European Leagues Thread

[Manimal]

Wow, that sucks

[Doomski]

Wow, that sucks

Yeah, it does. The most disapointing thing is that despite the first relegation in 2002, the support from the fans was still pretty good, but they are stab once again. The club came back in the second tier, and the objective for next season was to be promoted in the Magnus, which was in my opinion was really feasible. But most of the subventions are sucked by the underperforming soccer club, as it used to be a powerhouse in the 50's, and obviously is more interesting financially. Not being able to play at home this season was also a problem, as the club didn't have any incomes from home games...

France is going to co-host the WC soon,, and we never had as many players playing in the NHL or in the Top Euro Leagues. Despite this progress, the situation back here is really alarming.

[nino33]

I'm looking for complete games from the KHL, and I've found and I'm enjoying these from the 2011-12 season https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 51E742534E

Does anyone know of any other complete KHL games (from more recent seasons) on youtube? I'm not looking for highlights, just complete games

I think I found a few here https://www.youtube.com/user/KHLofficialvideo/videos

[nino33]

Is there any actual possibility that Russian players could be kept (until 28) from leaving Russia to play hockey? http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/other/f ... ar-AAdIpfM

Have any Russian players commented on Fetisov's comments? How would they enforce such a thing?

[Manimal]

Russia is not part of the NHL-IIHF agreement so they can enforce their own transfer rules on the players.

[nino33]

Russia is not part of the NHL-IIHF agreement so they can enforce their own transfer rules on the players.

But how? A return to a closed border?...if that's the case, I suspect we'll see defections occur again (is this part of the reason there seemed to be so many Russian players signing with NHL teams this offseason? getting out while they still can?)

[Alessandro]

Is there any actual possibility that Russian players could be kept (until 28) from leaving Russia to play hockey? http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/other/f ... ar-AAdIpfM

Have any Russian players commented on Fetisov's comments? How would they enforce such a thing?

Old news, nothing serious.

[nino33]

Is there any actual possibility that Russian players could be kept (until 28) from leaving Russia to play hockey? http://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/other/f ... ar-AAdIpfM

Have any Russian players commented on Fetisov's comments? How would they enforce such a thing?

Old news, nothing serious.

Really? I know Fetisov has said such things before, but the Russian reporter's quote was from July 29th...
Wasn't Fetisov just elected to the KHL Board of Directors last week? And said these things again, and that's why it's in the news again?
Even the site you write for has a story only 5 days old http://thehockeywriters.com/in-khl-role ... rs-to-nhl/

[Alessandro]

http://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/news/878364/
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/05/22/fetisovban/
http://www.championat.com/hockey/news-2 ... 8-let.html
http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2015/05 ... 7881.shtml
All from May 22nd.

It's just some talk, nothing serious, nothing will happen.

[nino33]

http://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/news/878364/
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/05/22/fetisovban/
http://www.championat.com/hockey/news-2 ... 8-let.html
http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2015/05 ... 7881.shtml
All from May 22nd.

It's just some talk, nothing serious, nothing will happen.

OK...in NA there'd be a difference between someone "just talking" (May 22) and a member of the Board of Directors talking (last week).
In NA saying such things would put one under a lot of pressure (from the players, league commissioner, the fanbase/public, labour groups, media, etc).

[peachesgp]

Russia is not part of the NHL-IIHF agreement so they can enforce their own transfer rules on the players.

But how? A return to a closed border?...if that's the case, I suspect we'll see defections occur again (is this part of the reason there seemed to be so many Russian players signing with NHL teams this offseason? getting out while they still can?)

But you can't take passports from players given that you need to go into foreign countries for games. That said it'd be bad for KHL teams to try to implement this. Guys would just never play in Russia, rather than play for a couple of years before moving on to greener pastures.

[Alessandro]

http://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/news/878364/
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/05/22/fetisovban/
http://www.championat.com/hockey/news-2 ... 8-let.html
http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2015/05 ... 7881.shtml
All from May 22nd.

It's just some talk, nothing serious, nothing will happen.

OK...in NA there'd be a difference between someone "just talking" (May 22) and a member of the Board of Directors talking (last week).
In NA saying such things would put one under a lot of pressure (from the players, league commissioner, the fanbase/public, labour groups, media, etc).

Well I haven't read of a single person who agreed wih Fetisov at home, that's why I just said it's "just talking". But frankly I don't really think that Fetisov really wants to have players not going to the NHL until they are 28, I think he just used those words to have attention on himself and on the topic which you know it's very sensitive for Russians

[nino33]

http://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/khl/news/878364/
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/05/22/fetisovban/
http://www.championat.com/hockey/news-2 ... 8-let.html
http://www.gazeta.ru/sport/news/2015/05 ... 7881.shtml
All from May 22nd.

It's just some talk, nothing serious, nothing will happen.

OK...in NA there'd be a difference between someone "just talking" (May 22) and a member of the Board of Directors talking (last week).
In NA saying such things would put one under a lot of pressure (from the players, league commissioner, the fanbase/public, labour groups, media, etc).

Well I haven't read of a single person who agreed wih Fetisov at home, that's why I just said it's "just talking". But frankly I don't really think that Fetisov really wants to have players not going to the NHL until they are 28, I think he just used those words to have attention on himself and on the topic which you know it's very sensitive for Russians

Thanks for the reply Alessandro!
I had not heard no one really agrees with Fetisov...

When you say "it's very sensitive to Russians" what do you mean? Do you mean Russians are sensitive about the idea of players leaving Russia to play hockey? If so, that sensitivity supports Fetisov doesn't it? In NA the idea of the government restricting your freedom of employment/movement would be the big deal, not the idea of players leaving the country to play

[Alessandro]

Thanks for the reply Alessandro!
I had not heard no one really agrees with Fetisov...

