NEW YORK -- Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov was one of six players whose new NHL contracts were suspended by ice hockey's international governing body on Friday until the legality of the deals could be investigated.
Radulov, under contract for another season with the Predators, signed a contract with a Russian team in the new Continental Hockey League (KHL). That deal seemingly would be in breach of a pact agreed to on July 10 between the KHL, the NHL, the NHL Players Association, and international leagues in which contracts worldwide would be honored and respected.
But the KHL contends the deal between Radulov and his KHL team was reached two days before the leagues agreed to obey existing contracts.
"It's irrelevant whether there was an agreement or not, the man has a contract with an NHL club," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Associated Press on Friday. "They should have been respecting contracts. We have historically always respected contracts regardless of who those contracts are with.
"We have made it very, very clear that if Radulov isn't returned, if his contract isn't voided and he isn't returned to Nashville, we have no interest in sitting down at the table, no interest in cooperating, no interest in doing anything with the KHL."
The International Ice Hockey Federation told the NHL, the NHLPA and the KHL that the international transfers of Radulov and five others are officially under investigation.
Nikita Filatov, Viktor Tikhonov, Jason Krog, Tomas Mojzis and Fedor Fedorov are also having their deals reviewed. All parties have until July 31 to submit documentation to the IIHF.
"We hope that this can be resolved amicably and in a timely manner," IIHF president Rene Fasel said in a statement on Friday. "It is unfortunate that we are already facing such difficulties after the progress that was made last week.
"I am hoping that all sides can come to a solution."
Problems arose due to the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL. A signing moratorium was established after representatives from the NHL, NHLPA, and IIHF met last week in Zurich, Switzerland, but the deal has yet to be signed.
KHL president Alexander Medvedev said his league would agree to backdate its agreement with the NHL to July 10, but not beyond that. The sides also had discussions in May about respecting valid contracts.
The six players won't be eligible to participate in international transfers and competitions while the investigation is ongoing.
A conference call was held on Thursday between the IIHF, the NHL and the KHL regarding the suspensions.
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