Russian Teams Say It's Time for NHL Cheapskates to Pay Up

Tired of nurturing young stars and getting so little in return when they flock to North America, Russian hockey teams are raising the stakes. According to a report from Reuters News, Dynamo Moscow is demanding at least $2 million dollars for the release of Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin, hailed as the next giant of the game, was selected first overall by the Washington Capitals in last month's NHL Entry Draft. The expiry of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation leaves the team free to set its price.

"Under the old deal, we would have got only $200,000 for such a great player like Ovechkin. Such a sum is clearly inadequate," says Dynamo president Anatoly Kharchyuk. "We think he is worth at least $2 million."

The issue is not going away anytime soon. Several Russian hockey officals have suggested the country will opt out of any future player transfer deal made by the NHL and IIHF.