It's Official - Anton Babchuk Gets 1.5 Million From Avangard Omsk
by Bob Wage on Sep 26, 2009 6:00 PM EDT
20 comments
Last week, I prepared some season preview information for Vadim Kuznetsov who writes for the Sports.ru Tribuna, a popular online Russian Sports Magazine. Vadim asked me for my opinions about Anton Babchuk and Sergei Samsonov, and we also discussed other questions about the Hurricanes as well.
There was a rumor earlier this week that Babchuk, a player who had a tremendous second half of last season, but struggled in the playoffs, had signed with Avangard Omsk, the same team he played for in 2007-08. The Canes could not confirm this and even Babchuk's agent could not reach his client for confirmation.
That news is now official though as the young defenseman indeed signed with Omsk for the equivalent of $1.5 million. Today, Vadim was nice enough to send me an email saying that Babchuk scored a goal in his first game with his old team. Not surprisingly, the youngster also broke the glass in his first practice with Omsk.
The good news for the Hurricanes is that they still hold the rights to the Kiev native and he could still play for the Canes or they could trade his rights in the future. During one of my interviews with Babchuk last year, he told me that he preferred to stay in the NHL, but he seems to misunderstand some of the rules regarding arbitration and free agency because he has not made decisions which would enable him to maximize his earnings potential.
We wish him good luck this season.
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That settles that till next year.
However, it leads me to a bigger question. WTF are we supposed to do with our fish….?
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
Get a new, smaller bowl and put it in an isolated, cold place. Then put your Babchuk fish in that.
It can then be the big fish in a small pond.
by Pirate Caniac on Sep 28, 2009 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Another (less facetious) question: Was it really worth $500k to the kid to sabotage undercut his reputation as a team player in the NHL?
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
He was initially seeking more than 2 million, but his options narrowed as the season approached. The Canes could not wait for him to lower his demands and made other moves.
GM of CanesCountry.com
But isn't he wrong in the first place from having so absurdly misjudging his own value?
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 26, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
if it’s like other Euro sports leagues, the $1.5 mil is tax free, make it roughly equivalent to $2.5 mil in the US. Add other perks like free lodging and food, and being in (near) your home country, and it adds up. Will we see Babs in an NHL uniform again? odds are stacking up that we won’t.
Being in the premier hockey league in the world?
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 26, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
During one of my interviews with Babchuk last year, he told me that he preferred to stay in the NHL, but he seems to misunderstand some of the rules regarding arbitration and free agency because he has not made good decisions to enable him to maximize his earnings potential.
Very diplomatic there Bubba. Keep up the great level of writing you guys have around here, I love it.
Screw wishing him luck.
The only reason his performance matters is to drive up trade value.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
Good riddance to bad rubbish, IMHO. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!
by East of Here on Sep 26, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Sep 27, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll third that.
Would have been nice to get something for him, but with the economy affecting things and other teams dealing with inflated salaries from previous seasons that wasn’t very likely.
by Pirate Caniac on Sep 28, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
He looks like something out of a zombie movie in that picture.
by PittsburghCaniac on Sep 27, 2009 1:41 AM EDT reply actions
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