I give the Montreal press corps a hard ride sometimes, so it's in my mind that I should pay them compliments when I see their good work.
I am not all that enamoured by the tempest they have created by making Markov's last game in the KHL a big issue. But compared to how it could have gone, they did some positively textbook journalism.
Showing posts with label KHL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KHL. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Russian Reports At It Again
Some actual news regarding the Montreal Canadiens worth spending some time on.
Apparently, someone scouring the Internet for French radio in Montreal came across a Russian interview with Andrei Markov that indicated his hesitation about returning to the NHL.
Apparently, someone scouring the Internet for French radio in Montreal came across a Russian interview with Andrei Markov that indicated his hesitation about returning to the NHL.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Tragedy Affects All Hockey Fans
News of yesterday's tragic air disaster in the city of Yaroslavl, Russia hit hard.
A whole team's worth of players, coaches and managers claimed by the incident.
At first, one might have thought Yaroslavl was a far off place in a strange new league. But once we started to look deeper and hear the names that were claimed by the accident, it became clear to everyone that if you knew and loved hockey that someone you knew, many you admired were gone.
Brad McCrimmon was the only Canadian national, but Canadian hockey fans will be mourning the losses of players that excited and enchanted with their play in their local arenas and on their Saturday night broadcasts.
The Habs were not directly affected, but no one is spared. Many of the current Habs had former teammates and friends on that flight.
Erik Cole came up at the same time as Josef Vasicek in Carolina, they made two Cup finals together and were champions in 2006.
Plekanec and Spacek would have known him well from Czech international team duty, and they would know Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek well too.
Peter Budaj played with Ruslan Salei and Karlis Skrastins (the two being traded for one another a few years ago) and would probably have revered Pavol Demitra as a captain, teammate and decorated countryman.
Andrei Kostitsyn lost a national team teammate in Salei, a Belarussian pioneer in the NHL.
Cammalleri played with Pavol Demitra on the west coast.
Gionta played with Rachunek in NJ.
Travis Moen too played with Salei in Anaheim.
Andrei Markov knows many of these young men from his time in Russian hockey and of course with his time spent with the national team. The same would be true of Alexei Emelin.
Bob Gainey and many of the RDS crew from the 1989 Habs will remember McCrimmon, as I do, as a fierce and worthy champion that extraordinary season.
Other connections, I'm sure I've missed. And of course most others would know these men as competitors and rivals.
And the other poor players who perished on the ill-fated flight are hockey players many of us never had a real chance to get to know before now. Some of them very young, and some of them with long distinguished careers in a parallel league and system to the ones we follow.
Such is the size of the web that connects everyone who loves ice hockey.
As commissioner Bettman said, though this was miles away from North America, it was ever so close to home on so many fronts.
Our thoughts are with all the families of the players, coaches and managers who lost their dear ones. Our thoughts are with the former teammates who try to deal with the grief and sorrow of losing so many close friends too soon.
The summer of 2011 has once again shown us how hockey and life can intersect in so many ways not always apparent to us. As the sensible and respectful JT put it:
Important that we remember this as we prepare to embark on another season of thrills and spills.
A whole team's worth of players, coaches and managers claimed by the incident.
At first, one might have thought Yaroslavl was a far off place in a strange new league. But once we started to look deeper and hear the names that were claimed by the accident, it became clear to everyone that if you knew and loved hockey that someone you knew, many you admired were gone.
Brad McCrimmon was the only Canadian national, but Canadian hockey fans will be mourning the losses of players that excited and enchanted with their play in their local arenas and on their Saturday night broadcasts.
The Habs were not directly affected, but no one is spared. Many of the current Habs had former teammates and friends on that flight.
Erik Cole came up at the same time as Josef Vasicek in Carolina, they made two Cup finals together and were champions in 2006.
Plekanec and Spacek would have known him well from Czech international team duty, and they would know Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek well too.
Peter Budaj played with Ruslan Salei and Karlis Skrastins (the two being traded for one another a few years ago) and would probably have revered Pavol Demitra as a captain, teammate and decorated countryman.
Andrei Kostitsyn lost a national team teammate in Salei, a Belarussian pioneer in the NHL.
Cammalleri played with Pavol Demitra on the west coast.
Gionta played with Rachunek in NJ.
Travis Moen too played with Salei in Anaheim.
Andrei Markov knows many of these young men from his time in Russian hockey and of course with his time spent with the national team. The same would be true of Alexei Emelin.
Bob Gainey and many of the RDS crew from the 1989 Habs will remember McCrimmon, as I do, as a fierce and worthy champion that extraordinary season.
Other connections, I'm sure I've missed. And of course most others would know these men as competitors and rivals.
And the other poor players who perished on the ill-fated flight are hockey players many of us never had a real chance to get to know before now. Some of them very young, and some of them with long distinguished careers in a parallel league and system to the ones we follow.
Such is the size of the web that connects everyone who loves ice hockey.
As commissioner Bettman said, though this was miles away from North America, it was ever so close to home on so many fronts.
Our thoughts are with all the families of the players, coaches and managers who lost their dear ones. Our thoughts are with the former teammates who try to deal with the grief and sorrow of losing so many close friends too soon.
The summer of 2011 has once again shown us how hockey and life can intersect in so many ways not always apparent to us. As the sensible and respectful JT put it:
"It comes down to the fact that hockey is entertainment. Sure, we want to win, and Canadiens fans perhaps want to win more than anyone. This summer, however, we have learned we cannot satisfy our vicarious thirst for victory through young men who are all too human. They are people, and through the miserable events of this summer, player and fan are perhaps more understanding of each other than they've ever been."
Important that we remember this as we prepare to embark on another season of thrills and spills.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
I Say Emelin, You Say Yemelin:
Gauthier Wise Not To Call The Whole Thing Off
Alex, Alexei. Emelin, Yemelin. Whatever you want to call this guy, only one name really now matters: Canadiens defenceman.
In what proved to be a very worthwhile trip to the land of Pilsener and dumplings, Pierre Gauthier has come away with what will be, if not the, one of the prized signings of the summer for the Habs.
I say prized signing because it's a game changer, a depth chart changer. When he looked down the barrel of defensive injuries this season, Gauthier came up with Wisniewski, Sopel, Mara. All were good recovery shots, but recovery shots they were. Subban was here, Weber was basically here, O'Byrne was gone. Gauthier had left himself exposed to Brendon Nash call ups.
In Slovakia, Gauthier has gone some way to remedy that. First Swiss D-man Diaz, and now Alexei Emelin (we never boarded the Kastitsyn train, we're not boarding the Yemelin one either). The potential depth chart now looks more safe, and with more protection for true up and comers Subban and Weber.
The Alexei Emelin signing is particularly exciting. Most reports will tell you that he had a banner offensive year for his team AK Bars Kazan this season. Most reports are missing the point. He's not been an offensive defenceman in his career, he's not likely going to morph into one in Montreal. This guy is a competitor, this guy is a winner.
