Mlive: Russian club Vityaz Chekhov courting Markov

[SuperCalaFilppulastic! 34]

Mlive Snapshots

Former Detroit Red Wings defenceman Danny Markov is being seriously courted by Vityaz Chekhov of the Russian Superleague.

Both Sovsport and Vityaz Chekhov's official website report that Vityaz's GM, Alexei Zhamnov, has met with Markov, who is split as to whether he'll continue his career in the NHL or return home:

Domrachev: What now probability to see Markov in this season in [the] superleague?

Zhamnov: Fifty on fifty.

[sharomyga 6]

too freaking bad if he signs in russia, wings gotta have d-man like markov

[zata40 3]

is Russia willing to pay him the big dough that we wont pay him here?

I'd like him back, but only at a good price, like 2 mil, not 4 mil.

[hockey&beer 16]

Chances are he is gone. A $ goes a tad further in Russia than the US, not to mention simply being back home.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Atleast we won't have to worry about him on the opponent's blue line.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

You know what i dont understand ... players like markov ... lets see ... we gave him an offer last year ... Not cause detroit is my fav team but its a great franchise to play in ... we treated him very good ... he was more of a fan favorite then a non favorite ... we offered him a reasonable salary last year ... a chance to win the stanley cup ... and we have the same team as last year wich i do honnestly think we have been upgraded younger and faster and hungrier ... (once you get the taste of it you wont stop) anyways my point is why wouldnt he want to return to us? ... why not play with the same friend the same team the same thing as last year and have another chance @ the cup for mayB for a bit less money ...

Id love to see this guy back even if we re-sign him for 3.5-4 yes i know its overpaid but hey there is no other player in FA i would rather have now ... mayB forsberg ... but Defense can win you championships ...

Imagine :

Lidstrom Markov

Rafalski Kronwall

Chelios Lilja Lebda

Edited July 28, 2007 by KrazyGangsta

[GoWings1905 2,694]

You know what i dont understand ... players like markov ... lets see ... we gave him an offer last year ... Not cause detroit is my fav team but its a great franchise to play in ... we treated him very good ... he was more of a fan favorite then a non favorite ... we offered him a reasonable salary last year ... a chance to win the stanley cup ... and we have the same team as last year wich i do honnestly think we have been upgraded younger and faster and hungrier ... (once you get the taste of it you wont stop) anyways my point is why wouldnt he want to return to us? ... why not play with the same friend the same team the same thing as last year and have another chance @ the cup for mayB for a bit less money ...

Money sometimes (almost always) trumps all of that for most athletes. There are very few exceptions where money wasn't everything. Markov feels he is more valuable than what the Red Wings (or anyone else) has offered. He's wrong, but that is not going to change his perception.

If he wants to play in Russia, I could care less. The Red Wings will be fine without him.

* Markov is not worth four million dollars. Not even close. Holland will never sign him for that amount of money, and rightfully so.

Edited July 28, 2007 by GoWings1905

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Money sometimes (almost always) trumps all of that for most athletes. There are very few exceptions where money wasn't everything. Markov feels he is more valuable than what the Red Wings (or anyone else) has offered. He's wrong, but that is not going to change his perception.

If he wants to play in Russia, I could care less. The Red Wings will be fine without him.

* Markov is not worth four million dollars. Not even close. Holland will never sign him for that amount of money, and rightfully so.

I agree with you too that he is not worth 4 million ... but wich other FA would you rather have on your team now ... wouldn't you sign markov for 1 year 4 million just to make you defense more bulked up and increase your chances for the cup?

[Guest DetroitIan]

All I gotta say, is any player that leaves the best league in the world, to play in an inferior league JUST for more money, can leave and never come back IMO. Even if Markov doesnt sign with us, I atleast hope that he stays in the NHL. I hate players(like Yashin) that are all about the $$$, and choose to play in a less talented league just for the bigger contract. And true passionate hockey player, would never even consider leaving the greatest league in the world. I sure hope Danny isnt one of em.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

I agree with you too that he is not worth 4 million ... but wich other FA would you rather have on your team now ... wouldn't you sign markov for 1 year 4 million just to make you defense more bulked up and increase your chances for the cup?

Actually, no, I wouldn't want to give Markov, or any other remaining free agent defenseman four million at this point.

If the Red Wings were desperate, and defense was a problem, then maybe bringing Markov back would concern me a little more. However, the current defensive situation on the Red Wings does not bother me in the least. Lilja and Quincey can come in, and fill Markov's role perfectly fine. Defense is not going to be the Red Wings problem, with or without Danny Markov. Remember, before he came to Detroit, Danny Markov was not very highly regarded. Playing with Nick Lidstrom can make anyone look good.

If Markov will take around his salary from last season, then great, I would love to see him come back. Anything more than that is not worth it. That cap space can be spent on more pressing needs, such as getting a top six forward later down the road.

Edited July 28, 2007 by GoWings1905

[Feldmarschall 9]

This may just be a marketing thing by his agent. The fact that it went public was probably their way of getting any interested NHL teams to up the ante.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Fine by me. Screw him and screw his money.

[Henkka 0]

Let those greedy Russians go. Those kind of Russians (not all of them, but many of them) just don't get what word teamplay means. Always they are thinking only themselves.

Let's get Foote at the deadline and we are fine.

