EAHL - A New League

[Den]

Today 9 Russian clubs signed a declaration of the creation of a new league next year - Euro-Asian Hockey League. The clubs are: Avangard, CSKA, Spartak, Metallurg, Khimik, MVD, Molot, Ak-Bars, Severstal. The main advocate is Fetisov. According to him his goal is to create a a league that would function according to business rules, would have a solid legal bases and modern facilities, rival the NHL in the future.

Fetisovs aid announced yesterday that there will be 12 teams in the league next year: 9 Russian clubs+Keramin (Minsk)+Torpedo(Ustinka)+Sokol(Kiev). 16 teams after two years:+Riga2000 + Amur(Khabarovsk)+?+?. He also says the league would be open to Czechs, Finns and Swedes. Potentially, 20-30 teams altogether. All geographical concerns can be resolved by dividing the league into divisions.

What are your takes?

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[therealdeal]

So did those teams leave the RSL or something?

 

[Den]

So did those teams leave the RSL or something?

Next year they will

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

A nice idea. Hopefully it works out well and doesnt bust.

But what about the RSL (or other national Leagues) now? Will they be like 2nd Leagues compared to this or how will it work?

 

[Den]

A nice idea. Hopefully it works out well and doesnt bust.

But what about the RSL (or other national Leagues) now? Will they be like 2nd Leagues compared to this or how will it work?

I am sure the RSL will disappear: as soon as these teams leave, the rest will follow. Belorussian, Latvian and Kazakh leagues will stay since no more than 2 teams out of them will participate.

I actually wonder, would, for example, Slovaks participate in this, say in a couple of years?

 

[pihinalle]

Finnish and Swedish teams won't join it, that's for sure. My question is, why there even should be a rival to NHL?

 

[Den]

Finnish and Swedish teams won't join it, that's for sure. My question is, why there even should be a rival to NHL?

For example, because Russia wants it.

 

[wilka91*]

I wonder why Dynamo isn't in. And what's Molot doing there?

 

[Kimi]

Sounds cool. Anyone got a link to news report of this? (I can read Russian so link to that if you want). I hope this goes well. Get a team or two in from the other leagues over here and I'll love even more. I really hope this goes well. I want to see players stay here were I can watch them, not go away to america where I'll never see them.

 

[wilka91*]

gazeta.ru/sport

metallurg.ru

 

[Den]

I wonder why Dynamo isn't in. And what's Molot doing there?

Harchuk sounds all for that in Sport-Express, but says "nobody invited us". I have a feeling Fetisov is edging out the Dynamo mafia from the league. But it is clear that as long as those 11 teams opt for the EAHL, the Superleague will die and everybody else will follow.

 

[Slitty]

No sense in destroying a system that alread works. If you want to play with former Soviet Union clubs or the Slovaks, permit clubs from those countries entry into the RHPL....


This just sounds to risky, what if both the RPHL folds and this new shennanigan. What if both remain active and just amke the overall level in Russia 50% as good as it will not be spread over 2x as many teams.


I dont like it.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

No sense in destroying a system that alread works. If you want to play with former Soviet Union clubs or the Slovaks, permit clubs from those countries entry into the RHPL....


This just sounds to risky, what if both the RPHL folds and this new shennanigan. What if both remain active and just amke the overall level in Russia 50% as good as it will not be spread over 2x as many teams.


I dont like it.

I only think that 2 months after the start, the non-russian club will go on bankrupt. IMHO the rsl is good as it is now

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

I am sure the RSL will disappear: as soon as these teams leave, the rest will follow. Belorussian, Latvian and Kazakh leagues will stay since no more than 2 teams out of them will participate.

I actually wonder, would, for example, Slovaks participate in this, say in a couple of years?

I somehow missed this thread.

Anyway, I dont think Slovaks will be able to participate due to very little financial options. We could compete at best with a 2,5 million dollar budget and that aint a lot.

 

[znarok]

There was an interesting article about this new league on rushockey.com:

http://www.rushockey.com/events.php?i=iihf&stream=iihf_news&id=399

 

[Tokyo Bucks]

Russia seems like the Wild West!

I guess the lockout last year gave them some ammunition, and I wish this EAHL would succeed. Would be cool having multiple top leagues in the world, a la football/soccer.

The Asian part, while admirable and exciting (for someone living in Japan like me), seems extremely unrealistic. Currently Asian League teams are doing ok competing against the equivalent of a Swe-1 team (Nordic Vikings based in Beijing), and last year did alright against Golden Amur (Amur's development team), but they can in no way compete against RSL level teams. They may never reach that level. And a mostly import team of an exotic sport (in Asia) will probably not fare well in the stands and ratings (like NFL Europe?)

But that's not the main concern for Fetisov New development like this are exciting for world hockey.

 

[Slitty]

I see simply merging the Russian and letsay Swedish hockey systems as a better alternative. Same number of clubs at the top level as before, just 1/3 or more of them Swedish.

If you want to create a league that will rival the NHL: its not in Belarus, Latvia, or Japan that you have to build.


11 Russian Clubs
8 Swedish Clubs
6 Czech Clubs
3 Finnish Clubs
2 Slovak Clubs


Or something along the line of those numbers based on current club quality, skill of players, popularity of the sport and national population should be devised.

There should aslo, unlike the NHL, be relegation so in future the clubs of developping nations in a hockey sense could progress from the 2nd division or whatever.

 

[Den]

I see simply merging the Russian and letsay Swedish hockey systems as a better alternative. Same number of clubs at the top level as before, just 1/3 or more of them Swedish.

If you want to create a league that will rival the NHL: its not in Belarus, Latvia, or Japan that you have to build.


11 Russian Clubs
8 Swedish Clubs
6 Czech Clubs
3 Finnish Clubs
2 Slovak Clubs


Or something along the line of those numbers based on current club quality, skill of players, popularity of the sport and national population should be devised.

There should aslo, unlike the NHL, be relegation so in future the clubs of developping nations in a hockey sense could progress from the 2nd division or whatever.

That's a completely unrealistic every European fan's dream. This would be called Euroleague, actually. Now, tell me, do you think these 8 Swedish clubs would change their bus trips for a 7 hour flight to Omsk, to the "land of the scary and the misterious"?