This thread will be for all things KHL and it's 2010/11 season which kicked off last week. I took in the Spartak - CSKA game.... Hasek hasn't missed a beat and looked as great as ever. Spartak stomped CSKA in the Red Army's own building 5-2.
10.4 will see the Hurricanes invade Leningrad to take on the highly talented SKA team. Should be a sweet game with zero love on each side of the puck. 10.6 the Coyotes will go into Riga to take on Dinamo Riga, that too should be highly entertaining game. Lots of pride on the ice for this one too, especially with the Coyotes having a few CCCP boys. I'd suspect this game to be more flash and dash then physical given the rosters of both teams.
From last week, Evgeni made his debut for SKA Leningrad ... he let in some seriously soft goals. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp5qmGOB11o"]YouTube - KHL 2010/11: Ska 4-5OT Dinamo Riga [Nabokov debut on KHL][/ame]
For those that are following this thread I'll try and put a highlight film from one match per week, maybe one or two more if there's a few standout games to share. This week Riga travelled all the way out to Amur for what was a pretty solid game. If you're not familiar with the KHL or Russian geography check out Amur and the distance teams have to travel, talk about home ice advantage. Amur is also a small city both by population and also financially yet they manage to pack their arena every night and are once again atop the KHL in attendance. Given the success of this team I don't think it will be much longer until we see Vladivostok or Khaborovsk enter the league. Amur is also home to former NHL goalie Yann Danis. Talk about a journeyman, one day your out in Long Island playing for the Isles the next your out in Siberia tending net, sad part is the Isles Mauselium is worse off Anyhow, back to the ice .... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MphvNRjeWqY"]YouTube - KHL 2010/11 : Amur Khabarovsk - Dinamo Riga 3:4 SO [ Regural Season Game No. 4 ][/ame]
KHL vs NHL RD1 Carolina @ SKA St. Petersburg puck drops at 11:30am, check it out on NHL.com or NHL TV for free. Let's go KHL, this should be a barn burner !
Highlights from yesterday's Hurricanes - SKA St. Petersburg match up..... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1zvAt3PFs0"]YouTube - KHL/NHL Premiere - SKA - Hurricanes 5:3; 04.10.2010[/ame] Phoenix heads into Riga to play against Dinamo Riga Weds. 11am est.
Phoenix @ Dinamo Riga ... on live NHL.com or http://livetv.ru/webplayer.php?t=limev&c=2881&lang=en&eid=56058&lid=42949&ci=276&si=2 Pains me to admit it but the Riga fans might be one of the best group of puck fans in the world. Check it out.
Extended Highlights from the Coyotes 3-1 win over Dinamo Riga. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6mqzMrbVAE"]YouTube - Phoenix Coyotes 3-1 Dinamo Riga ?????? 3-1 ?????? ????[/ame] I have a sinking feeling the powers that be made sure each coaching staff knew that this game shouldn't have the same intensity as the SKA St. Petersburg - Canes game. Good game though and the Riga home fans once again proved why they are one the best at supporting their hockey teams.... that barn was rockin' all the way through the game.
This week in the KHL has had some up's and down's for almost every club. First off, Milos Rziga was fired as the coach of Spartak Moscow. It was only just last March that saw Milos sign an extension for this season with the front office singing his praises. The season started off nice and Hasek in net had many picking Spartak to finally climb to the top of the KHL ladder but the team has been inconsistent and the 5-1 stomping by crosstown rivals Dinamo Moscow was the last straw for Milos. Spartak falls to Dinamo Moscow.... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P4Y_Jdyvq8"]YouTube - KHL 2010/11: Dynamo Moscow 5-1 Spartak[/ame] And for some respect, SKA St Petersburg managed to be the only European team to knock off an NHL team during the NHL Premiere Tour, well done to them. The men who managed to give the KHL a little extra respect, [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnwkhhlYEGU"]YouTube - SKA Promo Video (KHL - Kontinental Hockey League)[/ame] & Yashin's dangler is deserving of one more look, sorry to Matt, myself and the rest of Islander fans but the guy still has it. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsiON50bggg"]YouTube - Yashin makes a mess of Cam Ward[/ame]
Ya, he's on a tare at the moment... assist machine this season, if healthy he might walk away with the scoring title.
Isn't this the last year of his contract in Russia? And if so, do you think he'll end up back in the NHL next year?
Only if he is willing to take a big pay cut. The Predators contract he has is still valid. So he'd be getting paid like $900k. I honestly think that is a major sticking point for him, because there have been rumblings about him not being particularly thrilled with the KHL.
