Free Press: Pavel Datsyuk to return to Russia following Playoffs

[krsmith17 7,191]

Yeah, I still think there's a strong possibility that Datsyuk plays out the remaining year of his contract.

I just hope this isn't a huge distraction heading into the playoffs, and hopefully the team can use it as motivation...

[motorcitykid 42]

As far as holding Pavel to the terms of his contract being "slavery" nothing could be further from the truth. Pavel is an adult who signed the contract of his own free will knowing the terms and implications of the deal. If going back to Russia was so important to him, he should have signed a shorter deal. Instead, he signed a 3 year deal after age 35 knowing that if he left it would be a dead money cap hit. The Red Wings enabled Pavel to become a very wealthy man and he repays that by possibly hamstringing them by leaving a year early. Holland deserves some blame as well of course. Disappointing.

No matter which player, which team or how decorated he may be, he is NEVER bigger than the name on the front of the jersey.

Pavel is indeed a rare, special player here but he should honor the final year of his contract. He must remain professional. He should have did a year to year contract if he had any designs on possibly going home early. Rebuild or not, we need him here, even as his skills start to decline, because his input is hugely important to the younger guys who will lead the next generation. Honor the last year.

End of the day, he is in a business and he has made upwards of $75 million from the Red Wings so he owes them as much as they "owe him".

I hope he stays.

[sibiriak 84]

Even more important: He might not be able to get his first wife to allow his daughter to move to the US so he can be with er, but chances may be much better to get her to relocate within Russia. Especially when it's to St.Petersburg, one of the places to be in Russia. So some reported choices about SKA, the distance to Jekaterinenburg and so on and so on...don't necessarily make the guy a complete fraud.

Maybe we should all take a step back and be a little more relaxed until there is a final decision.

St Petersburg and Ekaterinburg are in different conferences, so they won't play each other more than 3-4 times a year.

If his daughter lives with her mother as a primary custody parent, she will have to get her permission to move within Russia as well as without..

If they wanted to, they could come to the US any time, because I'm certain both his 1st wife and daughter are US permanent residents and don't need a visa to visit.

So, IMO, living in St Petersburg is only very marginally more convenient to communicate with someone in Ekaterinburg, than living in Detroit. So if Pavel ends up in any KL team but Ekaterinburg, yes I would say that he lied about the whole daughter thing.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Going back to Russia ... a day later not 100% sure ... now this is becoming more of a distraction than motivation for the team.

Wings out in 5 because of the questions about #13 after every friggin game.

[LeftWinger 5,131]

There's only two acceptable outcomes to this situation:

1. Pav stays and plays his contract out.

B. Pav leaves and Holland trades the contract to relive $5.5M of it.

....there is no other way to look at it. NOT trading the contract is suicide and Holland will just prove he is not only as bad as some of us think, but he would then move in to the "one of the worst GM's" category...any GM that would purposely handcuff his team with a $7.5M cap hit on a dead contract has no business running a team and should be FIRED. There is going to be at least 5 teams out there that could use the dead $5.5M to get above the cap floor.

[Jasper84 333]

Going back to Russia ... a day later not 100% sure ... now this is becoming more of a distraction than motivation for the team.

Wings out in 5 because of the questions about #13 after every friggin game.

I'm wondering if he was decided on going back, but now that it's out and he's seeing reaction from the fans, maybe he's starting to lean to the undecided side again and considering 1 more tough year away from his daughter? To me, Pav doesn't seem like the type of person to come up with drama like this without reason. Only time will tell really.

[kickazz 5,459]

He distracted us and them more.

Lol.

[motorcitykid 42]

Going back to Russia ... a day later not 100% sure ... now this is becoming more of a distraction than motivation for the team.

Wings out in 5 because of the questions about #13 after every friggin game.

Some are saying - INSERT TIN FOIL HAT - that the timing of this is perfect to take the attention off the team and allow them to get down to the task of beating the Lightning. I really do hope the team makes the most of this opportunity.

[The Datsyukian Deke 127]

Most importantly, I expect HIM to come out like hell to get to round 2. And that sounds like a good thing to me.

[derblaueClaus 1,668]

I'll miss No.13. Dats was and still is the player that is most fun to watch.