When you say "it's very sensitive to Russians" what do you mean? Do you mean Russians are sensitive about the idea of players leaving Russia to play hockey? If so, that sensitivity supports Fetisov doesn't it? In NA the idea of the government restricting your freedom of employment/movement would be the big deal, not the idea of players leaving the country to play

Yes, I mean that. But of course no one thinks that the way to achieve it is by forcing players that way. I am sure that, as I said, not even Fetisov is truly wanting it.

[nino33]

When you say "it's very sensitive to Russians" what do you mean? Do you mean Russians are sensitive about the idea of players leaving Russia to play hockey? If so, that sensitivity supports Fetisov doesn't it? In NA the idea of the government restricting your freedom of employment/movement would be the big deal, not the idea of players leaving the country to play

Yes, I mean that. But of course no one thinks that the way to achieve it is by forcing players that way. I am sure that, as I said, not even Fetisov is truly wanting it.

Hmmm...I don't see there being another way, so when you say no one thinks the way to achieve it is by forcing players...what other way would there be?

From Fetisov himself to Ovechkin to Yakupov Russian players have been leaving Russia to play in the NHL for a long time.....I don't understand how people could think there's a way to have them stay when thus far in history the only way ever to keep them was by force (and with defections even that didn't work 100% of the time)

It really is hard for me to understand...a NA good at soccer/football would play in Europe, and no one would ever think he should play in NA for nationalistic reasons

[peachesgp]

When you say "it's very sensitive to Russians" what do you mean? Do you mean Russians are sensitive about the idea of players leaving Russia to play hockey? If so, that sensitivity supports Fetisov doesn't it? In NA the idea of the government restricting your freedom of employment/movement would be the big deal, not the idea of players leaving the country to play

Yes, I mean that. But of course no one thinks that the way to achieve it is by forcing players that way. I am sure that, as I said, not even Fetisov is truly wanting it.

Hmmm...I don't see there being another way, so when you say no one thinks the way to achieve it is by forcing players...what other way would there be?

From Fetisov himself to Ovechkin to Yakupov Russian players have been leaving Russia to play in the NHL for a long time.....I don't understand how people could think there's a way to have them stay when thus far in history the only way ever to keep them was by force (and with defections even that didn't work 100% of the time)

It really is hard for me to understand...a NA good at soccer/football would play in Europe, and no one would ever think he should play in NA for nationalistic reasons

You could take it as that he wants the KHL to reach the level of the NHL so guys don't want to leave, but the only way for it to get there is if they don't leave in the first place.

[nino33]

he wants the KHL to reach the level of the NHL

It wasn't the goal being questioned, it was the potential method of achieving it! HaHa

Seems to me a big deal is sure made over 2-3 dozen players (last year there were only 24 Russians in the NHL...there were 26 Finns, 34 Czechs and 50 Swedes).

[nino33]

As mentioned above, I like to use youtube to have hockey games on "in the background" as I edit

I'm looking for complete games from the KHL, and I've found and I'm enjoying these from the 2011-12 season https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 51E742534E

Does anyone know of any other complete KHL games (from more recent seasons) on youtube? I'm not looking for highlights, just complete games

I think I found a few here https://www.youtube.com/user/KHLofficialvideo/videos

I've found some more European/Russian (and NA) games here, including recent KHL games http://mitivu.blogspot.ca/

[Tasku]

You know you're in the woods, when a hockey team sells firewood in their fan shop!

http://www.saipashop.fi/tuotteet/muut-t ... ivuklapeja

[Alessandro]

Good price too!

[nino33]

Hello to Alessandro and/or anyone who follows the KHL!

Can you tell me who you see as the top 5-6 teams in the KHL this year?
Who are the top few scoring teams? And how about the top defensive teams?
Are any teams considered more physical than most? CSKA seems pretty physical to me...

I've been a fan of European/Russian Leagues since the 1970s! From what I can tell, I looked to them the way some Europeans/Russians looked to the NHL HaHa (so exotic and different/special and cool looking).....I stopped following hockey intensely back in the 90s, and have gotten back into it in more and more in recent years (really because of EHM! HaHa)

For European/Russian Leagues I've been following along a little more each year over the last couple years, mostly the KHL but some Swedish/Finnish/Swiss League action as well...the internet really really helps! I'm looking forward to the start of the KHL season in a couple weeks!

Thanks much to anyone who replies to the KHL questions!

[Alessandro]

I will publish a KHL preview article on HF by the KHL kick off

[nino33]

I will publish a KHL preview article on HF by the KHL kick off

Excellent!

[Manimal]

Tonight, Swedish football team Malmö FF is playing in the Champions League against Paris SG and Malmö-raised Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
André Schultz is a swedish hockeyplayer that is a huge fan of Zlatan and MFF. His First Division (3rd tier in Sweden) team has a practice today but he wanted to go to the game in Paris.
His coaches told him it would be a breach of contract if he misses practice for that reason.
He decided it was worth it and went anyway. Now his team has fired him

[Garethw87]

Tonight, Swedish football team Malmö FF is playing in the Champions League against Paris SG and Malmö-raised Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
André Schultz is a swedish hockeyplayer that is a huge fan of Zlatan and MFF. His First Division (3rd tier in Sweden) team has a practice today but he wanted to go to the game in Paris.
His coaches told him it would be a breach of contract if he misses practice for that reason.
He decided it was worth it and went anyway. Now his team has fired him

That's really stupid! Why not just watch the game on TV?