Getty ImagesDynamo Moscow president Arkadi Rotenberg made news over the weekend when he said Alex Ovechkin "wasn't necessary" for his reigning KHL champions, should the Washington Capitals star head to Russia during an NHL lockout.

That's after Dynamo GM Andrei Safronov told SovSport on Aug. 23 the following:

"To invite Alex, we need to negotiate for him to be like a flag for the club. But to pay crazy salary is wrong. It's better to invest that money in the [Dynamo] youth sports academy."

Why make those statements? Rotenberg told SovSport his reasons, and told them to Ovechkin's mother as well:

"I think we don't need Ovechkin. I even spoke to his mother. She called when she didn't understand the article.

"His mom clarified: 'Should he play for Dynamo for free and you will finance the youth sports academy with that money?'  But the point is in something else. When Safronov asked me about Ovechkin, I told him 'We will not try to outbid for players. It's better to spend that three million [dollars] that they would spend [on Ovechkin] on children. They are our future.'

"Alex's mom asked: 'And if he wants to play for another team where he would be paid differently?' I replied: 'Fair enough. But personally I am not prepared to spend money on it.' "

In Russia or in the NHL, it's all about the money.

Getty ImagesNew Jersey Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk holds out hope that there will not be a work stoppage that delays the 2012-13 NHL season — but time is running short.

"Right now the player union and club owners have absolutely different views of the future. If we are told the decision must be made tomorrow, then there will certainly be a lockout," Kovalchuk told Sovietsky Sport. "But the CBA expires only on Sept. 15. And I don't know what's going to happen in three weeks."

Kovalchuk added that he already has a team in mind where he will play if there's a lockout. Something tells me it will be Lokomotiv. Kovalchuk will fly to Moscow this Friday from his Miami home and will play in a charity game this coming Sunday in Kazan to benefit the families of the Lokomotiv tragedy.

SovSport's Pavel Lysenkov spoke with Kovalchuk about the NHL's offer to the player, the overall CBA negotiations and the impact of contracts such as his on the next CBA.

Q. NHL's offer is very aggressive. Ilya Bryzgalov called it "impudence" in a recent interview. What is your reaction?

KOVALCHUK: "I cannot say it's a shock. But it is difficult to agree with those who are fighting with the NHLPA. Eight years ago, owners of NHL teams got everything they wanted during the last lockout. They feel comfortable and think they will win again. But there's a big difference between 2004 and 2012. Right now a lot of guys have long-term contracts. These are leading players, faces of the League. Look at how dynamic the negotiations with the NHL are. Players are a lot more united than before. And it means that the position of the NHLPA is stronger, and the negotiations will be tougher for the owners."

You signed a contract with the New Jersey Devils until 2025. The League wants to make all contracts to be no longer than five years. Will it affect you?

"It is understood that the existing contracts cannot be trimmed. But the NHL says that players circumvent the cap, sign deceitful deals where they will make very little towards the end of the contract. The League wants to protect itself from it. On the other hand, the owner himself is offering such deals. A player doesn't put a gun to the owner's head. And you have to think when you're signing a big contract. Hockey players lost a lot already after the 2004 lockout. Something remained, but now they want to take away even that. I think the League won't be successful at that."

SovSportThe Summer Olympics in London is the main event of the year. It is not a surprise that it has attracted all sorts of celebrities so far. New Dallas Star Jaromir Jagr is one of them. Just like Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, who became a pretty big tennis fan recently, Jagr was spotted around the Wimbledon tennis courts with his girlfriend, Inna. Apparently, Jagr is such a fan of tennis that some games he watched through a fence surrounding the Olympic tennis courts.

Our good friend Pavel Lysenkov sent along some pictures and a few quotes from Jagr about his summer, his plans for the possible lockout, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Stars.

"Right now I am training with HC Kladno," Jagr told Lysenkov. "I will play there if there is a lockout in the NHL… It's been a while since I last played in front of my home fans. And I also promised my father that I would play for Kladno. Besides, I am also the owner and the general manager of the team."

Jagr's move to the Flyers last summer was seen as a surprise by many. Some people, myself included, wondered if Jagr "still had it" to compete at the NHL level. He did, and he really enjoyed it in Philadelphia.

"I really liked it in Philadelphia, I wanted to stay there. But the Flyers started hunting for the big players on the market — Zach Parise, Ryan Suter. They needed some money under the cap and they said 'Wait a little, Jaromir…' And I didn't want to wait. This is when Dallas came through."

"I really liked it," Jagr repeated himself. "I played with [Claude] Giroux and [Scott] Hartnell on the same line, I was getting points. But an injury prevented me from showing everything I had. It's my own fault. During practice I did a routine that I shouldn't have."

"I have never seen a team like the Flyers. Everyone keeps together. Players understand the coach immediately. The year was such that there was nothing to complain about. We played some wonderful hockey. Just remember the series against Pittsburgh in the first round."

Asked if the move to the Stars was simply a case of money — Jagr would play only where he is getting paid more — he replied: "What does money have to do with it? Other NHL clubs offered more! It's just Dallas is ready to rely on me, promised me a spot on the top line."

Ilya Bryzgalov is set to attend the Olympic Games soon. The two now-former teammates won't meet in London, though, as Jagr is going back home to the Czech Republic this week.

"It's too bad we won't see each other here," Jagr said. "We would have talked about space!"

For the second year in a row Ilya Bryzgalov, Philadelphia Flyers' goaltender, hosts a goaltending school in the city of Ufa with the help of Megafon company. Even though most of the participants were between the ages of 12 and 16, Tampa Bay Lightning's 2012 draft pick and the surprise of last year's World Junior Championships goaltender Andrei Vasilevski was one of the attendees.

