Derrico Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Hey, I've been on the road much of the past week and a half so please merge if this has already been posted. Great article describing life in the KHL and the leagues aspirations to rival the NHL and expand to a 60 team league!! http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1111783--khl-gun-slinging-owners-drugs-dodgy-air-travel-all-part-of-the-game?bn=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportsFan88 Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 If that happens i'm done...I think of it more equivelant to the AHL except much better pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted January 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 If that happens i'm done...I think of it more equivelant to the AHL except much better pay. I agree with you and based on how the league is currently operating, I find it hard to believe they will ever attract the high end players. The NHL is complaining about travel as it is and what's the longest flight? Four, 4.5 hours? They describe 9 hour flights over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Two things forever scar my view of the KHL: 1. Alexi Cherapanov 2. Lokomotiv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportsFan88 Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Two things forever scar my view of the KHL: 1. Alexi Cherapanov 2. Lokomotiv True but have any NHL players ever died from an in game incident or anything similar? Lokomotiv was their version of Marshall. That could happen anywhere theoretically. But I see your point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 True but have any NHL players ever died from an in game incident or anything similar? Lokomotiv was their version of Marshall. That could happen anywhere theoretically. But I see your point. As the story states, Russian air travel has an abysmal safety record. You could argue its lucky it doesn't happen more often. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Very interesting read. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 As the story states, Russian air travel has an abysmal safety record. You could argue its lucky it doesn't happen more often. PTR That's exactly what I meant when I say it. It's very similar to the Cherapanov situation in that corners were cut and tragedy followed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 And now that I have read the story, wow. I almost had to stop after the opening portion about Cherapanov. The whole thing gave me chills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 60 teams is a bit much, 40 teams is more likely when russians start throwing around money a bit less. several eastern european countries already got teams playing in the KHL, within the nest 10 yrs i can see western european power houses following suit. making a big european league. if that happens i can see the KHL being bigger then the NHL within 20yrs. ice hockey ranks around #10 th when it comes to most watched games in america. in europe the field is wide open after Football. and ice-hockey is a top 3 favourite sport in many european countries. would only be natural if this happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 60 teams is a bit much, 40 teams is more likely when russians start throwing around money a bit less. several eastern european countries already got teams playing in the KHL, within the nest 10 yrs i can see western european power houses following suit. making a big european league. if that happens i can see the KHL being bigger then the NHL within 20yrs. ice hockey ranks around #10 th when it comes to most watched games in america. in europe the field is wide open after Football. and ice-hockey is a top 3 favourite sport in many european countries. would only be natural if this happens. This is really how I see it, too. Aside from the apparent financial issues, a big european league could certainly be successful. The more countries to get involved, the more sponsorships/attendance/ratings money will come along with it. And of course with this money, they would have to set and enforce a standard for safe air travel, arena size/safety/capacity, etc. It will take a long time. But sure, I can see a "super league" overseas being pretty successful. Talent wise, I'm not sure how well it can compete with the NHL, but once the money starts rolling in it could certainly become a more viable option for european players to play in the KHL rather than leave their families and lives behind to play in the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 This is really how I see it, too. Aside from the apparent financial issues, a big european league could certainly be successful. The more countries to get involved, the more sponsorships/attendance/ratings money will come along with it. And of course with this money, they would have to set and enforce a standard for safe air travel, arena size/safety/capacity, etc. It will take a long time. But sure, I can see a "super league" overseas being pretty successful. Talent wise, I'm not sure how well it can compete with the NHL, but once the money starts rolling in it could certainly become a more viable option for european players to play in the KHL rather than leave their families and lives behind to play in the NHL. Any league like that would have to start with the Russians. Take a look at how chaotic it is over there. I can't picture them every getting on board with all of the requirements you're mentioning here. It's just way too shady. That line in the story about how they won't even say what the owner's name is just about sums it up perfectly. I don't know how they overcome that level of corruption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawerchuk Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Awesome article. Great perspective. Thanks for sharing that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blugold43 Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 anybody else watch and enjoy this league? i agree that the caliber of play is closer to AHL than NHL, but even that caliber of hockey on the huge international-sized rinks is a better show than the NHL puts on on many nights. they even play cotton-eyed joe when the puck goes out of play. so what's not to