A newly formed Russian hockey league accused the NHL of poaching two of its players when the Los Angeles Kings agreed to terms with two draft prospects last week.

As a result, the Continental Hockey League (KHL) said Thursday that it was no longer obligated to abide by a moratorium reached in July, when the leagues agreed against signing players that were under contract.

In a news release, the KHL said the NHL violated that agreement when the Kings signed their 2008 second-round draft pick, defenseman Vjateslav Voinov, and their fifth-round pick, center Andrei Loktionov, on Aug. 27. The KHL said Voinov is under contract with Chelyabinsk, and Loktionov is under contract with Yaroslavl.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly disputed the KHL's claims in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press. Daly said the league approved both contracts "on the basis of evidence that the two players were free of contractual obligations elsewhere.

"The NHL is not in violation of any agreement with the KHL, nor are we in violation of our long-standing policy to respect the contracts of other leagues."

BLUES SIGN PIETRANGELO: The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the fourth overall pick in the June draft. Pietrangelo, 18, will get a chance to make the team when camp begins Sept. 19. He played in the Ontario Hockey League last season.

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