almost 5 million dollars in cap space than Nylander.
by David M. Getz on May 17, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No harm in some wishful thinking
by red army line on May 17, 2009 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fehr and Flash can both go on the block.
uhh...uhh...uhh...
by hotdog88gt on May 15, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They’re both fairly valuable assets, though. I’d want some decent return on them if I were McPhee.
by David M. Getz on May 15, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They’re not old and jaded either. These are both young players that still have gas left in the tank and something to prove. As much as people hate on Flash, let’s not forget that we saw him at his best earlier in the season, and he did show signs of that “potential future 30 goal scorer” that BB had once said about him.
by bigmac1124 on May 15, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ve been waiting for one of them to become some kind of a regular, reliable threat to the opposing D but haven’t seen it from either of them.
uhh...uhh...uhh...
by hotdog88gt on May 15, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
At the beginning of the year, there were a couple of instances where Flash made me jump out of my seat because of some of the moves he was making, but pretty much fell off a cliff. As per Fehr, I think this year might be the last chance he has to truly prove himself as a regular.
by bigmac1124 on May 15, 2009 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Flash needs Lasik. He has moves like Semin, then totally misses the net. Fix his eyes and he’ll finish. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
/worked for Christian Guzman
by Scott in Shaw on May 15, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
True, but I see it as a very low risk, high reward situation. I think it’s possible for either of them to turn in to a 25 goal, 50 point guy, and it doesn’t cost the Capitals much to find out for one more year.
by David M. Getz on May 15, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i would have liked him back, but probably at no more than 1.5-2.
I think he can get more without taxes and at 34, he might want to go home.
I’m fine. I liked the guy being here, but he is not core.
by Chimaera on May 15, 2009 10:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If you take away the 'Russian' factor...
Would we even be considering him?
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 10:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The ‘Russian’ factor is the only reason he was here in the first place. He had good chemistry with Ovechkin in the World’s, so they brought him in to play with him regularly. I think it’s a big loss, actually, if he does go.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed, I think he adds some serious puck controlling abilities that virtually noone on the club can duplicate. That being said, he can be replaced.
by wittcap79 on May 15, 2009 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t think we can underestimate the “Russian factor”. Even if Koz and Feds are more the silent type, I think their mere presence forms the glue that keeps all the Russians happy/focused/etc. The Caps sweaters might as well have a hammer and sickle on it, especially if Varly earns the #1 job next fall. He’s bound to require some Dr. Phil moments next year, and I think having these older Russians around will help. That said, I’d probably not be willing to go more than $2 million each for ’ol Viktor and Sergei.
by Cluster on May 15, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wasn’t there a point in the season when the Caps just started losing a lot without Kozlov in the lineup, and we were discussing how he was the glue on the team?
by red army line on May 16, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There was the “square peg in the square hole” discussion but I never bought into the idea of Kozlov being a key cog on this team. He is just way too inconsistent to be considered a major piece of this team. I’d be willing to bet there was a lot more going on when we were losing than just Kozlov being quiet.
by Fehr and Balanced on May 16, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But in 07-08 he was pretty consistent and might’ve hit 30 goals if BB was here from the start. Anyways I think we absolutely need one of 25/91 for another year or two.
by red army line on May 17, 2009 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
41pts in 67 games
I think is enough to talk about it (even with pitful -9).
by Love and Osechkin on May 15, 2009 10:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Clark got 30 goals playing with Ovechkin. It’s a ‘put anyone in there, and points will come’ situation.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is what’s known as the “Zubrification” of stats.
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by J.P. on May 15, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I liked Zubrus, even before his Zubrification. I thought he played with a nice edge and worked well with whomever was on his line. I’d much rather have him out there than Clark, Flush, Fehr (who has shown me nothing) …
by Scofield on May 15, 2009 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he also actually drove the net on occasion.
by Chimaera on May 15, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do wish we’d signed him for the 5 years he wanted. He’d be an excellent wing with Backs and Ovie.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And at this point we’d only have him 3 more years.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really? You think Zubrus is worth $3.4m per year?
I respectfully disagree.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 15, 2009 11:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
me too.
He got way more coin than it would have been worth it. And I’m probably leader of the Zubrus fanclub from when he was here.
by Chimaera on May 15, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought it was the term that was against him, not the amount. And, honestly, he’s probably a better fit than Kozlov, simply because he’s way more crash bang. At 3.4, probably not, but, again, I thought it was the length that the Caps balked at.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
5 year contracts outside of anyone named Ovechkin or Backstrom scare me.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
With the style of play in the K, though, Kozlov is going to be a God among men.
by DrinkingPartner on May 15, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Slava Malamud on both Brash and Koz on Wednesday
I wasn’t sure whether you all had already discussed this but Pierre LeBrun posted this at the beginning of the Caps-Pens G7 (scroll down to May 13 at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=09cupplayoffsblog):
Big crowd (even us!) on hand for tonight’s game
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 | Print Entry
Posted by Pierre LeBrun
WASHINGTON — Team ESPN is in full force here tonight.