Bit if he does leave it might also do something good. And that is the transition to a new and more open system.

Blashill started this at the beginning of the season. We looked much more mobile and entertaining. This changed very much over the season untill the the end this team looked like it was still coached by Babcock. The reason for that is the pressure on Blashill to make the playoffs a.) in his first season as a coach and b.) with a roster almost as if not better than what Babcock had. With Datsyuk gone one of the key pieces of this team would be missing. And that hopefully leads to the start of a new era and therefore a fundamental change in the system that Blashill is using.

To make myself clear : I'm not saying it's Dats style of play is the reason Blashill plays Babcocks system. In fact he probably would flourish with a more open and offensive style. It's the expectation to make the playoffs with him that prevents a change.

[LeftWinger 5,131]

Ok, just talked a friend who knows some folks within the Wings scouting and training staff. I know, I know...it's just some info that I found very interesting, but I know how it sounds...friend of a friend, etc...etc...

Anyhow, Pavel is returning to Russia because as long as he is making US dollars within the US, his ex wife can get her share of it under the laws of the US. In Russia, their law forbids that from happening. So if he moved back, gives up his last year of pay, she gets nothing.

Take it how you may and say what you will, but I trust this guy and he has some good contacts within the organization.

Edited April 24, 2016 by LeftWinger

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

Ok, just talked a friend who knows some folks within the Wings scouting and training staff. I know, I know...it's just some info that I found very interesting, but I know how it sounds...friend of a friend, etc...etc...

Anyhow, Pavel is returning to Russia because as long as he is making US dollars within the US, his ex wife can get her share of it under the laws of the US. In Russia, their law forbids that from happening. So if he moved back, gives up his last year of pay, she gets nothing.

Take it how you may and say what you will, but I trust this guy and he has some good contacts within the organization.

I'm guessing your friend of a friend is wrong. They still have Alimony in Russia.

Edited April 25, 2016 by PavelValerievichDatsyuk

[kickazz 5,459]

I'm guessing your friend of a friend is wrong. They still have Alimony in Russia.

The friend's theory wouldn't even be a good enough reason to screw the team in terms of cap. The daughter reason sounds understandable. If wife divorce reason is what it is Holland would tell him to take a hike.

I think it's more to do with what Datsyuk's said a million times already. Home, daughter, dreams to play for his country and family

Edited April 25, 2016 by kickazz

[LeftWinger 5,131]

I'm guessing your friend of a friend is wrong. They still have Alimony in Russia.

Maybe, but does it include money you made in the US if you don't earn money there anymore?

Whatever the case, it just sounded like another interesting aspect of it. Plus, like I said, this guy is legit and has had some dead on information before.

The friend's theory wouldn't even be a good enough reason to screw the team in terms of cap. The daughter reason sounds understandable. If wife divorce reason is what it is Holland would tell him to take a hike.

I think it's more to do with what Datsyuk's said a million times already. Home, daughter, dreams to play for his country and family

The thing is, Holland has no hold on him to tell him to take a hike. It's just like if they trade him with the intention of him not playing, the team suspends him without pay. If he leaves, Holland's official route is to suspend him for not upholding his contract. That's whether or not it is a amicable decision between the two. Pav leaves, the procedure that must be followed is suspension without pay. That's the way it has to happen.

[LeftWinger 5,131]

Conditions for alimony in the Russian Federation

Despite the fact that the Family Code includes a general rule that stipulates spouses should support each other from a financial point of view, an ex-spouse is only entitled to alimony when:

it is about a pregnant wife or within three years from giving birth to a child that she has with her ex-husband;

taking care of a disabled child (until he/she turns 18) and cannot meet the costs of living;

he/she has reached pension age (during the first five years after divorce) and they have been married for an extended period of time.

However, there are situations in which the alimony can be refused to the spouse (even though he/she falls into a category from the above), such as:

- if the incapacity to work is due to drug abuse (alcohol, narcotics) or intentional criminal acts;

- if the spouses were married for a short time;

- in case of misconduct in the family.

http://www.lawyersrussia.com/alimony-in-russia

Just to clarify Alimony in Russia. So this could be a legit reason for leaving.

