When impending RFA Jiri Hudler was given a qualifying offer by Detroit, many assumed his signing would just be a formality, and he would make around $2-2.5 million per year as opposed to his $1.15 million salary last season.

On July 5, Hudler filed for salary arbitration, which did not allow any other team to sign him to an offer sheet while he negotiated a new contract with the Wings.

But then news came out of Russia that the 25-year-old Hudler had signed a two-year contract with Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League worth around $3 to $4 million, tax-free, per year.

Hudler told the Czech hockey website hokej.cz the Russian offer was too good to ignore.

“In Detroit there wasn’t place for me and I didn’t want to go to another club. So I didn’t ask for a trade,” Hudler said. “Then came Dynamo with their offer. I started thinking about it and decided to go to Russia. It was tough but this is not a question of life or death. It is only hockey.”

But because Hudler had filed for arbitration, the NHL is contesting that Hudler’s rights still belonged to Detroit, thus negating his KHL contract. And as it turns out, USA Hockey might be the key to resolving this issue.

In order for Hudler’s move to be approved, he would need to obtain an International Transfer Card (ITC), which would be signed by him, his new team’s federation (Russia), and his old team’s federation (USA Hockey).

When all those signatures are in place the IIHF puts a stamp on the ITC as final approval.

“During the process, USA Hockey would ask the NHL whether they approve the transfer,” Szemberg said. “If the NHL says no, USA Hockey will most probably not sign and the ITC would be incomplete — no IIHF approval.”

If the KHL disputes the NHL’s refusal to sign Hudler’s ITC, then an investigation will follow.

So, does filing for arbitration automatically mean Hudler has a contract with Detroit? Since the inception of the KHL, issues like this have never been resolved, let alone peacefully. Even if it is ruled that he is a Red Wing, with no transfer agreement in place, it will be hard to stop Hudler from heading to Russia.

Whatever happens, this won’t be good news for the already tumultuous relationship between the NHL and Russia.

Photo: Leon Halip/US Presswire