Barry Melrose, Steve Levy, E.J. Hradek, Scott Burnside and I are all here for the big game.
There are many media in the rink for this game. Senior Caps PR man Nate Ewell said it was the most he has seen since he joined the organization in 2000.
“We would have to double the size of our press box to accommodate everyone,” Ewell said during warm-ups.
Meanwhile, veteran star blueliner Sergei Gonchar took the full warm-up and is in the starting lineup for tonight’s game. Just how much of an impact will he have? Will he just be a power-play guy, or will he really affect the transition game in five-on-five if he feels good enough to play his regular minutes?
While Burnside and I chowed down on a hot dog in the press box, Russian hockey writer Slava Malamud dropped this note on us: Donald Brashear and Viktor Kozlov would play in the KHL next year. We’ll check it out after the Caps’ season is over, whether that’s tonight or next month.
More from us during the game!
by Pookie on May 15, 2009 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Brash is a guarantee. He will make major bucks for less fights and less headache.
by Chimaera on May 15, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Huh. Somehow I missed that – thanks.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on May 15, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I missed that too, but I am expecting Brash—and now Koz—to head to Russia in the offseason.
by bigmac1124 on May 15, 2009 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What’s the chance of our roster looking as good on paper next season as it did this season?
by zephyr on May 15, 2009 12:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Depending on what free agency brings, we might be seeing a younger and less-experienced roster than this past year.
by bigmac1124 on May 15, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/in-the-room/2009/may/15/notes-from-breakdown-day/
Per Corey:
* Viktor Kozlov said teams from Russia are interested in him but he wants to stay here and specifically with the Caps. He said he’s going to talk everything over with his family before deciding on his future.
by :hsughrofl: on May 15, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Home town Discount...
Unless Viktor is willing to give the Caps one, he probably won’t be back. He is a good player, but that’s all he is, a good player. He’s not going to score 25 goals again in the NHL, more than likely. If he couldn’t do it playing more than half the year with Ovie and Backstrom, he’s not gonna do it on a second or third line. Anything more that $1.75M and the Caps are overpaying him.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on May 15, 2009 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Kozlov and Brash are definitely on the bubble "here"
If Brash goes, who becomes our enforcer? We still need someone to knock people around….
by RedskinFan4Life on May 15, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The team can get significantly more physical up front without adding someone who can fight like Brash. Heck, realistically a couple of top six guys who tale the body on a regular basis would be a more physical presence because someone who plays 15 minutes a night is going to have a lot more opportunities than someone who plays 6. As for the enforcing bit, I don’t think that necessary because (1) that seems to be on the way out in the NHL and (2) I didn’t really see Brash holding people accountable or deterring anything this year.
by David M. Getz on May 15, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. I like Brash, but I’m not seeing much of a benefit to keeping him when we can get much more of a well-rounded player for the money.
by boutros23 on May 15, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My opinion is it would be unwise to chuck all of the elder statesmen who are up for discussion this summer even if on paper they could all be replaced directly with cheaper, better performers. However, Brash would not be at the top of my wish list to keep of the older guys.
I agree if we have the right players an enforcer player-role is not critical.
Regardless of Brash specifically, with the right personnel change-ups we will not come out flat but rather energized in the fall.
by Icebat on May 15, 2009 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He scored 26 two years ago. I think if the Caps get a consistent effort every night he’ll flirt with 30.
by red army line on May 16, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kozlov and Brash are definitely on the bubble “here”
I would be trying to force the Caps hand too if I were them
It’s nice to hear they have a backup option if they need it.
by Icebat on May 15, 2009 5:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Who deals with Varly and Sem
Among the many things Kozy and Feds bring to the Caps is the ability to speak hockey to Varly and Semin, in ways that a translator might not be able. I think this is an under appreciated part of what both Kozy and Feds bring- not the just the experience, big brother part but the make sense of what BB et al are talking about part.
IMO, the Caps need to keep one or the other for one more season if only for this reason.
You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into.
by ChrisAm on May 15, 2009 7:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree with this as well. The “big brother” aspect is huge with the young guys. And especially with Feds, the role model is very important. He may need to back off the penalties he takes when he can’t keep up, but in the locker room his leadership is a big factor.
Disclaimer: long time Feds fan, from Detroit.
by boutros23 on May 15, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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