Winning pedigree
Alexei came up the ranks with his local club, Lada Togliatti in the inland Russian town Togliatti on the Volga. There he learned how to play and how to win, lessons he carried with him to AK Bars Kazan. Together with his 27 points, Emelin has quite a cabinet full of medals and trophies:
2 Gagrin Cups
1 WJC Gold, 1 WJC Silver
1 WC Silver, 1 WC Bronze
2 Continental Cups
Think this insignificant? Gauthier and Gainey don't. Their recent rebuild sought players just like this guy, and though this record is peppered with unfamiliar and oft-discounted trophies instead of Memorial Cups and Stanley Cups, it still shows Emelin was on teams that won.
This is important for a defenceman. Defence, after all is where a team record can truly be solidified (or taken apart). In playoff time, we can all see tangible evidence of this (maybe not last night). A team that can commit to playing defence, being patient, "playing the system" that is designed for its component strengths can win. Emelin seems to know this stuff, at least by the evidence.
Fear factor
As you know, I don't like a dirty player. And there certainly is the fear that Emelin may be one. However, I am also prone to lament a team that provides nothing for opposing forwards to think about.
I would be very happy if Alexei Emelin never meets Colin Campbell or Gary Bettman until the time of the Stanley Cup presentation. But in reining in his aggression, I hope the Canadiens allow him to throw plenty of legal and timely body checks.
From what we have seen, from what we've heard, Emelin is a player one pays attention to when he's on the ice. Though I don't like the idea of intimidation, I must recognise that the Habs aren't winning while teams that subscribe to the intimidation methods are still alive. It's a common theme in the media that the Habs lack size. but in reality, if Emelin replaced Gill, the change in personnel would bring less size, but more "size", or what the pundits can't express in other words. Emelin offers that player that can strike a bit of fear and more importantly hesitation into opponents. Paired with someone like Markov or Subban, the space and time his reputation alone might free is worth the price of the contract alone.
25 years old
The bonus in this story is that Emelin is only 25 years old (just 25, actually). He's done all this, played 7 years at the highest levels of Russian hockey (with a 4-year tenure on the Russian squad) in his defensive youth.
This baptism by championships is a development coup. While the Bulldogs have been a decent team to be around on and off for the past few years, it's hard to see how Emelin would have received the benefits of Russian call-ups and professional mentorship the likes that he has received.
This is not to say there won't be bumps in the road as he adjust to the North American style. I think most would anticipate a long adjustment period. Maybe more than a one-year contract.
But a winner will find a way.
In what proved to be a very worthwhile trip to the land of Pilsener and dumplings, Pierre Gauthier has come away with what will be, if not the, one of the prized signings of the summer for the Habs.
I say prized signing because it's a game changer, a depth chart changer. When he looked down the barrel of defensive injuries this season, Gauthier came up with Wisniewski, Sopel, Mara. All were good recovery shots, but recovery shots they were. Subban was here, Weber was basically here, O'Byrne was gone. Gauthier had left himself exposed to Brendon Nash call ups.
In Slovakia, Gauthier has gone some way to remedy that. First Swiss D-man Diaz, and now Alexei Emelin (we never boarded the Kastitsyn train, we're not boarding the Yemelin one either). The potential depth chart now looks more safe, and with more protection for true up and comers Subban and Weber.
The Alexei Emelin signing is particularly exciting. Most reports will tell you that he had a banner offensive year for his team AK Bars Kazan this season. Most reports are missing the point. He's not been an offensive defenceman in his career, he's not likely going to morph into one in Montreal. This guy is a competitor, this guy is a winner.
Winning pedigree
Alexei came up the ranks with his local club, Lada Togliatti in the inland Russian town Togliatti on the Volga. There he learned how to play and how to win, lessons he carried with him to AK Bars Kazan. Together with his 27 points, Emelin has quite a cabinet full of medals and trophies:
2 Gagrin Cups
1 WJC Gold, 1 WJC Silver
1 WC Silver, 1 WC Bronze
2 Continental Cups
Think this insignificant? Gauthier and Gainey don't. Their recent rebuild sought players just like this guy, and though this record is peppered with unfamiliar and oft-discounted trophies instead of Memorial Cups and Stanley Cups, it still shows Emelin was on teams that won.
This is important for a defenceman. Defence, after all is where a team record can truly be solidified (or taken apart). In playoff time, we can all see tangible evidence of this (maybe not last night). A team that can commit to playing defence, being patient, "playing the system" that is designed for its component strengths can win. Emelin seems to know this stuff, at least by the evidence.
Fear factor
As you know, I don't like a dirty player. And there certainly is the fear that Emelin may be one. However, I am also prone to lament a team that provides nothing for opposing forwards to think about.
I would be very happy if Alexei Emelin never meets Colin Campbell or Gary Bettman until the time of the Stanley Cup presentation. But in reining in his aggression, I hope the Canadiens allow him to throw plenty of legal and timely body checks.
From what we have seen, from what we've heard, Emelin is a player one pays attention to when he's on the ice. Though I don't like the idea of intimidation, I must recognise that the Habs aren't winning while teams that subscribe to the intimidation methods are still alive. It's a common theme in the media that the Habs lack size. but in reality, if Emelin replaced Gill, the change in personnel would bring less size, but more "size", or what the pundits can't express in other words. Emelin offers that player that can strike a bit of fear and more importantly hesitation into opponents. Paired with someone like Markov or Subban, the space and time his reputation alone might free is worth the price of the contract alone.
25 years old
The bonus in this story is that Emelin is only 25 years old (just 25, actually). He's done all this, played 7 years at the highest levels of Russian hockey (with a 4-year tenure on the Russian squad) in his defensive youth.
This baptism by championships is a development coup. While the Bulldogs have been a decent team to be around on and off for the past few years, it's hard to see how Emelin would have received the benefits of Russian call-ups and professional mentorship the likes that he has received.
This is not to say there won't be bumps in the road as he adjust to the North American style. I think most would anticipate a long adjustment period. Maybe more than a one-year contract.
But a winner will find a way.
Monday, November 03, 2008
KHL Poachers
North American Elitist Attitude Not Helping
KHL Poachers
North American Elitist Attitude Not Helping
It's happened to us. We've lost a Russian. One that was actually in our plans.
Back in May, I touched upon the topic of losing Europeans and Russians from the NHL on a couple of occasions (here and here).
Since then, some of the predictions have, well predictably, come to fruition. The biggest scalp for the KHL remains Jaromir Jagr, who even in his late 30s would be an offensive juggernaut in this season's NHL. And an almost as impressive catch was young Alexander Radulov, already an NHL star a mere season and half into a career. In truth, the NHL has been bleeding quite a lot of talent since May.
North American response
Back in July, I touched upon the issue again. This time it was because I was incensed by the attitude I saw permeating the big-wigs in charge of holding this NHL of ours together. They took a very elitist and dismissive tone that I didn't think could be helpful in any way:
The NHL can stay on their high horse if they want to, but I'm not about to agree with them. For one thing, the fact that only 26 Russians play in the NHL today (compared to 77 in 2001) shoots down any retort in my mind. There is no way anyone could convince me that a member of Russia's National taxi squad (back-ups) would not play better and more exciting hockey than most of the guys on Vancouver, Florida, LA or Phoenix. I don't think an NHL coach would be able to keep a straight face while saying he'd rather play Vernon Fiddler than Radulov or Aleksey Morozov.