Edited July 28, 2007 by Henkka

[lfd250 1]

Yea, but his brother is playing for Montreal and that might make a difference between the countries

[ben_usmc 253]

wow if we had foote, though he is up there in age we'd have an awesome d

[Guest DetroitIan]

This may just be a marketing thing by his agent. The fact that it went public was probably their way of getting any interested NHL teams to up the ante.

Very possible. That's what Im hoping it is. Cause like I said, I just hope he signs SOMEWHERE in the NHL. No other league comes close.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I agree with you too that he is not worth 4 million ... but wich other FA would you rather have on your team now ... wouldn't you sign markov for 1 year 4 million just to make you defense more bulked up and increase your chances for the cup?

There are 29 other teams in the league that agree that he is not worth $4 mil. Otherwise he would have been signed with one of them. It's been 3 weeks and nobody of the 30 teams has offered him the money that he wants. That's all 30 teams. He can eithe lower his price or play in Russia. Even Lowe isn't going to overpay for him.

Let those greedy Russians go. Those kind of Russians (not all of them, but many of them) just don't get what word teamplay means. Always they are thinking only themselves.

Let's get Foote at the deadline and we are fine.

No more washed up players please and Foote isn't going anywahere.

[Opie 308]

Foote is done, he is a solid NHL defenceman, but even that is a stretch. He was supposed to be the backbone of a young Columbus D, instead he is like stump on a frozen pond, there to be skated around. He was hurt by the rule changes a lot. Just like McClaren, Hatcher, etc....

After the lockout and the obstruction changes big slow D-men are not a commodity they are a burden to try to get rid of.

[TimeBinder 28]

Aren't there reports that the Russian teams are not paying their players - or not paying the full amount and on time. I thought I read that Grigs has to take his old team to court to get his money. Anyone else hear this. Let Markov go, it would be nice to keep him but 1st he wants to much money and 2nd the kids need to play.

[Guest Crymson]

I don't want him back anyway. He is overrated. He might be physical, but he's not overly so--and Lilja is far more physical than he is. Plus, physical + injury-prone is a very, very bad combo.

He ain't worth the money, and we need the roster spot for our up-and-comings.

wow if we had foote, though he is up there in age we'd have an awesome d

Foote isn't worth the money he demands.

I agree with you too that he is not worth 4 million ... but wich other FA would you rather have on your team now ... wouldn't you sign markov for 1 year 4 million just to make you defense more bulked up and increase your chances for the cup?

That few other FAs are on the market does not mean that the Wings should overpay just to get one.

Markov is a non-essential player.

Let those greedy Russians go. Those kind of Russians (not all of them, but many of them) just don't get what word teamplay means. Always they are thinking only themselves.

Let's get Foote at the deadline and we are fine.

Apparently you're wise and experienced enough to judge 160 million people. Bravo.

I imagine me being Jewish makes me greedy too in your eyes, eh?

Edited July 30, 2007 by Crymson

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

All I gotta say, is any player that leaves the best league in the world, to play in an inferior league JUST for more money, can leave and never come back IMO. Even if Markov doesnt sign with us, I atleast hope that he stays in the NHL. I hate players(like Yashin) that are all about the $$$, and choose to play in a less talented league just for the bigger contract. And true passionate hockey player, would never even consider leaving the greatest league in the world. I sure hope Danny isnt one of em.

Let those greedy Russians go. Those kind of Russians (not all of them, but many of them) just don't get what word teamplay means. Always they are thinking only themselves.

Let's get Foote at the deadline and we are fine.

Ahh how quickly Wings fans turn on their players.

did anyone actually read the link or the quote??

All it says is a Russian team is courting him. And it also makes note that it's his home.

I love how easy it is for people here to say crap about players giving up millions of dollars in salary, or how if they really cared they should play halfway around the world from their homeland, from their friends, their family. So easy to say when it's someone else's life.

If he could make more money playing close to home, I could see how that would outweigh playing in the NHL.

And as for the greedy Russian crap, you're either kidding, or you're an idiot. I'm not sure which. That greedy Russian garbage is so lame and unfounded. I'm tired of hearing it.

Edited July 30, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[swiss_redwingfan 5]

In Switzerland is a rumor that the hockey club ZSC Lions try to get Danny Markov!

For those of you who understand german:

http://www.hockeyfans.ch/news_portal/news....r=07&modus=

The report says that beside the offer of the ZSC Lions, Markov has a offer from Vitjaz Chekhov.

First offers from russia and now from switzerland, i think markov is for sure gone

Edited August 15, 2007 by swiss_redwingfan

[BigTex 1]

If they were offers he was happy with he'd have taken them already. It's just part of the negotiating process.

I have a hard time believing that any offer from overseas could match what he'd make in the NHL next year, even if it's not as much as he hopes to make.

[dimaf999 0]

If they were offers he was happy with he'd have taken them already. It's just part of the negotiating process.

I have a hard time believing that any offer from overseas could match what he'd make in the NHL next year, even if it's not as much as he hopes to make.

Actually I wouldnt be surprised if he could close to the same money in Russia. You have to realize that in the superleague, its not about teams staying financially sound, its basically a dick measuring contest between the owners of those teams. They dont have 20,000 people arenas with $50 tickets. Anyways, my point is, if somebody in Russia wants him, chances are they will pay him the money he's looking for.