Nedved will play this weekend for Thunder

Tim Graham

Friday, April 10, 1998 | 10:06 a.m.

It appears Petr Nedved will remain in limbo through the weekend, but he will do so in his Las Vegas Thunder sweater.

District Judge Myron Leavitt decided this morning to extend his original injunction that allowed Nedved to play Tuesday. That decision, however, was not the permanent one the Thunder and the International Hockey League truly seek.

The Thunder and IHL were unable to agree on an arbitrator Thursday, further delaying the official ruling on Nedved's eligibility.

Nedved, considered one of the top centers in the world, is a restricted free-agent holdout from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The IHL ruled him ineligible on Tuesday, citing a rule that forbids teams from signing players from non-North American teams after Feb. 2.

"It's not unusual," IHL chief operating officer Doug Moss said of the delay. "This thing is being put together very quickly."

The holdup forced both sides to appear before Leavitt at 9 a.m. Unlike the hearing for the original injunction, however, the IHL was well represented. Commissioner Bob Ufer flew to Las Vegas to dispute Nedved's status.

"We can understand Las Vegas' position, but it is contrary to the league's interpretation of the guidelines," said Ufer, the IHL's former legal counsel. "It's my job as commissioner to make those interpretations, and that's what we did with our initial (ineligibility) ruling."

But with Leavitt's extension, Nedved will be able to play in Las Vegas' final three regular-season games against Utah tonight and San Antonio Saturday night -- both at the Thomas & Mack Center at 7:05 -- and Sunday in Long Beach.

The IHL's Turner Cup playoffs start next week.

Apparently, the earliest arbitration can occur is Monday -- if both sides can agree on who hears the case.

The Thunder requested John Sands, who ruled on a similar case involving Nedved and the NHL in January.

Sands overturned an NHL decision that claimed Nedved violated its labor agreement by playing four games with Novy Jicin, an amateur Czech Republic team. But Sands ruled because Nedved wasn't paid, he was not considered a "player." Instead, he was a "guest."

Nedved came to Las Vegas on Tuesday. Within hours, the IHL ruled him ineligible because he played six games for Sparta Praha last month. But, as with Novy Jicin, Nedved was not paid, leaving him and the Thunder with the impression his status had not been sullied.

"All I know is I've got different league rules than the NHL," Moss said. "Sands argued the rules of the NHL. We have different rules."

The Thunder countered with the injunction. Nedved went on to record a goal and two assists in an 8-3 loss to Long Beach.

Sands is a noted mediator for the NHL, IHL, NHL Players' Association and Professional Hockey Players' Association.

"I think maybe we're fortunate in this sense that (Sands) is the arbiter of record, but you never can tell how he'll rule," Thunder part-owner Ken Stickney said.

The IHL is reluctant to let Sands handle such a similar set of circumstances and wants another arbitrator. Because the sides cannot agree on a arbitrator, Sands and the IHL choice will call on a third. The panel of three then will hammer out a ruling.

"Obviously, we want someone a little more independent on this," Moss said of Sands. "He has worked for us and does get involved with these matters for us. But if the shoe was on the other foot, I'm sure the Thunder would not want John Sands to (be the lone arbitrator)."

Added Ufer, a Harvard Law School graduate: "There are probably 10,000 arbitrators in the country that come without any previous disposition."

Thunderbolts

* GAME ON: Since Petr Nedved arrived in Las Vegas on Tuesday, it has been easy to forget the Thunder still is in the business of playing hockey. General manager Bob Strumm claims his team is looking as good as it ever has entering the final regular-season weekend -- in spite of Tuesday's 8-3 drubbing to Long Beach. "We're in fine form," Strumm said. "We have to forget about Tuesday. We played so well prior to that, it's just one of those things. People forget the U.S. was beat 10-1 by the Russians (in the 1980 Winter Olympics) then won the gold medal." Strumm is not concerned the controversy surrounding Nedved will distract the other players as they prepare for the playoffs. "We had a chat with a cross section of our guys," he said. "We didn't want to make a big issue about it. But everybody's aware of what's going on. They're just going to go out there and play."

* PLAYOFF WATCH: The Thunder is locked in as the Western Conference's eighth seed in the Turner Cup playoffs. That means the battle for first place also will determine Las Vegas' first-round opponent. Long Beach has the lead at 111 points and two games remaining. Chicago and Houston are second at 107 points with three and two games left, respectively. Houston holds the tie-breaker over Long Beach by virtue of winning the season series.