Valentenko and the Canadiens
Late last week, it was Pavel Valentenko (heir apparent to Francis Bouillon) who would fly the coop. At this stage of his career, it is true he is a mere AHL farmhand, but looking at things that way is naive and deceptive. My assessment of the situation is that Valentenko was one season at most from being a capable defender on the Canadiens (a team currently setting their standards a little higher than most). What that probably means is that he could play for some NHL teams right now. That in itself (if you accept my talent evaluation of Pavel) means that the Canadiens lost more than a Bulldog, they lost potential trade currency as well.
The situation is actually compounded for the Canadiens because 2 of their other top 4 prospects on defence are actually also plying their trade in Mother Russia at the moment. The famous name for casual Habs fans is that of Alexei Emelin – he who is already a fixture on the World Champion Russian National team. The other player is Konstantin Korneev – an impressive offensive defenceman.
At a time when Canadiens fans are coming to realise that Ryan O'Byrne, while big, may not be Mike Komisarek II, and Yannick Weber still needs time a mere 5 months removed from the Memorial Cup. It certainly would be nice to call upon the services of Emelin or Korneev right now. Never mind that in the future it would never hurt to have a bit more choice to put together a seven-man crew that does not include Brisebois, Dandenault or in all likelihood Bouillon or Hamrlik (obviously this is years away).
Following the Valentenko manoeuvre, I saw some of the very same North America elitism around. I point you here to my esteemed fellow blogger Arpon Basu (who normally I agree with, but not today). He had this to say as he waved Valentenko good riddance:
Valentenko's decision was the right one financially, I think. Without much doubt. After all, he is playing against a loaded deck when the Canadiens dress two players worse than himself and those ahead of him in the queue for a spot on a near-nightly basis. And to say that he will be banished to the KHL forever as he suggests is fine for now. But it will be an attitude the NHL will find hard to stand by once the exodus intensifies.
Arpon's basis for this statement, to be fair was a thesis that the KHL was more unstable and could collapse over the coming years and the salary structure with it. But, even this I find too simple.
The KHL plans
You see the KHL has their sights set on bigger things. And to be frank, they have better leadership with which to achieve their goals than does the NHL. Fetisov, a pioneer of international and Russian NHL hockey knows more than marketing textbooks:
For one thing, Russia is trying to change its image. And sports is one of the ways it has targeted to do this. This comprehensive piece from the New York Times gives some good background on ways in which the central government, and indeed the President Putin himself has played a role in this (it is essential reading for anyone who shares my view or intends to slug it out in an argument over it):
That's why this quote, which holds true for the moment (5 months into a new league), is frustrating to see from someone who should know better:
It is at once terribly dismissive and also lacking a bit of imagination. Yes, Ray Emery, Radivojevic and Stumpel are over there. But consider for a moment all the Russian talent never exposed to North American hockey fans (Emelin and Korneev come to mind).
The future
Lose Valentenko and I lose perspective?
It's a fair point. This stuff, though, is not really about Valentenko. Yes, his leaving costs the Habs a chance at not playing Patrice, but the current open door to Russian millions is far more of a concern considering the core of our team (Kovalev, Markov, Kostitsyn).
And, though the KHL is considerably shaky, even on the best days through its existence. Personally, I don't think it really matter whether the KHL survives or not. I think, what the NHL could experience is the generation of super clubs such as CSKA Moscow, Avangard Omsk, AK Bars Kazan. Frankly, if the NHL is relying on the KHL folding, it should realise that certain mega clubs within it are aiming to become as strong as the mighty Red Wings.
Looking beyond the sheltered North American view of the sporting world and its 5 sports, I look to football (the real version). There, the English Premiership currently enjoys top status in the world (revenue and player salary-wise). But saying that obscures the fact that there are really only 4 mega clubs in England with a couple more that could even hope to bridge the gap one day. The other European countries have their mega clubs too, Milan (X2), Roma, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich. The success of these clubs is barely tied at all anymore to the success of Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga.
Hockey too, if the KHL clubs are left to poach, will go this way too. The difference with football is that the NHL operates in a system that props up its weaker members to sustain the integrity of the current league alignment.
The attitude taken by the NHL leadership here only promises to let this situation get out of control. It is appeasement in the face of real power. Reinforcing their laissez-faire attitude when the commissioner needs to do a good few days work here is not helpful either, I feel.
So, instead of dismissing these consecutive events as silly curiosities. I think we (and hopefully someone with power to do something) will face reality: what will we do to help our franchises hold onto the top talent in the world?
More importantly for us, where will the Canadiens be when CSKA (operating with a much looser cap structure) come looking for Andrei Markov?
In related news, I stumbled upon this little piece as I was doing due diligence for the current one. It appears Young Perezhogin is no longer banished in some fans' minds. I guess 17 goals in 23 games will do that...
Back in May, I touched upon the topic of losing Europeans and Russians from the NHL on a couple of occasions (here and here).
Since then, some of the predictions have, well predictably, come to fruition. The biggest scalp for the KHL remains Jaromir Jagr, who even in his late 30s would be an offensive juggernaut in this season's NHL. And an almost as impressive catch was young Alexander Radulov, already an NHL star a mere season and half into a career. In truth, the NHL has been bleeding quite a lot of talent since May.
North American response
Back in July, I touched upon the issue again. This time it was because I was incensed by the attitude I saw permeating the big-wigs in charge of holding this NHL of ours together. They took a very elitist and dismissive tone that I didn't think could be helpful in any way:
"We don't view them as a threat," (Bill Daly) said. "We still believe the best hockey players in the world will continue to want to play in the NHL."
The NHL can stay on their high horse if they want to, but I'm not about to agree with them. For one thing, the fact that only 26 Russians play in the NHL today (compared to 77 in 2001) shoots down any retort in my mind. There is no way anyone could convince me that a member of Russia's National taxi squad (back-ups) would not play better and more exciting hockey than most of the guys on Vancouver, Florida, LA or Phoenix. I don't think an NHL coach would be able to keep a straight face while saying he'd rather play Vernon Fiddler than Radulov or Aleksey Morozov.
Valentenko and the Canadiens
Late last week, it was Pavel Valentenko (heir apparent to Francis Bouillon) who would fly the coop. At this stage of his career, it is true he is a mere AHL farmhand, but looking at things that way is naive and deceptive. My assessment of the situation is that Valentenko was one season at most from being a capable defender on the Canadiens (a team currently setting their standards a little higher than most). What that probably means is that he could play for some NHL teams right now. That in itself (if you accept my talent evaluation of Pavel) means that the Canadiens lost more than a Bulldog, they lost potential trade currency as well.
The situation is actually compounded for the Canadiens because 2 of their other top 4 prospects on defence are actually also plying their trade in Mother Russia at the moment. The famous name for casual Habs fans is that of Alexei Emelin – he who is already a fixture on the World Champion Russian National team. The other player is Konstantin Korneev – an impressive offensive defenceman.
At a time when Canadiens fans are coming to realise that Ryan O'Byrne, while big, may not be Mike Komisarek II, and Yannick Weber still needs time a mere 5 months removed from the Memorial Cup. It certainly would be nice to call upon the services of Emelin or Korneev right now. Never mind that in the future it would never hurt to have a bit more choice to put together a seven-man crew that does not include Brisebois, Dandenault or in all likelihood Bouillon or Hamrlik (obviously this is years away).
