Can the KHL survive now

[tobu]

You are not wrong stating Slovan had higher attendance, increased revenues, but you need to understand the gigantic difference between the words "more," "higher," and "increased" and the word "enough."

I absolutely agree, it was financially not sustainable, hence why it lasted only a few years. I think for Europe, making the Champions League more attractive, both financially for the teams and marketing wise for the fans is what should happen. I personally am not a fan of the "founding teams" getting a guaranteed spot in the Champions League, it should be based on results and some country coefficient rankings just like in football. Get inspired from UEFA as much as possible, rework domestic league schedules and just make the Champions League work and be an attractive sporting competition for which the fans will care, not like it is today - a side gig.

 

[wacko2]

mettalurg vs barys game 3 series tied on in 10 minuted. Playoffs have been fantastic, whiners keep on crying, the league will be better with more young Russians and less Finns taking up space.
Donetsk will return in 2 years!!

 

[mkev400]

mettalurg vs barys game 3 series tied on in 10 minuted. Playoffs have been fantastic, whiners keep on crying, the league will be better with more young Russians and less Finns taking up space.
Donetsk will return in 2 years!!

Oh yeah, a diluted player pool of inferior players always makes games better... The games might be closer, but the on-ice product isnt better.
As for Dontesk returning, Id be interested to know where they will be playing, since their old arena is burned to a crisp, and even at that it didnt fulfill the standards required...

 

[wacko2]

Oh yeah, a diluted player pool of inferior players always makes games better... The games might be closer, but the on-ice product isnt better.
As for Dontesk returning, Id be interested to know where they will be playing, since their old arena is burned to a crisp, and even at that it didnt fulfill the standards required...

I guess new arena isn't in your vocabulary.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I guess new arena isn't in your vocabulary.

Do you have proof? Because you do know that posts that peddle unsubstantiated rumors are removed, correct?

 

[Jussi]

I absolutely agree, it was financially not sustainable, hence why it lasted only a few years. I think for Europe, making the Champions League more attractive, both financially for the teams and marketing wise for the fans is what should happen. I personally am not a fan of the "founding teams" getting a guaranteed spot in the Champions League, it should be based on results and some country coefficient rankings just like in football. Get inspired from UEFA as much as possible, rework domestic league schedules and just make the Champions League work and be an attractive sporting competition for which the fans will care, not like it is today - a side gig.

That's already been dropped. Teams get in only via sporting merits. It's been like that for few seasons already.

 

[Jussi]

I guess new arena isn't in your vocabulary.

I guess realism isn't a state of mind you recognize.

 

[Zine]

Oh yeah, a diluted player pool of inferior players always makes games better... The games might be closer, but the on-ice product isnt better.
As for Dontesk returning, Id be interested to know where they will be playing, since their old arena is burned to a crisp, and even at that it didnt fulfill the standards required...

The league will be worse, but it will be better for Russian hockey.

One of the unintended consequences of KHL was that it somewhat hindered player development relative to before. Like many predicted, kids started going to the CHL as a result; which in most cases ruined them even more. I suspect the league will resemble the RSL circa mid 2000s. More kids will get opportunities at higher levels.

 

[mkev400]

I guess new arena isn't in your vocabulary.

Sure, building a new arena of sufficient capacity, that is yet to be planned, in a war zone in 2 years...
Thats a good joke I must admit.
Id love for you to show any proof for your unsubstantiated rumors. At least for many of the previous Expansion discussions, there were some obscure sources for the most outlandish rumors...

 

[Exarz]

I guess new arena isn't in your vocabulary.

The budget for Kalmius Arena was 60 million euros in 2013. I would be amazed if they a) even found the money to construct it with today's monetary value and sanctions in place, and b) do you really believe that a new arena even is considered at the to-do list once this is over?

 

[mkev400]

The league will be worse, but it will be better for Russian hockey.

One of the unintended consequences of KHL was that it somewhat hindered player development relative to before. Like many predicted, kids started going to the CHL as a result; which in most cases ruined them even more. I suspect the league will resemble the RSL circa mid 2000s. More kids will get opportunities at higher levels.

I don't dispute that it may end up better for young Russian players, and that it may benefit Russian hockey in the long run. Right now though, those are maybes, and it may have to be seen whether this drain of young russian players to the CHL doesn't continue. We wont know for sure until we see clear trends that either Russian players refuse to go to Canada or the CHL teams elect to pass on Russian Talent alltogether... After all, Money and wealth are very important factors in any decision making, especially for professional athletes since your earning potential in the sport is so severely time limited to 15/20 years.

 

[wacko2]

The budget for Kalmius Arena was 60 million euros in 2013. I would be amazed if they a) even found the money to construct it with today's monetary value and sanctions in place, and b) do you really believe that a new arena even is considered at the to-do list once this is over?

Sports is always a priority and redeveloping the airport area and sporting facilities will be an important part of revitalization of Donetsk.
Wars over soon hopefully and we will see how quickly enemies become friends do they can reap the profits of redeveloping Ukraine.

 

[tobu]

That's already been dropped. Teams get in only via sporting merits. It's been like that for few seasons already.