It'd be nice to see him back, as he's clearly a legitimate top 6 forward in the NHL who could help Nashville or another team. I think the fact that guys like him and Jiri Hudler led the KHL in scoring last year does prove, however, that there exists today a huge gap between teh leagus.
Radulov may come back but there's always that one poster boy for each league that for whatever reasons opt to stay loyal to where their feet are at, will it be him, perhaps. A major stumbling block is going to be that contract that will be waiting for him and given Nashville's small check book, there's no way they will rework his deal. Also, another nail in his NHL coffin was hammered in during the World Hockey conference in Toronto when both the NHL and KHL agreed to officially honor each other's contract's, so Radulov won't be slipping out either deal. As to quality of the KHL and guys like Hudler leading the league, it's no knock on the KHL. Hudler is a top 6 forward on any team... just happens Detroit is stacked at the moment. If Morozov went back to Pittsburgh he'd be flying high with the Pens, Radulov would be the top scorer of Nashville and hopefully soon Kirill Petrov is going to be the straw the stirs the Islanders drink. KHL has some top talent, just happens everyone loves to stare at the older guys... who can still play mind you. Plus those large ice surfaces help to extend a career... that and a large tax free pay check is a nice deal when you're at the end of a career, can't be blamed for that. The Russian Super League and the KHL are two different animals. The KHL has only been up and running since 2009 but it's growing fast and steady, if it helps since this is a soccer board, think MLS in '96. The MLS then and now are light years apart and the same will hold true for the KHL but only at a much faster pace. The KHL has tons of money behind it and while some owners are bleeding, there are many others who want in, especially well respected teams from outside of Russia. Another major pull in the KHL's direction is the formation of their own Junior League which hopefully will be stocking the league for a long time. There's a lot wrong with the KHL too, I'm not going use a broad brush stroke to paint everything perfect but if there is one league that could be the league outside of the NHL this one is it ... and odds are it will be. Keep following the league, pick a team (that is if you don't already have one) and enjoy, it's cool league that's getting better as each day passes.
The KHL is clearly above the rest of Europe as the 2nd best league in the world. It's basically NHL KHL AHL Swedish, Finnish, Czech, German, Swiss leagues Other leagues like Austria, Norway, Denmark, etc
AHL is pretty close to the KHL but it won't be much closer for long. I agree the KHL is the league in Europe but this season needs to end before it's clearly the "it" league of Europe. I'm hoping the Champions League comes through this time around, seeing the NHL putting it's hat in the ring is going to make this one seriously addictive tournament.... he'll I'd be happy to see the Victoria Cup come back.
I am pretty sure it is THE league in Europe now. It's not a serious challenger for the NHL, but it's also not being challenged anymore in Europe.
This. The Swedes and Fins who aren't good enough for the NHL are moving to Russia, which helps the KHL. But I don't consider guys like Hudler or Radulov to be "stars," although they are quality players. The KHL will need to continue developing rapidly over the next 5-6 years to close the gap and recruit some stars.
I am not sure what kind of money the Swedes and Swiss league players get, but it would have to be a whole lot less than what the KHL offers to get me to play there. Just looking at the medical care that they have on hand for games there would terrify me as a player.
Yeah, Cherepanov is the best example of that. But KHL is obviously a good league for several types of players: 1. Borderline NHL players: See guys like Marcel Hossa, Kevin Dalmann, etc. Guys that maybe could make a roster, but clearly aren't that valued. 2. Young Russian talent: Obviously it's a great place for a guy like Filatov to play in last year, he gained valuable experience and is now ready for the NHL. 3. Older stars: See guys like Jagr and Yashin. They could still be decent NHL players, but KHL allows them to earn one last big payday and still be a star. 4. "KHL Stars": Guys like Ilya Nikulin, Konstantin Korneev, Morozov, Zaripov, Zinoviev, Radulov, Jiri Hudler, etc. are all clearly good enough to be pretty good NHL players, but the KHL allows them to literally be the highest paid, biggest stars in the league, which is pretty attractive.
Did you see Paul Kariya's brother? He got a concussion and they literally dragged him off the ice on a tarp. I've also heard that a big drawback for players is the difference in perks. Most people know that NHL players fly on chartered planes and AHL players carry their own bags and ride buses for up to 20 hours. But apparently the KHL is closer to the AHL in these terms, as players have complained about the hotels, team management and other little things. So that is why when you hear player X decline X amount more dollars from the KHL, that is usually the reason.
Was this recently? You'd think they'd be a little more careful about this stuff after the Cherepanov disaster.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7y44diQwHc"]YouTube - medical protocol in KHL / Martin Kariya incident[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTMbopDRj9o&feature=related"]YouTube - "???????" - "??????" ?: ????? ??????? ????????? ??????[/ame]