Following the Valentenko manoeuvre, I saw some of the very same North America elitism around. I point you here to my esteemed fellow blogger Arpon Basu (who normally I agree with, but not today). He had this to say as he waved Valentenko good riddance:
"But what I find difficult to believe is that Valentenko was unable to convince his family that in the long-term, staying the course with his NHL career was the right move here."
Valentenko's decision was the right one financially, I think. Without much doubt. After all, he is playing against a loaded deck when the Canadiens dress two players worse than himself and those ahead of him in the queue for a spot on a near-nightly basis. And to say that he will be banished to the KHL forever as he suggests is fine for now. But it will be an attitude the NHL will find hard to stand by once the exodus intensifies.
Arpon's basis for this statement, to be fair was a thesis that the KHL was more unstable and could collapse over the coming years and the salary structure with it. But, even this I find too simple.
The KHL plans
You see the KHL has their sights set on bigger things. And to be frank, they have better leadership with which to achieve their goals than does the NHL. Fetisov, a pioneer of international and Russian NHL hockey knows more than marketing textbooks:
“I warned Gary Bettman five years ago,” he tells me, referring to the N.H.L. commissioner. “You’ve got your business model, but if you take the best players out of Europe and Russia for cheap — you’ll kill the game, and your own market.” North America, Fetisov argues, is “a small hockey market.” He continues: “For years I’ve tried to tell the Americans to think big. Look beyond Russia and Europe. What about Asia? China? Even in India they play field hockey. Why can’t the N.H.L. see it? They’re afraid. They want to preserve their market. Now it’s too late. We’re gonna take our market share. And you’ll see, it’ll be good for the game.”
For one thing, Russia is trying to change its image. And sports is one of the ways it has targeted to do this. This comprehensive piece from the New York Times gives some good background on ways in which the central government, and indeed the President Putin himself has played a role in this (it is essential reading for anyone who shares my view or intends to slug it out in an argument over it):
"In 2002, Fetisov returned to Russia at Putin’s behest, to head up Rossport, a new federal agency dedicated to reviving the country’s sports infrastructure."
That's why this quote, which holds true for the moment (5 months into a new league), is frustrating to see from someone who should know better:
"As long as the KHL is around, it will be a haven for washed up NHL guys looking to extend their careers by being overpaid over there, or as a second chance for guys who have been banished like Ray Emery."
It is at once terribly dismissive and also lacking a bit of imagination. Yes, Ray Emery, Radivojevic and Stumpel are over there. But consider for a moment all the Russian talent never exposed to North American hockey fans (Emelin and Korneev come to mind).
The future
Lose Valentenko and I lose perspective?
It's a fair point. This stuff, though, is not really about Valentenko. Yes, his leaving costs the Habs a chance at not playing Patrice, but the current open door to Russian millions is far more of a concern considering the core of our team (Kovalev, Markov, Kostitsyn).
And, though the KHL is considerably shaky, even on the best days through its existence. Personally, I don't think it really matter whether the KHL survives or not. I think, what the NHL could experience is the generation of super clubs such as CSKA Moscow, Avangard Omsk, AK Bars Kazan. Frankly, if the NHL is relying on the KHL folding, it should realise that certain mega clubs within it are aiming to become as strong as the mighty Red Wings.
Looking beyond the sheltered North American view of the sporting world and its 5 sports, I look to football (the real version). There, the English Premiership currently enjoys top status in the world (revenue and player salary-wise). But saying that obscures the fact that there are really only 4 mega clubs in England with a couple more that could even hope to bridge the gap one day. The other European countries have their mega clubs too, Milan (X2), Roma, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich. The success of these clubs is barely tied at all anymore to the success of Serie A, La Liga or the Bundesliga.
Hockey too, if the KHL clubs are left to poach, will go this way too. The difference with football is that the NHL operates in a system that props up its weaker members to sustain the integrity of the current league alignment.
The attitude taken by the NHL leadership here only promises to let this situation get out of control. It is appeasement in the face of real power. Reinforcing their laissez-faire attitude when the commissioner needs to do a good few days work here is not helpful either, I feel.
So, instead of dismissing these consecutive events as silly curiosities. I think we (and hopefully someone with power to do something) will face reality: what will we do to help our franchises hold onto the top talent in the world?
More importantly for us, where will the Canadiens be when CSKA (operating with a much looser cap structure) come looking for Andrei Markov?
In related news, I stumbled upon this little piece as I was doing due diligence for the current one. It appears Young Perezhogin is no longer banished in some fans' minds. I guess 17 goals in 23 games will do that...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Valentenko in Russia
Has A Trip To See His Family Led to A KHL Contract?
Valentenko in Russia
Has A Trip To See His Family Led to A KHL Contract?
Precarious times with the KHL have left the door open for this sort of thing.
Now, I don't read Cryrillic, or understand Russian, so I'm trusting this link, but there are murmurings that Valentenko has flown the coop.
His name has indeed been removed from the Bulldogs roster page and now has an ominous (X) beside it on the stats page. so either someone has been hacking the Hamilton website for a bit of fun, or he's gone.
Big loss
This represents a big loss for the Canadiens franchise, as he was a very strong prospect who could have fit nicely into the 4th, 5th pr 6th defenceman role in the very near term.
It just goes to show that there are plenty of consequences to signing and sticking with washed up ineffective veteran Dmen. Some rookies must just not see any future in it.
When some prospects don't look as good as before, and vets look like they've played a few years beyond their best before date, can we really afford to lose this (from Hockey's Future):
I think I will now informally rename this old article. I guess we'll wait for the big websites, though, to confirm it before giving it the old E5...
Now, I don't read Cryrillic, or understand Russian, so I'm trusting this link, but there are murmurings that Valentenko has flown the coop.
His name has indeed been removed from the Bulldogs roster page and now has an ominous (X) beside it on the stats page. so either someone has been hacking the Hamilton website for a bit of fun, or he's gone.
Big loss
This represents a big loss for the Canadiens franchise, as he was a very strong prospect who could have fit nicely into the 4th, 5th pr 6th defenceman role in the very near term.
It just goes to show that there are plenty of consequences to signing and sticking with washed up ineffective veteran Dmen. Some rookies must just not see any future in it.
When some prospects don't look as good as before, and vets look like they've played a few years beyond their best before date, can we really afford to lose this (from Hockey's Future):
Valentenko is blessed with a big shot -- one that earned him hardest AHL shot honours in the 2007-08 season. He combines that with a physical game that borders on, but never crosses into, dirty play. Valentenko's been described as one of the most-hated players in the AHL and combines an ability to get under opponent's skin with the willingness to back it up.
His offensive abilities are limited, but he's able to play a solid fundamental game: making the smart first pass, starting the rush, and taking care of his own end.
I think I will now informally rename this old article. I guess we'll wait for the big websites, though, to confirm it before giving it the old E5...
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Rangers Win First Cup in 15 Years
While most Habs fans were listening to yet another meaningless affair between the Canadiens and the Bruins for no points with goaltenders that won't see the light of day come a week's time, the New York Rangers were busy celebrating a Victoria Cup win in Switzerland.
