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Report: Alexei Yashin’s agent says they’re negotiating with Islanders, ‘seriously considering’ the offer

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While there is an undercurrent of semi-decent deals, the New York Islanders still seem like a franchise that’s capable of just about anything. GM Garth Snow seemingly began the “lifetime contract” movement with a thud by signing Rick DiPietro to that ill-fated deal. There’s also that whole fiasco with Chris Botta from a media standpoint and the fact that the team’s future hangs in the balance of a vote for a new arena to keep the hockey world entertained.

The Islanders apparently didn’t reach their “weird” quota yet during this off-season, however. Dmitry Chesnokov passes along word from Sovetsky Sport that Alexei Yashin’s agent Mark Gandler said that they are negotiating with the Isles and they are “seriously considering their offer.” Chesnokov reports that Gandler didn’t elaborate any further.

As we discussed earlier this week, it’s quite possible that Gandler is using the dangling carrot of an NHL return as a negotiating ploy to drive up his client’s value in the KHL.

That being said, it’s widely known that Islanders owner Charles Wang is quite fond of Yashin from his previous stint with the team. (Even though they eventually opted to buyout his monstrous contract in 2007, a decision that carries more than a $2 million cap hit for the next four years.)

Yashin acquitted himself reasonably well in an injury-shortened final season in the NHL, scoring 50 points in 58 games in 2006-07. The mercurial Russian forward was productive in his time overseas too, scoring 187 points in 220 regular season games and 40 points in 43 playoff games.

Of course, Yashin has a reputation for affecting teams negatively in ways that aren’t as obvious as the simplest of hockey statistics. Then again, some of those issues probably resulted from the baggage related to his comical contract and other money-related disputes. If his “second” paycheck with the Islanders would be reasonable, perhaps he would be able to get something close to a clean slate in Long Island.

It’s unlikely that hockey humorists will cut him or the Islanders a break, though. If this far-fetched situation actually ends up coming to fruition, it should be equally entertaining whether Yashin succeeds, fails or falls somewhere in between. We’ll guide you through the twists and turns along the way.