In the near future, a meeting of the KHL board of directors may take place, the main issue of which will be the change in the salary ceiling for the season 2020/21. According to Sport-Express, citing sources close to the situation, the league leadership intends to consider increasing the amount from 900 million to 1.3 billion rubles a year. Thus, clubs can get more room for maneuver to keep star hockey players in their ranks and prevent them from leaving the ocean.
Until now, the league leadership has upheld the idea of limiting the maximum amount that clubs can spend on player fees. KHL President Alexei Morozov, who took this post in February 2020, has repeatedly said that he does not intend to turn off the planned course.
“This was already adopted two years ago at the KHL board of directors and was put into the regulations agreed with the FHR. Gradually, teams came to this tight salary ceiling. Now many have brought a financial condition to him, some still have to work. But we proceeded from the fact that it was still an order of the President of Russia - to reduce the share of state financing of professional sports. A ceiling of 900 million rubles, uniform for all, will increase sports interest, everyone will be on an equal footing, be able to show themselves, show both the best qualities of management and players, ”Morozov told Russia 24.
The introduction of restrictions on the total amount of contracts in the KHL has previously had a number of opponents, and this spring has caused a new wave of discontent. The reason for this was the massive departure of Russian hockey players in the NHL. The transition of CSKA leaders Kirill Kaprizov and Ilya Sorokin is already considered a settled matter, and Alexander Barabanov from SKA and Andrei Altybarmakyan from Sochi did manage to sign contracts with Toronto and Chicago, respectively. Mikhail Grigorenko intended to do the same, but the leadership of the championship rejected his agreement with Columbus. However, this is unlikely to change his desire to move to North America. Among other things, already in the summer, Russian teams can leave Alexander Romanov, Artyom Zub and Alexey Melnichuk, and the list may well be replenished.
In this regard, the leadership of Moscow Dynamo has already requested the KHL to increase the salary ceiling from 900 million to 1.3 billion rubles. It should not be ruled out that in the near future they will be supported by other league clubs, which have enough funds to invite high-class performers.
“We are for raising the rigid ceiling to 1.1-1.3 billion rubles. The league heard us. If something changes, then, probably, for the next season. We believe that 900 million is not enough to keep the guys and pay them decent money, ”said Dynamo CEO Evgeny Krovopuskov to Sport Express.
It should not be ruled out that the outflow of stars from the KHL can really be connected with the introduction of a rigid salary ceiling. In his conditions, Russian clubs could no longer offer players the same large contracts as before, as a result of which many of them began to pay more attention to the NHL. The North American League is still the most popular in the world, and playing in it is the dream of every hockey player. Therefore, it is not surprising that, ceteris paribus, many of them are inclined to this option.
“The salary ceiling is artificially reduced, and in the KHL there are few good players. I think that this is wrong, for me the optimal figure is 1.3 billion rubles. It does not need to be inflated to 1.5-2 billion, but the increase will enable top teams to invite star players, and we will not have degradation. And those guys who are in doubt will remain in the KHL, ”said well-known agent Shumi Babaev on the air of the BST channel.
You must understand that the situation is not new. Every year, several athletes decide to try their hand abroad. It is enough to recall the examples of Nikita Gusev, Vladislav Gavrikov and Igor Shesterkin, who went to conquer the United States and Canada a year ago. However, while the KHL could well come to terms with the loss of three to five athletes, the current situation was expected to cause serious concern. The lack of bright performers will instantly affect the popularity of the league and provoke a decrease in the level of attendance of the competition. So says the former head coach of the youth team of Russia, Vladimir Plushenko, who advocates increasing the upper bar of the budget to 1.3 billion rubles.
“Clubs should be able to invite not just some foreign players, but high-class masters so that our young children learn from them. Only in this way will it be possible to increase interest in the KHL. There are more losses now than acquisitions. Calculate how many players leave overseas in the summer. The championship is poorer, and amid falling wages, even more of our guys will rush overseas. In no case should this be allowed, ”Plyushchev said.
It should be borne in mind that a decrease in the level of performers in the KHL may negatively affect the prospects of the Russian team at the Beijing Olympics in 2022. It is possible that the NHL will again refuse to let its athletes go to the Games, as a result of which the fate of gold medals will be determined in the confrontation between representatives of European championships. And in the event of the departure of a number of leaders, the domestic team risks appearing in a weakened tournament.
“We already see how many guys leave for the NHL. And many more will go overseas. It’s clear that the prestigious league - everyone wants to get there. But how will we keep people at the ceiling of 900 million rubles? And after all, after two years we have the Olympics. And it’s not clear how we will be equipped if the NHL doesn’t let its players go there, ”Izvestia quoted Alexei Makeev as the forward of Vityaz forward.
Nevertheless, there are those who do not agree that the KHL should raise the salary ceiling. This mainly refers to the less affluent clubs, which the introduction of the limit should have helped to fight with wealthier opponents on equal terms. So, they are confident that such measures will help to increase the level of interest in competitions due to the lack of clear leaders and outsiders.
“We have had a clear plan since last seasons, focused on introducing a tight salary ceiling in 2020. We do not refuse this concept. Now, according to the composition and total salary sheet, our club fits into this framework. And Avtomobilist will continue such a policy. We supported this idea from the very beginning and consider it the optimal amount that the KHL has designated, ”said Maxim Ryabkov, director of Avtomobilist.
I agree with him and the chairman of the Riga Dynamo Juris Savickis. According to him, the innovation will increase the level of competition in the championship.
“Slowly there should be alignment between the teams. Although not so significant, the delta between the capabilities of rich and poor clubs must be reduced, ”said Savickis.
At the same time, there is an opinion that not all players decided to leave the KHL due to a decrease in fees. The desire of Kaprizov and Sorokin to try his hand at the NHL is due to the desire to develop professionally and go ice against the strongest athletes on the planet. So, Cyril has long been considered one of the most talented hockey players in the world, and Ilya clearly intends to prove that he is in no way inferior to Shesterkin. In just a few months, he became the main goalkeeper of the Rangers, displacing Henrik Lundqvist from the squad.
However, there is no reason to believe that in North America they will earn much more than in Europe. According to Sportsnet, Grigorenko’s salary at Columbus will be $ 1.2 million. Given that he received about 110 million rubles in the KHL, he certainly won’t win. In addition, there is an example of Dynamo striker Dmitry Yashkin. Alexander Ovechkin's former Washington partner had offers from the NHL, but made a choice in favor of the KHL.