The perplexed New York media did a decent job of covering the event, though they couldn't wrap their minds around the fact it wasn't just a preseason game, especially not for Metallurg who are in full swing now anyway.
The game itself was a thriller. And were it on the CBC, we'd be calling it a classic. It had all the elements of classic story lines. The bad guys came out fast and beat down the good guys, they built an insurmountable lead, the plucky heroes made a start at coming back, nearly fell a couple of times then finally got it done at the very last second with a breakaway goal.
As much as I hate to say it, you have to be glad the Rangers won this one when the opposing coach says something like this in the post-game interview:
What nonsense.
Also, the Rangers gave this game the respect it deserved (when none was forthcoming from the Stanley Cup Champions or Canadiens) and iced their regular season lineup. They also played it right to the end and did the competition proud.
What's more, a lot of the Rangers got the point, including late-goal hero Ryan Callahan:
If you want the actual story from someone who was actually lucky enough to see this one in Switzerland, the try reading either of these reports: NHL, Scotty Hockey or Victoria Cup site.
In fact, were the Canadiens the team, I think we'd all have had a great time watching this game. As it was, it was still memorable. certainly more so than any exhibition game.
When you think of the Victoria Cup, it is easy to dismiss it as just a silly competition between one big league and a continent of pretenders. But the fact is, now more than ever before, those pretenders are actually contenders – especially in a one-game contest.
I have long thought that hockey needed another trophy to create a bit more of a stir. Rather than look to the template of North American sports where 30 baseball teams can play every day for 7 months so that 8 can eventually vie for a single trophy, I look to European sports where multiple trophies have been the norm for ages. While there's no doubt the Stanley Cup would still take precedence, just like the Premiership trophy or La Liga trophy would, the Victoria Cup could cobble a place for itself as the Champion's league, or at least UEFA Cup of hockey. It would not have to take anything away from the competition for the present Cup, nor would it. A separation of months would see to that.
If you think about it, all trophies take a bit of getting used to and some time to gain a reputation and respect. Famously the World Cup (now undeniably the biggest single-sport sporting event in the world) was a bit of a washout its first few times out. The very first one included only 4 teams from Europe, and only those that were willing to go (i.e., not necessarily the best).
The Victoria Cup was always going to face this kind of apathy to start with, especially with the NHL not mandating its top team to participate. But, it's probably only a Stanley Cup Champion, a Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens classic away from becoming a mainstream favourite in Canada really. I've made no secret of the fact I would like to see our Habs vie for this next season, and as yet there haven't been good arguments against it.
For you trivia buffs, some fun:
First goalscorer in Victoria Cup history: Denis Platonov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Highest point getter in Victoria Cup history: Chris Drury, New York Rangers (2G, 0A)
Most shots on goal in Victoria Cup final: Chris Drury, New York Rangers (9 shots)
Starting goaltenders, Victoria Cup: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; Andrei Mezin, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
The perplexed New York media did a decent job of covering the event, though they couldn't wrap their minds around the fact it wasn't just a preseason game, especially not for Metallurg who are in full swing now anyway.
The game itself was a thriller. And were it on the CBC, we'd be calling it a classic. It had all the elements of classic story lines. The bad guys came out fast and beat down the good guys, they built an insurmountable lead, the plucky heroes made a start at coming back, nearly fell a couple of times then finally got it done at the very last second with a breakaway goal.
As much as I hate to say it, you have to be glad the Rangers won this one when the opposing coach says something like this in the post-game interview:
“We didn’t actually lose the game, we lost a part of it. A big mistake by one of our defencemen decided the game. Otherwise, we might have had a shootout, which is unpredictable,” he added.
What nonsense.
Also, the Rangers gave this game the respect it deserved (when none was forthcoming from the Stanley Cup Champions or Canadiens) and iced their regular season lineup. They also played it right to the end and did the competition proud.
What's more, a lot of the Rangers got the point, including late-goal hero Ryan Callahan:
"There was a lot of energy in the building," game-winning goal hero Ryan Callahan said. "It didn't feel like a preseason game to us."
If you want the actual story from someone who was actually lucky enough to see this one in Switzerland, the try reading either of these reports: NHL, Scotty Hockey or Victoria Cup site.
In fact, were the Canadiens the team, I think we'd all have had a great time watching this game. As it was, it was still memorable. certainly more so than any exhibition game.
When you think of the Victoria Cup, it is easy to dismiss it as just a silly competition between one big league and a continent of pretenders. But the fact is, now more than ever before, those pretenders are actually contenders – especially in a one-game contest.
I have long thought that hockey needed another trophy to create a bit more of a stir. Rather than look to the template of North American sports where 30 baseball teams can play every day for 7 months so that 8 can eventually vie for a single trophy, I look to European sports where multiple trophies have been the norm for ages. While there's no doubt the Stanley Cup would still take precedence, just like the Premiership trophy or La Liga trophy would, the Victoria Cup could cobble a place for itself as the Champion's league, or at least UEFA Cup of hockey. It would not have to take anything away from the competition for the present Cup, nor would it. A separation of months would see to that.
If you think about it, all trophies take a bit of getting used to and some time to gain a reputation and respect. Famously the World Cup (now undeniably the biggest single-sport sporting event in the world) was a bit of a washout its first few times out. The very first one included only 4 teams from Europe, and only those that were willing to go (i.e., not necessarily the best).
The Victoria Cup was always going to face this kind of apathy to start with, especially with the NHL not mandating its top team to participate. But, it's probably only a Stanley Cup Champion, a Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens classic away from becoming a mainstream favourite in Canada really. I've made no secret of the fact I would like to see our Habs vie for this next season, and as yet there haven't been good arguments against it.
For you trivia buffs, some fun:
First goalscorer in Victoria Cup history: Denis Platonov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Highest point getter in Victoria Cup history: Chris Drury, New York Rangers (2G, 0A)
Most shots on goal in Victoria Cup final: Chris Drury, New York Rangers (9 shots)
Starting goaltenders, Victoria Cup: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; Andrei Mezin, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Newsflash: A North American Pundit Notices Other Leagues
You all know what I think about the KHL – it is for real. I have written about it more than once, most recently in July after the landmark Jagr (not Radulov) signing.
Someone from the Hockey News has finally acknowledged the issue of a rival league. Beginning in an almost self-effacing way, Ken Campbell admits that he (and THN) had been a bit naive recently. Oh, but not too wrong.
Anyway, the article is worth a read, if only for the interesting Semin case and Radulov parallel.
It's nice to see someone else giving this important issue for the NHL the light of day. To say that THN considers european leagues a legitimate threat would be overstatement, as you can see with comments like this one:
I'll say it again. Jagr was no joke. Russian teams are not a joke.
Imagine if Sweden also opened up a competitor league with room for millionaires, then the impact on NHL talent would be felt again. Finland, also. These countries are not the CHL, which is entirely limited to junior and mostly in smaller markets. These leagues are major sporting institutions in the countries they play in, and they are based in some of the metropolises of Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia.
Unless the NHL gets off its high horse and gets some sort of agreement, the transfer madness can only hurt one league – and that's the one monopolising most of the hockey talent at the moment. The depth of the league will be challenged, as will the size of it.
Someone from the Hockey News has finally acknowledged the issue of a rival league. Beginning in an almost self-effacing way, Ken Campbell admits that he (and THN) had been a bit naive recently. Oh, but not too wrong.
