Preseason hockey is starting, the Leafs might breakup their top-line, and could Ryan Johansen play in Russia this season?

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The negotiations between Ryan Johansen and the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to be fractious and unproductive, with the club recently rejecting a two-year contract tabled by Johansen’s agent Kurt Overhardt. 

Overhardt has had a pretty interesting summer, first twisting Jim Benning’s arm and helping to get Kesler traded out of Vancouver (for cent on the dollar). Now this Johansen situation, which has really heated up this week with Columbus Blue Jackets management all but losing their minds. Overhardt is a pretty interesting character overall, which I thought Elliotte Friedman did well to capture this week.

Anyway there’s news emanating from Vancouver, where Johansen is currently skating with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants (along with fellow still-unsigned-RFA and local kid Brenden Dillon), that the man-child two-way center is about to receive a one-year, $5 million contract offer to play for KHL club CSKA Moscow. What a story that would be.

Obviously it would be a major surprise were Johansen to go spend time in Russia this season. Remember also that if he plays in the KHL, he’ll be subject to CBA rule 13.23, which states:

In the event a professional or former professional Player plays in a league outside North America after the start of the NHL Regular Season, other than on Loan from his Club, he may thereafter play in the NHL during that Playing Season (including Playoffs) only if he has first either cleared or been obtained via Waivers.

You’ll remember that this rule would have applied, rather inconveniently for Jay Feaster, to the Ryan O’Reilly situation had the Colorado Avalanche declined to match Calgary’s offersheet in 2013.