Of that I was not aware. What are number of teams from a country based off on? Can you link to some source?

 

[mkev400]

Sports is always a priority and redeveloping the airport area and sporting facilities will be an important part of revitalization of Donetsk.
Wars over soon hopefully and we will see how quickly enemies become friends do they can reap the profits of redeveloping Ukraine.

I would go out on a limb and say the most important structures are transport, healthcare, energy and basic commodity supplies, education, residences. Sports and entertainment is a long way down the list, even more so if you are talking about a potential white elephant for a small group of professional athletes, costing millions to build, money that is desperately required literally anywhere else. I think a certain recent global event has taught us as much...

 

[Rigafan]

Let's say Donbass do return to the KHL once the situation is over. They could play in Moscow until a new/suitable arena is found? Or couldn't they use the arena they currently play in in the Ukraine league? I believe it's a tiny training type rink though.

 

[wacko2]

Let's say Donbass do return to the KHL once the situation is over. They could play in Moscow until a new/suitable arena is found? Or couldn't they use the arena they currently play in in the Ukraine league? I believe it's a tiny training type rink though.

Possible, but no doubt bringing the KHL back to Donetsk will be a priority after the war is over. Normalcy in life includes sports.
Interesting how those who don't watch the KHL post here and dream of it failing. Pretty pathetic really.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

I get a feeling the KHL will become a retirement home for a lot NHL players like Ovie and Malkin much sooner than hoped in order to give the league some added attraction with the loss of so many imports now and in future. That in itself could hinder a lot of youth prospects in Russia reaching elite ability especially if they can't develop in North America where facilities and training are (I assume in comparison to Russia) superior.

Feel free to point out if I'm mistaken as I pose this as non-hostile opinion to hockey in Russia only.

 

[Jussi]

Of that I was not aware. What are number of teams from a country based off on? Can you link to some source?

CHL Format

 

[Faterson]

it was financially not sustainable, hence why it lasted only a few years.

Disagree. It would have been sustainable with proper, standard management (for example, the current one). That is not oligarchs. Anyway, that ship has sailed, and the KHL is a dead project for good. We must hope for the resurrection of some sort of a Czecho-Slovak (or wider) league, as unlikely as it is.

 

[johnsic]

Oliwer Kaski and Ville Pokka left Omsk on their own and Omsk is now demanding money from them.
Ville Pokka ja Oliwer Kaski: Omsk vaatii rahaa korvauksena (iltalehti.fi)

I think some other Finnish players are in a similar tight spot too. SKA paid money to get Mikko Lehtonen and they probably don't want him to walk away for nothing.

 

[Rigafan]

Oliwer Kaski and Ville Pokka left Omsk on their own and Omsk is now demanding money from them.
Ville Pokka ja Oliwer Kaski: Omsk vaatii rahaa korvauksena (iltalehti.fi)

I think some other Finnish players are in a similar tight spot too. SKA paid money to get Mikko Lehtonen and they probably don't want him to walk away for nothing.

Well if they have a contact, and they choose to leave and go awol surely they are within their rights to ask for the money back? The chances of their contract having a clause to allow this, I imagine, would be slim to none.

 

[wacko2]

Oliwer Kaski and Ville Pokka left Omsk on their own and Omsk is now demanding money from them.
Ville Pokka ja Oliwer Kaski: Omsk vaatii rahaa korvauksena (iltalehti.fi)

I think some other Finnish players are in a similar tight spot too. SKA paid money to get Mikko Lehtonen and they probably don't want him to walk away for nothing.

That's a positive move for Russian hockey, it's great to see more Russians in the lineup. This will be huge for the development of hockey in Russia. Let's hope it continues.
Finnish players can play in their own league or the AHL.

Avangard leads the series 3-0.

 

[johnsic]

Well if they have a contact, and they choose to leave and go awol surely they are within their rights to ask for the money back? The chances of their contract having a clause to allow this, I imagine, would be slim to none.

Russia started an offensive war so it is perfectly fine to void the contract. You can't be expected to play hockey in a country that is in a war.

 

[Rigafan]

Russia started an offensive war so it is perfectly fine to void the contract. You can't be expected to play hockey in a country that is in a war.

What about foreign players in the NHL when the US invaded Afghan/Iraq recently? Or same in England with foreign soccer players as the UK was involved.

Not to say 'this or that' but it's the same situation. Only difference being Ukraine borders Russia, where these players are currently based.

 

[SoundAndFury]

What about foreign players in the NHL when the US invaded Afghan/Iraq recently? Or same in England with foreign soccer players as the UK was involved.

Well, for the most part, if the player chooses to terminate the contract for whatever personal reason most teams oblige as long as there is a sensible reason behind it. Nobody asks for the money back. Nobody asks Carey Price or Patrik Berglund for their money back. The fact that they walked away from their deals leaving salaries on the table shows there is enough of a reason for them to do so.

If there was an Iraqi player in the NHL and he decided to terminate his contract due to the invasion, do you really think the NHL team wouldn't oblige to termination and effectively bully him into playing out his contract?