Anyway, the article is worth a read, if only for the interesting Semin case and Radulov parallel.
It's nice to see someone else giving this important issue for the NHL the light of day. To say that THN considers european leagues a legitimate threat would be overstatement, as you can see with comments like this one:
The Canadian Hockey League owners make a ton of money on the backs of teenagers who make less per hour than the kid who flips burgers at McDonald’s, but they have found a way to live with the NHL raiding its ranks. Not so with Europe, a body the NHL is quickly finding more like dealing with seven individual federations than one.
I'll say it again. Jagr was no joke. Russian teams are not a joke.
Imagine if Sweden also opened up a competitor league with room for millionaires, then the impact on NHL talent would be felt again. Finland, also. These countries are not the CHL, which is entirely limited to junior and mostly in smaller markets. These leagues are major sporting institutions in the countries they play in, and they are based in some of the metropolises of Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia.
Unless the NHL gets off its high horse and gets some sort of agreement, the transfer madness can only hurt one league – and that's the one monopolising most of the hockey talent at the moment. The depth of the league will be challenged, as will the size of it.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sundin, the Media and Me
As you know (if you've been reading this site over the summer), I don't think the Sundin story is the story of the NHL summer – that would be KHL signings. However, it is impossible to deny its importance altogether.
Take the media for example. Every day since July 2nd, we've had an article like this one (When will the Sundin story go away?). Every other day, Mike Boone on the Habs Inside/Out has done his funnier-than-thou take on the story.
The question being asked every time is "When will he decide?", but I think the real question (everyone's doing their best to hide) is: "How did we get so lucky?".
The story doesn't get old because there is legitimate interest and hope from all the key places when it comes to hockey: New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal. The media (I would be wrong to exclude myself from this tag, though I'm decidedly more amateur than most) love this story exactly because it lends itself to jokeyness, mocking and satire. It can be retooled and recycled day after day, and people will still read it because the writers have the knack for expressing some of the angst and frustration the fans are feeling. I think they'll all miss it when it's gone – despite having us believe the opposite. The rumour hack is eating it up too, as it means he doesn't have to do as much work making up false trades and imagining plausible stories to explain their contacts.
While, it is without doubt an important item for the media, I wonder how important it is for the NHL and hockey.
I mean, how many GMs are really on hold? How many players are really left out in the cold until Sundin decides? My feeling on both counts is that there aren't many.
I'll take what I am most familiar with – the Canadiens. They happen to have cobbled a roster together with a $7 million dollar hole in it. But to say they are waiting for Sundin is wrong. Several members of the organisation have made it clear that offers have been made to the (former) Leafs captain, and others have cited how great it could be to have him in the squad; but the Canadiens did not hold up the operation for him. They have signed all their free agents. They have picked up the offensive winger for Koivu. They have grabbed other defencemen.
I acknowledge the "plight" of the unsigned third- and fourth-liners, but if most of us can only dream of an anxious summer before finding out where we can play 10 minutes of hockey every third day for $700,000. I'm not shedding tears for them yet. If they wanted certainty and security, they could do worse than settling for a life in the beautiful Swiss Alps for a few hundred thousand tax-free francs. Again, not an option to people without their hockey skills.
But, really, apart from these unsigned guys, what are the implications for a hockey team?
The main consequence of this summer may be a change in the way things are done in the future. In waiting, Sundin, Sakic, Selanne, Shanahan, the Canadiens, Canucks and Avalanche (to name but a few) have let the air out of the free agent season. They have shown it up for what it is – hype. Maybe teams will also wait in the future – wait for salary demands to settle down, as patience hasn't proven to be too disastrous a strategy.
Sundin and the Habs
Leaving the money for Sundin has been a sensible approach for two reasons:
1. It would be good to have him
2. There are few willing alternatives worth signing that can't wait until September
It is the latter that has been the success story for the Canadiens. Instead of looking to spend for the sake of it to placate restless fans and bloggers (I still want them to spend to cap eventually, as well), they have seen that there is no rush. Generally speaking, I am not anxious about Sundin. On one hand, I can see the great attributes he could bring to the team. But on the other hand, I still find myself aligning myself with my earlier feeling that getting Sundin is a move too far.
I think the chances of his signing are as good now as they ever were. i don't think time has done anything to hurt our bid or Mats' impression of our commitment. I honestly just think that neither side is in that much of a rush. Anyway, even if doesn't sign for us, we still win as Toronto won't be the constant comeback threats they always were without him.
One final Sundin question that has been kicking around a bit under the radar has been the possibility of a Nordic league to compete with the fledgling KHL and the dismissive NHL.
Obviously, these teams would need some infusion of wealth and some star attractions to get off on the right foot. I wonder if a certain three Nordic millionaire superstars aren't following this story more closely from their summer homes back in Scandinavia than we all are, and whether it might be one more option for them all to consider for prolonging their hockey careers.
And how about all of you? Are you waiting and hoping for Sundin? Did you stop caring long before we did? Are you happy with the Habs as they are (or just resigned to them)?
Take the media for example. Every day since July 2nd, we've had an article like this one (When will the Sundin story go away?). Every other day, Mike Boone on the Habs Inside/Out has done his funnier-than-thou take on the story.
The question being asked every time is "When will he decide?", but I think the real question (everyone's doing their best to hide) is: "How did we get so lucky?".
The story doesn't get old because there is legitimate interest and hope from all the key places when it comes to hockey: New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal. The media (I would be wrong to exclude myself from this tag, though I'm decidedly more amateur than most) love this story exactly because it lends itself to jokeyness, mocking and satire. It can be retooled and recycled day after day, and people will still read it because the writers have the knack for expressing some of the angst and frustration the fans are feeling. I think they'll all miss it when it's gone – despite having us believe the opposite. The rumour hack is eating it up too, as it means he doesn't have to do as much work making up false trades and imagining plausible stories to explain their contacts.
While, it is without doubt an important item for the media, I wonder how important it is for the NHL and hockey.
I mean, how many GMs are really on hold? How many players are really left out in the cold until Sundin decides? My feeling on both counts is that there aren't many.
I'll take what I am most familiar with – the Canadiens. They happen to have cobbled a roster together with a $7 million dollar hole in it. But to say they are waiting for Sundin is wrong. Several members of the organisation have made it clear that offers have been made to the (former) Leafs captain, and others have cited how great it could be to have him in the squad; but the Canadiens did not hold up the operation for him. They have signed all their free agents. They have picked up the offensive winger for Koivu. They have grabbed other defencemen.
I acknowledge the "plight" of the unsigned third- and fourth-liners, but if most of us can only dream of an anxious summer before finding out where we can play 10 minutes of hockey every third day for $700,000. I'm not shedding tears for them yet. If they wanted certainty and security, they could do worse than settling for a life in the beautiful Swiss Alps for a few hundred thousand tax-free francs. Again, not an option to people without their hockey skills.
But, really, apart from these unsigned guys, what are the implications for a hockey team?
The main consequence of this summer may be a change in the way things are done in the future. In waiting, Sundin, Sakic, Selanne, Shanahan, the Canadiens, Canucks and Avalanche (to name but a few) have let the air out of the free agent season. They have shown it up for what it is – hype. Maybe teams will also wait in the future – wait for salary demands to settle down, as patience hasn't proven to be too disastrous a strategy.