like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Maybe this would help motivate the Sabres..but then these guys would never see home i guess "Other KHL clubs demand players stay pre-game nights in basas, remote bases in the middle of nowhere with small beds with thin mattresses, poor heating and worse food. A bad game can mean a second night’s stay" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattPie Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 As the story states, Russian air travel has an abysmal safety record. You could argue its lucky it doesn't happen more often. PTR There were 9 commercial air crashes last year in Russia, out of thousands upon thousands of flights. Even 'abysmal' in this case is pretty freaking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Maybe this would help motivate the Sabres..but then these guys would never see home i guess "Other KHL clubs demand players stay pre-game nights in basas, remote bases in the middle of nowhere with small beds with thin mattresses, poor heating and worse food. A bad game can mean a second night’s stay" If it keeps them off Chippewa and ending up in SGM photos on Facebook, then I'm all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Amerk Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Great article. Thank you for posting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Any league like that would have to start with the Russians. Take a look at how chaotic it is over there. I can't picture them every getting on board with all of the requirements you're mentioning here. It's just way too shady. That line in the story about how they won't even say what the owner's name is just about sums it up perfectly. I don't know how they overcome that level of corruption. Who said the russians would be running things? its not the only hockey nation over here. And as for talent, i give it 20 yrs cause by then im sure europe will be a bigger hockey market, and the talent from north america will flow to us. will be sad day when competing for the stanley cup will become 2nd tier competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Who said the russians would be running things? its not the only hockey nation over here. And as for talent, i give it 20 yrs cause by then im sure europe will be a bigger hockey market, and the talent from north america will flow to us. will be sad day when competing for the stanley cup will become 2nd tier competition. Russia is the base of all of this. They're going to have a majority of the teams and we're already talking about a league that was started in Russia. Do you really think they'll ever want to let go of the power? As long as this thing is in Russian hands (forever), corruption will win out. As for the 20 years thing, good luck on that one. The talent is never going to flock over there. Hockey is and forever will be a canadian game. Their market will never dry out and those players will not cross the ocean to play the game that is already thriving in their home country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WanderingEye Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 As long as it's still "bring your own toilet seat" for some of the teams in the league I don't think the KHL will overtake the NHL anytime soon. Another interesting contrast in the article was between the Russian native Afinogenov, who seems to be quite happy in the KHL, and the Canadian Andre Benoit who is on a team that plays in a small, ancient venue, doesn't want his family going out by themselves, and has to buy his own equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Actually there is a basis for a european super league, I'm sure russian teams would make up 25% of it but nothing more. And as for talent staying in North america. Talent will go where the money is. Just hoping when this super league gets formed, flanders (richest region in western europe) gets his own team, allthough not being a hockey market. A european super league would bring in enough attention on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 As long as it's still "bring your own toilet seat" for some of the teams in the league I don't think the KHL will overtake the NHL anytime soon. Another interesting contrast in the article was between the Russian native Afinogenov, who seems to be quite happy in the KHL, and the Canadian Andre Benoit who is on a team that plays in a small, ancient venue, doesn't want his family going out by themselves, and has to buy his own equipment. The Russian owners are going to treat the Russian Afinogenov far better than they're going to treat the Canadian Benoit. That goes for the fans as well. Our fans over here in North America do the same exact thing. Luckily the owners really can't thanks to the rules and enforcement of the NHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another thing i wanted to say is, A european super league would mean ice - hockey would take the wide open space as the #2 sport (after football) for 700 million people. While ice - hockey in USA only takes like #10 spot, i mean its behind college basketball and college football even. only ones crying would be the canadians for having a 2nd tier league by that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattPie Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Another thing i wanted to say is, A european super league would mean ice - hockey would take the wide open space as the #2 sport (after football) for 700 million people. While ice - hockey in USA only takes like #10 spot, i mean its behind college basketball and college football even. only ones crying would be the canadians for having a 2nd tier league by that time. While I'm not completely disagreeing with you, do you really think that hockey in, say, Spain or Italy is going to be any more successful than NFL Europe? I think the NHL's expansion into southern cites in the US shows that just because you put teams in places, they may not draw fans if they don't already know the sport. Besides, hockey would be competing with (although not as much in the winter) F1, MotoGP, World Superbike, Rugby (both league and union), and basketball, among other things in a lot of places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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