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If an NHL player leaves to play overseas in another league, his contract remains in force unless the player is 35 or older and is gone for at least one NHL season.
I don't believe Datsyuk filed retirement papers. He just up and left for Russia while on an active contract. The Red Wings just had to trade his cap hit. I believe he would fall under this rule:This is unlike the Kovalchuk situation where Kovi filed voluntary retirement papers and relieved the Devils of his cap hit. Datsyuk is leaving the Red Wings with a cap hit.This means you won't be able to get rid of the contract until next offseason. I have not processed anything here since this may affect your other decisions. Sorry Ian. If you find information that says otherwise about his retirement please send my way.
Actually he did retire from the NHL, the only reason the Wings still have a cap hit was because he signed his contract after he was 35. The reason Kovalchuk's cap hit came off was because he was under 35 when the contract was signed.
This is updated to the Lecavalier retirement - not sure what their source is for this in particular:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_NHL_transactions#Retirement