MOSCOW, November 1 (R-Sport) - Lev Prague bought the KHL rights to Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar as an investment in the future rather than with short-term plans in mind, Lev general manager Normunds Sejejs told R-Sport on Thursday.
With nine games for the Red Wings since signing in 2009, Tatar has previously hinted he will look to Europe if he fails to break into the Detroit roster.
Lev traded its first-round draft picks for the next two seasons to SKA St. Petersburg last week in return for Tatar’s rights and goaltender Jakub Stepanek.
KHL rules on lockout signings prevent a team having more than three NHLers on the roster and Lev has reached the limit, meaning Tatar cannot move yet.
“We can’t use him right now. Maybe we buy the rights for the future,” Sejejs said.
Tatar has two years left to run on his entry-level NHL contract and Sejejs said Lev could make an approach next season.
“Maybe we’ll talk about it next season, who knows,” he said, adding that the team had not spoken to Tatar directly.
“Not right now, because he is under contract and you never know what is happening in the NHL right now.”
Tatar, 22, scored a goal on his Detroit debut, his only NHL point.
He has spent the rest of his time with AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he has scored 155 points in 211 games.
During the lockout, he has played in his native Slovakia with SHK 37 Piestany.
