from Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun,

Winnipeg Jet Alexander Burmistrov high-tails it to the KHL, at age 21.

Ilya Kovalchuk says nyet to some 77 million New Jersey Devil dollars and retires from the NHL to play shinny in his homeland.

Russian big wheels talk openly about trying to lure three-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin back to his old stomping grounds.

It all makes you wonder if NHL GMs from Winnipeg to Washington, and all stops in between, will start shying away from players who’ve popped from the womb of Mother Russia....

Certified by both the NHL Players Association and the KHL, Larionov represents players on both sides of this cold war, and yeah, he says attitudes towards his countrymen are cooling on this side of the pond.

“It’s only been three years since I’ve been working as an agent, and I can see that,” Larionov said in an interview, Friday. “I can sense that. Not from all of them. They’re still looking for skill, still looking for players that can make a play.

“You can’t really judge by one or two players, judge the whole nation, the whole talent from Russia. It’s all about circumstances, all about the advice they’ve been given by the people who represent them. And the financial side is also very important.”

Larionov’s advice might surprise you.

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