mmamolo 287 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) Several other teams either had similar knowledge or had pursued Bure, but there was confusion as to the legitimacy of the extra games. The Detroit Red Wings had inquired to league vice president Gil Stein as to Bure's supposed availability prior to their fifth-round pick, but were told that he was not eligible.[19] Winnipeg Jets general manager Mike Smith claimed he travelled to Moscow prior to the draft and made a offer to the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation. The deal involved a transfer fee to be paid to the Soviets over three years, after which time, Bure would join the Jets as a 21-year-old. Smith did not have any plans to draft Bure in 1989, however, as he believed Bure was ineligible.[20]General manager Pat Quinn originally intended to draft Bure in the eighth round, but after receiving word that the Edmonton Oilers had similar intentions, he selected him in the sixth.[19] Detroit's European scout Christer Rockstrom immediately began protesting, while several other unidentified team representatives reportedly stormed the Met Center stage in Minnesota, where the draft was being held, following the announcement of Bure's draft.[21] The Hartford Whalers and Washington Capitals then filed formal complaints to the league, resulting in an investigation into the selection.[19] After the pick was deemed illegal by league president John Ziegler in a press release on May 17, 1990, the Canucks appealed the decision, procuring game sheets proving Bure's participation in the additional games with the help of recent Soviet acquisition Igor Larionov. It was not until the eve of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, in which Bure would have been re-entered, that the draft choice was upheld I thought we could change it up a bit from the everday UFA talks... Edited June 6, 2012 by mmamolo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richdg 267 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 I thought we could change it up a bit from the everday UFA talks... The good old days of cloak and dagger to get guys out of the USSR. Was it Klima or federov that we helped defect in the dead of night.....been so long now..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheXym 2,606 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 The good old days of cloak and dagger to get guys out of the USSR. Was it Klima or federov that we helped defect in the dead of night.....been so long now..... If I recall correctly it was Fedorov, and he defected during a Goodwill Games. 1 Rick D reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 5,129 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 (edited) The good old days of cloak and dagger to get guys out of the USSR. Was it Klima or federov that we helped defect in the dead of night.....been so long now..... Klima was taken in the middle of the night, running through the woods to an awaiting truck to take him to the airport in West Germany... Fedorov was participating in the 1990 Goodwill games in Seattle, WA. and when he and his team came downstairs to attend a team meeting or practice he told them that he forgot something upstairs and re-entered the elevator, never going back... Konstantinov they had faked a cancer diagnosis (also gave someone behind the scenes a Chevy Caprice and an undisclosed amount of money) that could only be operated on in the USA and when the Red Army let their Captain go so he could get better...well, you know the rest...too bad fate stepped in with what happened later on... Kozlov was in a horrific auto accident that killed his teammate, Taras Kirilov and Kozlov indeed had severe injuries that required facial reconstruction. Nick Polano (asst. GM) flew to Russia to get him released from the Army and get him to the States where the rehab was better. He did defect once he arrived in America. Edited June 6, 2012 by LeftWinger 1 Rick D reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newfy 695 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 Yeah the wings actually paid off some gangsters in Russia to bribe the right doctors into lying about Vladdys supposed brain cancer... pretty bad ass story, one of my red wing favourites Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 5,129 Report post Posted June 6, 2012 If I recall correctly it was Fedorov, and he defected during a Goodwill Games. Fedorov met Jim Lites in the hotel and they drove to the airport to get on Ilitch's private plane. It wasn't quite as dangerous or back door seedy as the Klima running through the woods and jump in a truck! (that's the way Mickey Redmond tells it anyhow.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egroen 384 Report post Posted June 7, 2012 Kozlov, before his accident, was looking as good as Fedorov. The Konstantinov one involved a briefcase of cash, I believe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richdg 267 Report post Posted June 7, 2012 But the RW would never ever do anything illegal or underhanded. We have to much class for that after all.......... sorry, just couldn't help myself...... 1 anthonyn66 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Din758 371 Report post Posted June 7, 2012 man i am so lost right now lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frozen-Man 144 Report post Posted June 7, 2012 But the RW would never ever do anything illegal or underhanded. We have to much class for that after all.......... sorry, just couldn't help myself...... You never can help yourself because . . . 2 Z Winged Dangler and evilmrt reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
