CANUCK NEWS: NHL RULES SOVIET PLAYER CONTRACT VALID

[Alan Chim]

=== N-H-L RULES SOVIET PLAYER'S CONTRACT VALID ===

THE N-H-L RULED FRIDAY THAT PAVEL BURE, A SIXTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK
OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS IN 1989, HAS A VALID CONTRACT WITH THE SOVIET
ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION. BURE LEFT THE SOVIET UNION TWO WEEKS AGO AND
WENT TO LOS ANGELES, ANNOUNCING HIS WISHES TO PLAY IN THE N-H-L.
THE CANUCKS SENT A COPY OF THE CONTRACT THAT BURE SIGNED WITH THE
SOVIETS DURING THE 1990 GOODWILL GAMES TO LEAGUE PRESIDENT JOHN
ZIEGLER. VANCOUVER ARGUED THAT BURE SIGNED THE CONTRACT UNDER DURESS
AFTER SOVIET STAR SERGEI FEDEROV DEFECTED PRIOR TO THE GOODWILL GAMES
IN SEATTLE.
FEDEROV WENT ON TO SIGN A DEAL WITH THE DETROIT RED WINGS, AND
PERFORMED VERY WELL IN HIS DEBUT SEASON IN THE LEAGUE.
AS OF NOW, BURE IS NOT CONSIDERED A DEFECTOR BECAUSE HE IS IN THE
UNITED STATES WITH A VISITOR'S PERMIT. HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING OUT
WITH HIS FATHER AND BROTHER IN LOS ANGELES.
THE CANUCKS SIGNED A PAIR OF PLAYERS IN 1989 TO THREE-YEAR
CONTRACTS, BUT VLADIMIR KRUTOV WAS RELEASED LAST OCTOBER WHEN THE TEAM
DEEMED HE WAS NOT PHYSICALLY FIT. KRUTOV HAS SINCE FILED SUIT AGAINST
THE CANUCKS, SEEKING 750-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.
VANCOUVER HAS SAID IT WISHES TO SIGN BURE, BUT ONLY THROUGH
OFFICIAL CHANNELS.

Copied without permission from TSN

Alan Chim Internet --> al...@arkham.wimsey.bc.ca
Alternate --> alan...@tanstaafl.uchicago.edu