Edited April 25, 2016 by LeftWinger

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

http://www.lawyersrussia.com/alimony-in-russia

Just to clarify Alimony in Russia. So this could be a legit reason for leaving.

First of all, your quoted passage isn't straight forward. It says "Despite the fact that the Family Code includes a general rule that stipulates spouses should support each other from a financial point of view an ex-spouse is only entitled to alimony when:" So...He wouldn't have to pay Alimony, but he has to support her financially...which sounds like the same thing under a different name to me.

Second, If you re-read the Mitch Albom article, it specifically mentions that he still has a good relationship with his ex-wife:

"...his desire to rejoin his daughter Elizabeth, who is being raised in Russia by Datsyuk’s first wife, Svetlana. While the former couple enjoy a friendly relationship, Datsyuk said, he felt too absent from the day-to-day affairs of his child, and worried, as she entered adolescence (she is now 13) that he wouldn’t be there for guidance."

Even if he would have to pay less, you're friend's theory seems a pretty extreme way to screw over the ex-wife. It would probably also alienate his daughter. It seems pretty unlikely, especially from a guy who seems like (and was voted by other NHL players in a few polls I've seen over the years) one of the most likeable guys in the league.

Also, if alimony were a motivation, why would that be a pressing issue that he would have to leave now and not just wait until next year. He's a multimillionaire and will make even more when he plays in the KHL. Why would the 25% (or whatever it would be) of next year's 5.5 million be so precious to him?

I prefer to respect him and take him at his word.

Edited April 25, 2016 by PavelValerievichDatsyuk

[krsmith17 7,191]

"A #13 Red Wings jersey was signed by the entire team in dressing room on Monday - The handwriting is on more than just the wall"...

I still want to be hopeful, but this doesn't sound good...

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

So if is he leaving or not? There's articles saying he's already said he's leaving then there one today saying he's waiting until after worlds next month.

[krsmith17 7,191]

Yeah, apparently he hasn't 100% made up his mind yet, but everything I've read today makes it seem like he's already on his way out...

[kickazz 5,459]

Seems like he's done.

[13dangledangle 968]

You can tell he's done. There is zero chance Dats comes back for another year, it's been on his face all season. For example this season more then ever Datsyuk seemed to be annoyed at the amount of cheap shots, trips, hooks etc that he took that were non calls-also thats a reason he was on his a** this year more then ever, he looked deflated by the end of the season.

Now it'll be up to Kenny to not only find that special taker for the ghost contract but find a suitable replacement for the magic man. This is hardly the days of Lidstrom leaving while we have Dats & Z in their primes--------->we have an aging*ed Zetterberg, a future (hopeful) star in Larkin, two very inconsistent scorers in Tatar & Nyquist plus a slew of role players that can't counted on for much more then 10 goals.

We haven't even gotten to the defence yet...Kenny has a make it or break it offseason, I hope he has the magic in him to get it done somehow.

Edited April 25, 2016 by 13dangledangle

[frankgrimes 1,836]

You can tell he's done. There is zero chance Dats comes back for another year, it's been on his face all season. For example this season more then ever Datsyuk seemed to be annoyed at the amount of cheap shots, trips, hooks etc that he took that were non calls-also thats a reason he was on his a** this year more then ever, he looked deflated by the end of the season.

Now it'll be up to Kenny to not only find that special taker for the ghost contract but find a suitable replacement for the magic man. This is hardly the days of Lidstrom leaving while we have Dats & Z in their primes--------->we have an aging*ed Zetterberg, a future (hopeful) star in Larkin, two very inconsistent scorers in Tatar & Nyquist plus a slew of role players that can't counted on for much more then 10 goals.

We haven't even gotten to the defence yet...Kenny has a make it or break it offseason, I hope he has the magic in him to get it done somehow.

The guy is done, it's so obvious players are signing the #13 jersexy, the look on his face after losing to Tampa, the handshake lines ...it's too bad the magic man couldn't win another cup. There will never be another Pasha good luck replacing that guy *lol*

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Well holland said he doesn't expect him back so pressure is on, don't f*** this up!

[Seraph 240]

More hearsay, but my boss knows his agent and the word is he's leaving.

[krsmith17 7,191]

Huge loss if Helm walks...