Soviet Hockey Star Will Play for N.J. Devils

Soviet ice hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov has signed a $500,000 contract to play for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League, a senior Soviet sports official said.

Vyacheslav Koloskov, in a wide-ranging interview in the Estonian Communist Party newspaper Molodezh Estonii, also said Soviet sportsmen will soon be able to turn professional under new regulations to be adopted later this month.

“A contract has already been signed by Vyacheslav Fetisov with the NHL club New Jersey. It is worth $500,000,” Koloskov said in the April 5 edition of the newspaper, which reached Moscow today.

The transfer of Fetisov, the 30-year-old captain of the Soviet ice hockey team and one of the world’s best defensemen, has been the subject of speculation for some months.

Alan Eagleson, executive director of the NHL Players Assn., said in February that Soviet officials were pursuing a plan for Soviet players to join NHL clubs.

Group Would Share in Salaries

Eagleson said each player could earn between $150,000 and $200,000 for the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation, which would also receive a large share of their salaries.

Koloskov said that under the new rules, some soccer clubs will be allowed to manage their own financial affairs and players will have greater freedom to join foreign clubs.

Koloskov said players will be paid according to their value and will be able to claim compensation if their playing career is cut short.

Koloskov’s comments followed years of debate over whether Soviet sportsmen should be allowed to turn professional.

Under the new rules, top soccer clubs, which at present are attached to large organizations such as trade unions, the army or factories where the players nominally work, will be allowed to become self-financing.

Koloskov said the new regulations should eventually make it possible for Soviet clubs to sign foreign players and will allow Soviet players to play abroad.

But he added the Soviet Union will not generally let its top stars join foreign clubs.