“Because of the contract in Russia, Yashkin could have problems in the Czech Republic”
– Now there is a lot of talk about the return of Dmitry Yashkin to the KHL. Will it happen for sure?
– Personally, I am not at all sure about Yashkin’s return to Russia. On the contrary, I strongly doubt it. After all, Dmitry has Czech citizenship. And the Czech Republic and Finland are now the craziest countries compared to us. At least in the world of hockey. And if Yashkin decides to continue his career in Russia, he may have problems. And not only in the national team or the hockey federation, but in general in the Czech Republic. Now, if we only talk about hockey, without politics, then, of course, he will be able to spend the next season in the KHL.
– In your opinion, are there any clubs in Russia that are ready to repay Dynamo’s debt to Yashkin for bonuses for the 2020/21 season, which, according to our information, amounts to around 34 million rubles?
– Yashkin is already 29 years old, he is an unrestricted free agent. Therefore, if Dynamo has any moral or legal obligations towards the player, they have nothing to do with his future contracts with other clubs. Or maybe the blues and whites have already paid with Yashkin, but no one officially declares it.
– Is Ak Bars the most likely option to choose Yashkin?
“For me, this is the most incredible option. It’s clear that Dmitry is a good striker and would be useful in Oleg Znarok’s team. But there are KHL rules and you have to follow them. As I understand it, Ak Bars just doesn’t have room under the cap for another big deal with a former NHL player.
– But there is a loophole in the regulations – you can conclude a small contract and pay most of the salary with bonuses.
– Yes there is. But you put yourself in the place of any player. It’s one thing when they conditionally give you a hundred million, clearly according to the contract. And it’s completely different when the guaranteed amount is, say, twenty million, and plus eighty if the club enters the top four. They are different things. Any hockey player will prefer the first option. You never know what will happen in the season.
– Can the meeting of the bond with Shipachev affect the decision of Yashkin? After all, it was in the same line with Vadim that Dmitry became the KHL’s top marksman in 2021.
– I think that at 29 people already think in much more practical categories. And in the first place for them contracts, and not the opportunity to play with one of the cool partners. Of course, if you have already won a lot before then and you don’t need the money anymore, you can just play for your own pleasure. But I don’t think Yashkin has such a situation. Dmitry is in his prime, he needs to win.
– Is there an option with the “Vanguard”? Yashkin has historical roots with Omsk.
– There is, and quite real. The only point here is not in the roots, but in the fact that Avangard has both financial opportunities to sign such a player and a place under the cap. Not just Omsk, by the way. Yashkin may well be invited to Ufa. There too, the payroll was released when they had to part ways with the best legionnaires of the shock link.
“Radulov is not the same, last season his game was not impressive”
– Ak Bars has already invested heavily in Radulov. Will Alexander be able to return to the KHL six years later as the undisputed leader he will be at CSKA?
I sincerely wish him. But, I admit, there are serious doubts that everything will be so. Radulov’s game for Dallas last season was frankly unimpressive. It is clear that Alexander is no longer the same. But wait, maybe in Russia it will change.
– Who could play with Radulov in the same line?
“It doesn’t matter at all. Because if Radulov is in good shape, he will play with any partner. We remember that he could drag any link to Salavat and CSKA. The only question is – will he?
– Large-scale acquisitions, coupled with Oleg Znark’s move to Kazan, make Ak Bars the main contender for the Gagarin Cup?
– I would say: one of the main contenders. But not the most obvious. Well, you can’t say that Ak Bars is already a ninety percent champion. I wouldn’t bet money on it. The lockout season of 2004/05 immediately comes to mind. Kazan’s composition was then also the strongest. But the Bars lost to Lokomotiv in the first round of the playoffs.
– Torpedo has signed 20-year-old Japanese striker Yu Sato to a two-year contract. How to explain such an exotic choice of Igor Larionov?
– The Japanese has a bilateral contract. It is therefore not yet a fact that he will play at the base of Torpedo. Maybe Yu Sato will play in MHL or VHL. I think that this choice was influenced not only by the opinion of Larionov, but also by the views of the general director of Torpedo, Maxim Gafurov. He sometimes makes non-obvious choices, inviting exotic players to the team, rather based on their stats.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
