Odd Choice

Rooskies opt out after all.

This shouldn't be much of a surprise to anybody. Obviously $200K > $0 but the Rooskies say they will stand on principle. Their loss...

Of course don't forget this,

Tretiak also indicated that the labour law that allowed Malkin to break his contracts with Russian team Magnitogorsk Metallurg would soon be altered. Under Russian law, hockey players are treated the same as any other worker and only two weeks notice is required to quit a job.

The new law will enforce the terms of all Russian hockey contracts and will require that those contracts be bought out if a player wants to leave.

"If a player runs away, there will be serious financial reprimands," said Tretiak, a member of the State Duma in Russia. "He will think twice about doing it."

Since our courts are unwilling to upholding Rooskie contracts, the only place for the Rooskies to go is the IIHF. I'm not surprised though, I thought the NHL would have a tough time getting the Rooskies to come around after flat out stealing players last year. That the other Federations have signed on with little protest shows that the Rooskies didn't bang enough heads into radiators.