Visnovsky Files Grievance, Claims NTC vs. Isles

Remember when Evgeni Nabokov didn’t want to play for the New York Islanders?  Well, he ended up playing here last year and liked it so much; he resigned to play on Long Island again for the coming NHL season.  Well guess what?

The Lubomir Visnovsky trade comes into the forefront again in Islanders country.  A few weeks ago, it was said Visnovsky may want to stay in Slovakia to play or even head to the KHL in Russia.  He denied it went on record to say the Islanders were his first choice.

Well, as reported by Arthur Staple today, “Lubomir Visnovsky has filed a grievance through the NHLPA to void his trade to the New York Islanders, claiming his no-trade clause is still valid.” 

When Visnovsky was traded from Edmonton to Anaheim, he agreed to waive his no trade clause.  The question at hand is when a NTC is waived initially and the trade is made, does that trade clause reset and become available again if the player becomes eligible to be traded again to another team like the trade between Anaheim and New York on Draft Day.

Neil Sheehy, Visnovsky's agent is quoted as saying, "This isn't an issue with the Islanders, It's a matter for the NHLPA/NHL to decide. He (Visnovsky) has a no-trade clause."

Sheehy reiterates,  "It's not about Lubo saying he doesn't want to go to the Islanders, He likes what they say. This is about establishing what's right."

Staple adds, “No arbitration date has been set for Visnovsky. If he wins, the trade would be voided; he could still go to Islanders, but back to square one.”

Per Helene Elliot, “NHLPA confirms that it field a grievance over Visnovsky trade to NY Islanders. Grievance was filed June 30.”  So the grievance wasn’t just filed and brought up today as first speculated, rumor has it that the Islanders knew about it three weeks ago, but revealed it to the papers today.

Isles Notes:

Per Chris Botta, “Visnovsky may not want to play for Isles, but Alexei Yashin and Miroslav Satan do. Satan could return.”

NHL Notes:

Per Darren Dreger, Rick Nash and a cond.3rd (goes back to CBJ if NYR make Cup final) and minor leaguer Steve Delisle are traded to the New York Rangers for Anisimov, Dubinsky, Erixon and 1st round pick in next years entry draft.

Per Capgeek, Cap hits of Dubinsky, Anisimov and Erixon: $7.825M. Cap hit of Nash: $7.8M.