Filatov To KHL, Again

To no surprise former 6th overall pick Nikita Filatov is heading back to Russia for the second time in his short career. The Senators announced on Monday that they have loaned the young forward to CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

Filatov was traded to Ottawa this past summer (for a 3rd round pick) from Columbus after showing no interest in playing in the AHL. According to scouting reports, he also had no interest in learning the defensive aspects of the game. It’s too bad; offensively he was once compared to a “cross between Ilya Kovalchuk and Maxim Afinogenov.

At just 21 years of age, I’m sure another hockey club desperate for offense will take a chance on him somewhere down the road. Until then though, he’ll do nothing to shed the “enigmatic” label that has been stamped on many Russian hockey players.

Terry Murray Fired

The LA Kings fired Terry Murray this week and is rumored to be replacing him with Darryl Sutter, the former GM of the Calgary Flames. Terry Murray was good defensive coach who helped turn the Kings around. I understand why they fired him, as the Kings were expected to do damage this year in the Western Conference. But replacing him with Sutter doesn’t make much sense to me.

If you’re team is looking to take the next step, why hire a guy who has not been able to get the Flamers passed the first round as a coach or GM since 2003-04?

Pointing Fingers At Downie Decision

Those who wanted to see Downie get suspended for leaving the bench to go after Artem Anisimov were generally referencing Rule 70.1 and Rule 70.6. The former states that no player may leave the player’s or penalty bench at any time during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation. Rule 70.6 calls for a game misconduct penalty to be assessed to the first or second player to leave the players’ bench or penalty bench during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation.

What was missed in most opinion posts are the shades of grey (using that term way too much this week) around legal line changes. According to Rule 70.2, “a player who has entered the game on a legal line change or legally from the penalty bench (penalty time has expired) who starts an altercation maybe subject to discipline in accordance with Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline.”

Okay, so what is Rule 28?

“In addition to the automatic fines and suspensions imposed under these rules, the Commissioner may, at his discretion, investigate any incident that occurs in connection with any Pre-season, Exhibition, League or Playoff game and may assess additional fines and/or suspensions for any offense committed during the course of a game or any aftermath thereof by a player, goalkeeper, Trainer, Manager, Coach or non-playing Club personnel or Club executive, whether or not such offense has been penalized by the Referee.”

Mad that Downie didn’t get suspended or that he just received a paltry $2,500 fine? Want to point fingers at someone? Read Rule 28 again, but this time focus on the word “Commissioner.”

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