The Ottawa centre, as famous for holding out as for putting pucks in the net, is looking to have an Ontario court overturn an arbitrator's ruling that Yashin still owes the Senators a year of service.
A hearing is slated for Sept. 1.
In June, arbitrator Lawrence Holden ruled Yashin owes the Senators a season of service in light of his sitting out the entire 1999-2000 season.
Alexei Yashin is looking to have an Ontario court overturn an arbitrator's ruling in June.(CP/Photo)
Yashin was unhappy with a contract that would have paid him $3.6-million US for the season, and demanded the Senators increase his salary to what he considered to be his market value.
Yashin had hoped Holden would rule him a restricted free agent beginning July 1, but the arbitrator sided with the Senators.
The Senators expected Yashin to honour the arbitrator's ruling and come to training camp prepared to play the 2000-2001 season.
And this wasn't the Ottawa Senator's first run-in with the law.
On Wednesday, through an agent, Yashin pleaded guilty to speeding on Highway 401 and handed a $299 fine.
Yashin, who was on his way to the arbitrator's hearing in Ottawa on June 28, was driving 149 kilometres an hour in a 100 km/h zone when he was pulled over by provincial police just east of Brockville, Ont.
He will also pay a $60 victim surcharge and loses four demerit points.
Claiming Holden's ruling turned his contract with the Senators into a "personal services" deal conflicting with the current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NHL Players Association, Yashin wants the court to dismiss the arbitrator's decision.
Yashin would like the court to make him a Group 2 restricted free agent. That would allow Yashin to ink a deal with another team while still giving the Senators the ability to match any contract offer.
Yashin's insubordination has to sting the Senators that much more after the team drastically lowered the amount it was seeking from him in damages for losses suffered from his absence last season.
Senators owner Rod Bryden had originally sought $7 million US based on lost ticket sales, concessions and advertising due to Yashin's holdout. But last week the team lowered that amount to $930,000 US.
Yashin, a finalist for the Hart Trophy during the 1998-99 season, was drafted second overall by Ottawa in the 1992 NHL entry draft.
Over the course of six seasons with the Senators, the high-scoring forward put up 178 goals and 225 assists for 403 points in 442 games.
This past season was not the first time Yashin had sat out over a contract dispute.
In his second season with the Sens, Yashin opted to play for the Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League while he demanded $1 million a season.