A few hundred spectators attended the first day of training, watching Bryzgalov tall youngsters how to play "butterfly" and showing videos and discussing the techniques used by Marc Andre Fleury, Ryan Miller and Martin Brodeur.

After the session was over, Bryzgalov sat down with Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov, who passed along the interview that is yet to be published. Here's the excerpt.

Q. Ilya, would you give advice to the Russian Junior Team goaltender Andrei Vasilevski who you met in Ufa? What should he do in his career — go to North America or wait for a chance in the KHL?

BRYZGALOV: "Giving advice is not something appreciated. Let everyone decide for himself. I personally benefited a lot from the school of the NHL. I came to Anaheim at 21 and simply didn't know a lot of things. Goaltending coach Francois Allaire tough me those things. I can do so much now thanks to him."

Why didn't you come to Russia during the 2004 lockout? You didn't want to interfere with that learning process overseas?

"I was playing for Cincinnati in the AHL and was a naïve young man. I was waiting for the NHL season to start. I wanted to stay overseas not to change my style of play. Had the NHL season started, I would have made the Ducks team after three years in the farm club. I thought that the League and the PA would argue for a month or two. But the time went by and the negotiations carried over Christmas. I asked the club: 'Guys, maybe I should go home?' But they started looking for reasons not to let me go. So I decided not to do anything."

Did you hear about the conditions the NHL and club owners proposed in the new negotiations? To cut player share of the revenues from 57 to 46%, cut the maximum term of contracts to 5 years, get rid of signing bonuses…  Your reaction?

"That's some impudence. I would only answer for myself — this variant is not acceptable. But maybe one of the players will be happy [and say] 'Wow! Great terms!'"

Would your contract be reduced?

"I have no idea. I have a nine-year contract with Philadelphia. I have played out one year. Maybe only the term of new contracts will be limited. And what years should be cut?  From the time the contract was signed or from the new CBA?  So, would my contract become a six-year deal?  I don't understand…"

Getty ImagesAlex Semin, formerly of the Washington Capitals, is one of the few standout players remaining in unrestricted free agency, both for the NHL and for the KHL.

Regarding the 3-year, $30-million offer from Russia that's been reported: It is false on both the term and the money. I was told CSKA reps met with Semin's agent Mark Gandler in the U.S. and offered a 2-year deal worth "almost exactly what he was making in Washington."

Semin made $6.7 million on a 1-year contract with the Capitals last season.

I personally spoke with Semin within the last week and he told me that he doesn't yet know where he will play next season. He also has no timeline set to make that decision.

Alexander Radulov's Russian agent announced two weeks ago that the player will spend the next season in the KHL.

At the time, CSKA acquired Radulov's KHL rights from Salavat Yulaev for around $8 million. CSKA also sweetened the pot for Radulov by signing his brother, Igor, to play alongside him.

On Monday, the news came that Radulov signed a four-year contract with the Moscow club. Radulov is set to make 300 million rubles per year, around $9.2 million.

CSKA, backed by the Russian oil giant Rosneft, also issued a statement from Sergei Fedorov, the club's general manager:

"Some time ago we promised that if Alexander Radulov signs a contract, CSKA would announce it on its official website.  Today I can proudly say that this long awaited event took place at last. Alexander Radulov signed a four year contract with the club.

"Without any doubt Alexander is one of the most exciting Russian hockey players of the last few years. On the ice he differs from the rest with his great dedication, high speed, excellent vision of the ice and the goal scoring intelligence of an extra class sniper. We know that these leadership qualities will help him become the leader of our team, and on our side we will do everything for it. We hope that more and more fans will come to the [arena] to see Alexander Radulov play."

Sources inside the team tell me the move to sign Radulov was driven purely by the new ownership of CSKA, who took over the club amid scandals last year.

For some time now we have known that the KHL was planning to play a few games in Brooklyn at the new Barclays Center. But now we have the actual confirmation.

The KHL released their 2012-2013 calendar and slated two days in January for their overseas trip. KHL's Vice President Vladimir Shalaev told Sovetsky Sport the two regular season games will be held on January 19 and 20. Dynamo Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg will be the teams representing the KHL.

For what it's worth: The New York Islanders are home on Jan. 19 while the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils are on the road that weekend.

Speaking to the media this morning, Shalaev said, "The Barclays Center easily surpasses the New York Rangers' home at Madison Square Garden as a hockey venue."

He added "there's nothing good about [MSG]. Anyone who's been there understands that arena is no longer suited to modern hockey."

We will certainly disagree with this statement.

142374945Just under a week ago, we wrote about Alexander Radulov and his KHL rights being traded to CSKA, the storied Red Army club.

On Monday, the news comes that Radulov will indeed play in Russia next season.

The always outspoken Yuri Nikolaev, Radulov's Russian agent, in an interview to Russian newspaper Izvestiya implied that Radulov is going to play in the KHL next season.

"Alexander no longer has thoughts, watching the sea, whether he should go to the NHL or play in the KHL," Nikolaev told Izvestiya.

"We are negotiating with CSKA about a personal contract.  However we are not in CSKA yet; there are matters we have to discuss with the club's general managers."

According to the publication and Nikolaev, the real threat of a lockout in the NHL was one of the most important factors in Radulov's decision to seek a contract with CSKA.

As we reported earlier, Radulov still has a year left on his KHL contract. CSKA, however, together with the club's new owners, Russian oil giant Rosneft, want Radulov to commit longer than just one season and are reportedly looking to sign him to a 2-3 year extension.