Sundin and the Habs
Leaving the money for Sundin has been a sensible approach for two reasons:
1. It would be good to have him
2. There are few willing alternatives worth signing that can't wait until September
It is the latter that has been the success story for the Canadiens. Instead of looking to spend for the sake of it to placate restless fans and bloggers (I still want them to spend to cap eventually, as well), they have seen that there is no rush. Generally speaking, I am not anxious about Sundin. On one hand, I can see the great attributes he could bring to the team. But on the other hand, I still find myself aligning myself with my earlier feeling that getting Sundin is a move too far.
I think the chances of his signing are as good now as they ever were. i don't think time has done anything to hurt our bid or Mats' impression of our commitment. I honestly just think that neither side is in that much of a rush. Anyway, even if doesn't sign for us, we still win as Toronto won't be the constant comeback threats they always were without him.
One final Sundin question that has been kicking around a bit under the radar has been the possibility of a Nordic league to compete with the fledgling KHL and the dismissive NHL.
Obviously, these teams would need some infusion of wealth and some star attractions to get off on the right foot. I wonder if a certain three Nordic millionaire superstars aren't following this story more closely from their summer homes back in Scandinavia than we all are, and whether it might be one more option for them all to consider for prolonging their hockey careers.
And how about all of you? Are you waiting and hoping for Sundin? Did you stop caring long before we did? Are you happy with the Habs as they are (or just resigned to them)?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Magnetogorsk Millions: The Rise of a Rival League
Funny thing timing. As we wrap up the Canadiens reviews this week, we are coming to a very important trio of Russian/Belarussian players at the core of the Canadiens recent and future success. Simultaneously, the very real possibility of a significant drop in Russian talent is growing.
Back in May, we spoke about the lack of transfer agreement and how it could harm the NHL in terms of reduced influx of Russian talent. Now, we are seeing real competition for established NHL talent, Russian or not.
This has been coming for some time.
The Russian league, in its old guise as the Super League, was the one league that was poised and ready for the last NHL work stoppage. Players by the busload went to play throughout Russia in 2004-05. AK Bars Kazan from that year iced Lecavalier, Richards, Kovalchuk, Heatley, Kozlov and Kovalev in what (barring a reversal in the salary cap) will likely be the best top two lines ever to be seen again. The European Champions of that year, Avangard Omsk, got it done with star Russians and one Jaromir Jagr. While the Russian champions were thankful to have Datsyuk and Afinogeniv back in the fold to help Ovechkin win the title.
A lot has happened in the NHL since that season.
For one thing, there is a salary cap, which limits the buying power of the biggest teams so outfits in non-traditional (to be polite) hockey markets can bear the weight of competition. For another, the NHL has grown wealthier and, as a result, more arrogant. The arrogance can be witnessed in the league's dealings with and declarations about rival leagues like the new KHL (Continental Hockey League) and national associations in Europe, and in quote like this:
But, it's a dangerous line the NHL is walking. While it probably garners many laughs and guffaws to mock the KHL and the players who make their way there, the truth is the KHL is poaching real talent now. Jagr, for one, was still a scoring star in the league, which is still largely starved of players of his skill and stature. Ray Emery, for all his problems and jokes about him, would be the best goaltending talent on more than a dozen NHL teams (Mike Smith?). And, Alexander Radulov was one of the only half decent things going on in Nashville (an otherwise flailing operation), as far as the NHL was concerned. Add to this list the players that will never come to the NHL (because of the new aversion to drafting Russians), but would outplay the vast majority of second-line talent in the league in a Moscow minute, and the argument builds.
Something else a lot of North Americans need to understand when it comes to the threat of the KHL is that we are not looking at league vs. league here. Of course it is true that the NHL is still the biggest and most powerful hockey league in the world, and will probably remain that way for the forseeable future. However, the biggest 30 hockey clubs in the world are not those in NHL cities alone. Avangard Omsk, owned by Chelsea billionaire Roman Abramovich, could only be dwarfed in buying power by Detroit, Toronto, NYR and the very biggest NHL clubs. Omsk, along with AK Bars Kazan, Moscow Dynamo and a few others are far bigger clubs than Nashville, Atlanta, Florida and the like. In addition, consider that the power structure of the leagues will also be altered, inevitably, by the players which they are able to draw in. The Russian powerhouses are big players and deserve the respect of the NHL.
Ultimately, its my feeling that if the NHL lets the Omsks and Kazans to "wedge" their proverbial feet in the door, the league could be facing wide open movement in the not too distant future. This article from the Sporting News provides an excellent thesis on why this could be the case.
What for the future with Russia?
Unless the NHL comes out from behind its arrogance and makes sincere efforts to negotiate with the KHL as a peer, the losses of players like Jagr could conceivably continue.
Even if the only problem to come from a lack of treaty is the loss of fresh Russian talent to the league, the NHL would suffer. It only takes a glance at the NHL award winners and nominees from this season to understand the important role that Russia has played in changing the face of the North American league:
– Ovechkin walked away with the Maurice Richard trophy, and was only challenged for the Art Ross, Pearson and the Hart trophy by his fellow Russian, Evgeni Malkin
– Pavel Datsyuk won the Selke trophy and the Lady Byng, not to mention the Stanley Cup
– Nabokov didn't win the Vezina, but could have (he was on the first all-star team)
– Kovalev joined Ovechkin, Malkin, Nabokov as the Russians on the first or second all-star teams
– No Russian defenceman garnered Norris nominations or All-Star nods, but we know Markov is better than Brian Campbell, and I imagine people in Dallas know Zubov is too
– 3 of the top 5 scorers were Russians, 5 of the top 11
– 3 of the top 4 goalscorers were Russians
Is it an anomaly that so many Russians are leading the way in scoring in the NHL? Perhaps, but since they have been coming into the league, we have already witnessed players like Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny. I think this new crop is a continuation from those traditions. And, with a flourishing league of their own, there is no good reason to believe that the tradition of Russian hockey talent won't continue
I believe the NHL should make efforts to come to some agreement with the KHL and the Russian Association, primarily because I don't relish a future NHL without Russians. I can't imagine going backwards to a time without exciting (and sometimes enigmatic) Russians. Even this year, if you took Russians out of the mix, a league trying to reinvent itself as a scoring bonanza would be left with Brad Boyes and his 43 goals as the number 3 attraction. It seems the North American skaters are simply not as creative at beating the North American goalies and defencemen (who consequently are the best). What's more, if the NHL stood by its 30-team model in the absence of Russian talent, the days of free-flowing scoring hockey will be over sooner than they began.
And for Europe?
The Russian league and Russian gulf also provide problems for the NHL as a precedent for other European leagues to follow. I've heard on pretty good authority that the next strongest league and association (Sweden) is watching this Russian situation the closest, and will be making their plan of attack for the NHL based on that experience. The Czechs are already disgruntled. And, the Swiss have the money and the momentum to make waves too.
Whereas the efflux of Russians from the league would be a major step backwards, the loss of Europeans of all nationalities would be catastrophic.
