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Thursday, October 21, 1999
Senators star on Swiss watch
Sun man tracks down sens holdout lying low, putting puck 1st in Switzerland
In an interview with the Sun yesterday in the Swiss Alps, Yashin said while the Sens can't, for the sake of the team and its fans, let the bitter contract battle go on indefinitely, he can.
"I'll wait whatever it takes," said Yashin, sitting at a restaurant in Kloten, a small town near Zurich.
Yashin came here to play hockey and work with former Moscow Dynamo coach Vladimir Yurzinov, now coach of the Swiss Elite League's Kloten Flyers.
He added he's more than happy to tolerate his NHL career intermission until the Sens trade him or give him a new contract.
"What does it matter, this is not totally my decision. It's not about how long I'm prepared to stay out. That's not the question, but I'll do whatever it takes," Yashin said.
"Nobody knows how long it's going to be. I won't sit here and guess."
If Yashin is supposed to be unhappy, he didn't look the part during a 90-minute workout with the Kloten Flyers -- he smiled frequently, joked with his teammates and looked comfortable in his surroundings.
"I'm going to focus on the people I'm working with here and the job I have to do here," Yashin added.
"This a chance for me to become a better hockey player. When the people in North America do what they want to do, I'll deal with it.
Improving his game
"But I'm not going to sit here and do nothing. That wouldn't do me any good. This is a chance for me to work on other parts of my game and try to improve myself as a hockey player. That's what I'm focused on right now. What's happening at home, I'm not worried about it."
Choosing his words carefully, Yashin was reluctant to discuss details of his contract dispute or issues involving Senators owner Rod Bryden, team president Roy Mlakar and GM Marshall Johnston.
He would not confirm he is willing to start collecting his $3.6 million US salary this season if Bryden allows Johnston to negotiate a new long-term deal that kicks in next season.
When pressed on the issue of whether he misses Ottawa, his family and his teammates, Yashin deflected the question and said he didn't want to talk about the possibility of a trade.
"I never had a problem with the fans, my teammates or the team," said Yashin.
"I always tried to do the best I felt that I could do. I've never tried to do anything different in my hockey career.
"If the Ottawa Senators want me to play for the Ottawa Senators, I'll play for them.
"If they feel it would be better for me to play for the New York Rangers, I'll play for the New York Rangers. I can't tell you whether I want to be traded or not because I'm not the one who makes that decision. I don't even want to discuss it."
Despite being sued by a group of fans for $27.5 million for allegedly breaching his contract, being called selfish by Calgary Flames players and facing an unprecedented deadline to return from Bryden, Yashin seemed content.
Asked for his reaction to all three issues -- including the deadline, which is expected to be set for Dec. 4 -- Yashin had no interest in setting off another war of words in a battle now stretching into its third month.
"It just seems hard for me to talk about this stuff because I'm not here trying to win the battle of public opinion. That's not what this is all about. Everybody who knows me understands my situation," he said.
'Not in my hands'
"I don't want to sit here in Switzerland and make a bunch of comments because it's just not going to do any good in Ottawa. This situation is not just in my hands and that's why I don't want to discuss it too much."
While it's obvious Yashin is sensitive to what's being written and said about him in the Ottawa media, he's trying to use his experience to do more than just stay in shape for his hockey career.
A long-time pupil of Yurzinov, Yashin has been acting as a consultant to his teacher. The two have scouted several games in the Swiss Elite League and Yurzinov often seeks Yashin out for advice.
"I don't know if it's as much advice as it is my opionion," Yashin said. "He knows from my experience in the NHL that I've been through some of this before and he's just looking for things that can help.
"Since I've gotten here, they've really tried to create a work atmosphere here for me and I'm very happy with that. Coaching isn't my job but if somebody asks my opinion, I might be able to help them."
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