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Saturday, November 6, 1999
What's next in Yashin saga?
Senators captain Alexei Yashin celebrated his 26th birthday yesterday in the small town of Kloten, Switzerland, surrounded by mother Tatiana, father Valery, girlfriend Carol Alt and agent Mark Gandler.
And while his parents, Alt and Gandler will only be in town for the weekend, the Senators' holdout centre isn't expected to board a flight back to North America in time with Monday's looming deadline.
Instead, Yashin is expected to ignore the Senators' warning to be back in Ottawa by the club's drop-dead date of Nov. 8 and is willing to risk a suspension for the rest of the season to get what he wants.
Demanding a new contract or trade, Yashin has refused to honour the final year of his $3.6-million US deal and maintained he won't be back despite warnings he won't play again this season from GM Marshall Johnston.
"The minute he doesn't show up, this story is going to get really interesting," said an NHL GM, who asked to remain anonymous, yesterday. "What do the Senators do next and what does Yashin do next?
"I know the Senators are serious and I know just because they've set a deadline it doesn't mean they're going to start entertaining offers for trades. I really believe the NHL wants to see how far it can take this one."
There has been no next move in this war since Johnston sent a fax to Gandler and the officials from the NHL Players Association last week. Neither side has felt a need to respond.
Barring a miracle, Yashin won't report in time for the deadline and the next letter Johnston faxes around the hockey world will be to inform Gandler and the union that Yashin won't be welcomed back this year.
"We haven't heard anything," said Todd Diamond, an agent in Gandler's International Sports Advisors office yesterday. "Nothing has changed."
Still, this battle is about to take on a new face.
The Senators and the NHL are going into unchartered waters by going after Yashin with a suspension.
Spearheaded by owner Rod Bryden, the team is trying to force Yashin to make a move.
That's not going to happen -- which means the Senators are going to have to change the locks on the door of the Corel Centre because Yashin isn't going to be allowed to practice or play again with the team this season. Unless Yashin challenges the ruling by showing up.
BATTLE LINES DRAWN
"I know this is a personal battle, but if he shows up there the league is going to have a fight on its hands," said a high-profile agent. "What are they going to do now, allow Alexei Yashin to report for work?
"I don't know if you're allowed to do that. The collective bargaining agreement clearly spells out that players have to be paid. Nowhere does it say you can just set some date where you don't want the player back anymore."
At this point, the chances of Yashin reporting to the Senators are zero and none. He's quite willing to wait in Switzerland until he gets a trade to the New York Rangers or a new contract for next year from Ottawa.
SENS NOT BUDGING
Teams that have called the Senators have been rebuffed several times. Generally, they're told the club isn't entertaining any offers and Yashin will be a holdout for a long time because the team isn't making any moves.
At least one GM believes the club's stance is wrong.
"I'd trade him right now," said the GM. "You look at the Vancouver Canucks in the situation they had with Pavel Bure and they waited too long to make that trade. They couldn't save themselves at the point.
"I know the Senators are winning and everything is going great right now. To me, the best time to deal is when you're in a position of strength, and trading Alexei Yashin would be a popular move."
This game of hardball with Yashin is about to enter a new phase with his suspension Monday. The fireworks that happen next could be the most interesting chapter in this saga.
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