Leadership
In times of flux, it helps ton have good leaders to take the helm. It remains to be seen as to whether Bettman can handle this crisis. But, frankly, why should it be his responsibility. If there were a leader among the NHL owners with an ounce of foresight, this moment could have been headed off ages ago. It remains their interests under threat (albeit their employee Bettman is the point-man), and it is their leadership and creativity that needs to be tapped to find a solution.
I have proposed on a number of occasions that one team could realistically set transfer conditions in a treaty-free market independently of all the others, and I see no reason why this could not be pursued. I have also made no secret that I would like this team to be the Canadiens. But, for the ultimate success of the league and the quality of NHL hockey, it wouldn't matter who stepped up. Once one did, the others may follow.
For all the conjecture and ranting, the situation is still within the control of the NHL. All it will take is a little bit of modesty and sincere effort. If not, this won't be the last article written on this topic. They don't call it the thin end of a wedge for nothing...
Back in May, we spoke about the lack of transfer agreement and how it could harm the NHL in terms of reduced influx of Russian talent. Now, we are seeing real competition for established NHL talent, Russian or not.
This has been coming for some time.
The Russian league, in its old guise as the Super League, was the one league that was poised and ready for the last NHL work stoppage. Players by the busload went to play throughout Russia in 2004-05. AK Bars Kazan from that year iced Lecavalier, Richards, Kovalchuk, Heatley, Kozlov and Kovalev in what (barring a reversal in the salary cap) will likely be the best top two lines ever to be seen again. The European Champions of that year, Avangard Omsk, got it done with star Russians and one Jaromir Jagr. While the Russian champions were thankful to have Datsyuk and Afinogeniv back in the fold to help Ovechkin win the title.
A lot has happened in the NHL since that season.
For one thing, there is a salary cap, which limits the buying power of the biggest teams so outfits in non-traditional (to be polite) hockey markets can bear the weight of competition. For another, the NHL has grown wealthier and, as a result, more arrogant. The arrogance can be witnessed in the league's dealings with and declarations about rival leagues like the new KHL (Continental Hockey League) and national associations in Europe, and in quote like this:
"We don't view them as a threat," (Bill Daly) said. "We still believe the best hockey players in the world will continue to want to play in the NHL."
But, it's a dangerous line the NHL is walking. While it probably garners many laughs and guffaws to mock the KHL and the players who make their way there, the truth is the KHL is poaching real talent now. Jagr, for one, was still a scoring star in the league, which is still largely starved of players of his skill and stature. Ray Emery, for all his problems and jokes about him, would be the best goaltending talent on more than a dozen NHL teams (Mike Smith?). And, Alexander Radulov was one of the only half decent things going on in Nashville (an otherwise flailing operation), as far as the NHL was concerned. Add to this list the players that will never come to the NHL (because of the new aversion to drafting Russians), but would outplay the vast majority of second-line talent in the league in a Moscow minute, and the argument builds.
Something else a lot of North Americans need to understand when it comes to the threat of the KHL is that we are not looking at league vs. league here. Of course it is true that the NHL is still the biggest and most powerful hockey league in the world, and will probably remain that way for the forseeable future. However, the biggest 30 hockey clubs in the world are not those in NHL cities alone. Avangard Omsk, owned by Chelsea billionaire Roman Abramovich, could only be dwarfed in buying power by Detroit, Toronto, NYR and the very biggest NHL clubs. Omsk, along with AK Bars Kazan, Moscow Dynamo and a few others are far bigger clubs than Nashville, Atlanta, Florida and the like. In addition, consider that the power structure of the leagues will also be altered, inevitably, by the players which they are able to draw in. The Russian powerhouses are big players and deserve the respect of the NHL.
Ultimately, its my feeling that if the NHL lets the Omsks and Kazans to "wedge" their proverbial feet in the door, the league could be facing wide open movement in the not too distant future. This article from the Sporting News provides an excellent thesis on why this could be the case.
What for the future with Russia?
Unless the NHL comes out from behind its arrogance and makes sincere efforts to negotiate with the KHL as a peer, the losses of players like Jagr could conceivably continue.
Even if the only problem to come from a lack of treaty is the loss of fresh Russian talent to the league, the NHL would suffer. It only takes a glance at the NHL award winners and nominees from this season to understand the important role that Russia has played in changing the face of the North American league:
– Ovechkin walked away with the Maurice Richard trophy, and was only challenged for the Art Ross, Pearson and the Hart trophy by his fellow Russian, Evgeni Malkin
– Pavel Datsyuk won the Selke trophy and the Lady Byng, not to mention the Stanley Cup
– Nabokov didn't win the Vezina, but could have (he was on the first all-star team)
– Kovalev joined Ovechkin, Malkin, Nabokov as the Russians on the first or second all-star teams
– No Russian defenceman garnered Norris nominations or All-Star nods, but we know Markov is better than Brian Campbell, and I imagine people in Dallas know Zubov is too
– 3 of the top 5 scorers were Russians, 5 of the top 11
– 3 of the top 4 goalscorers were Russians
Is it an anomaly that so many Russians are leading the way in scoring in the NHL? Perhaps, but since they have been coming into the league, we have already witnessed players like Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny. I think this new crop is a continuation from those traditions. And, with a flourishing league of their own, there is no good reason to believe that the tradition of Russian hockey talent won't continue
I believe the NHL should make efforts to come to some agreement with the KHL and the Russian Association, primarily because I don't relish a future NHL without Russians. I can't imagine going backwards to a time without exciting (and sometimes enigmatic) Russians. Even this year, if you took Russians out of the mix, a league trying to reinvent itself as a scoring bonanza would be left with Brad Boyes and his 43 goals as the number 3 attraction. It seems the North American skaters are simply not as creative at beating the North American goalies and defencemen (who consequently are the best). What's more, if the NHL stood by its 30-team model in the absence of Russian talent, the days of free-flowing scoring hockey will be over sooner than they began.
And for Europe?
The Russian league and Russian gulf also provide problems for the NHL as a precedent for other European leagues to follow. I've heard on pretty good authority that the next strongest league and association (Sweden) is watching this Russian situation the closest, and will be making their plan of attack for the NHL based on that experience. The Czechs are already disgruntled. And, the Swiss have the money and the momentum to make waves too.
Whereas the efflux of Russians from the league would be a major step backwards, the loss of Europeans of all nationalities would be catastrophic.
Leadership
In times of flux, it helps ton have good leaders to take the helm. It remains to be seen as to whether Bettman can handle this crisis. But, frankly, why should it be his responsibility. If there were a leader among the NHL owners with an ounce of foresight, this moment could have been headed off ages ago. It remains their interests under threat (albeit their employee Bettman is the point-man), and it is their leadership and creativity that needs to be tapped to find a solution.
I have proposed on a number of occasions that one team could realistically set transfer conditions in a treaty-free market independently of all the others, and I see no reason why this could not be pursued. I have also made no secret that I would like this team to be the Canadiens. But, for the ultimate success of the league and the quality of NHL hockey, it wouldn't matter who stepped up. Once one did, the others may follow.
For all the conjecture and ranting, the situation is still within the control of the NHL. All it will take is a little bit of modesty and sincere effort. If not, this won't be the last article written on this topic. They don't call it the thin end of a wedge for nothing...
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