Pre-Game Talk: Week to Find a Road Win (@CHI, @CBJ, ARZ)

Ceremony

blahem
Jun 8, 2012
113,011
15,075
Oh, come on. The dude was ushered back to Russia because he wasn't any good, not because of any inherent bias.
Unquestionably, but that wasn't really the point of that particular quote. Every draft sees Russian players selected with this mystical Russian Factor mentioned every time regardless of their actual background. It was brought up on this board in relation to Zadorov at the start of this season, even though he'd played in North America since his teens. If players playing in Russia know NHL teams are going to constantly doubt them because of where they come from, why wouldn't they feel as if they're constantly being judged negatively for it?
 

5280

To the window!
Jan 15, 2011
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Unquestionably, but that wasn't really the point of that particular quote. Every draft sees Russian players selected with this mystical Russian Factor mentioned every time regardless of their actual background. It was brought up on this board in relation to Zadorov at the start of this season, even though he'd played in North America since his teens. If players playing in Russia know NHL teams are going to constantly doubt them because of where they come from, why wouldn't they feel as if they're constantly being judged negatively for it?

I guess there are a couple of different ways of looking at it......... but to me it sounds like he was playing the victim card, here. It's a result driven league, not a social experiment.
 
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The Mars Volchenkov

Registered User
Mar 31, 2002
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He wasn’t good, but he was likely promised a NHL spot and it just didn’t happen for long. Keep in mind that when he signed the Avs didn’t have Nemeth or Girard and that changed things.

Either way, I don’t think this is much of a loss. He didn’t look like an NHL player.
 

5280

To the window!
Jan 15, 2011
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He wasn’t good, but he was likely promised a NHL spot and it just didn’t happen for long. Keep in mind that when he signed the Avs didn’t have Nemeth or Girard and that changed things.

Either way, I don’t think this is much of a loss. He didn’t look like an NHL player.

Yeah...... I'd have to hear what he was promised or how it was worded, I guess.
 

henchman21

Mr. Meeseeks
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Feb 24, 2012
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The stigma on Russian players is self-fulfilling. The big issue is that they will leave quickly if they don't get handed NHL time, and that they are not willing to put in the work in the AHL to earn that NHL chance. Team are leery because they want to develop and they want good players, but they also need results. They can't always keep up a worse Russian player over a better Canadian player just to keep the Russian happy. That gets GMs, scouts, and coaches fired over the long haul. It happens in some instances (even happened here with Mironov), but they don't usually happen over the course of years. On the other side, the Russian players tend to have options that pay them 4-5-6 times what they make in the AHL. I get why you wouldn't want to stick around the AHL when you can be making absurdly more money.

A much different way of looking at it is like a long-term investment. Is it better to take a guaranteed 400-500k a year for the next 6-7 years, or is it better to make 162k a year for 2 years with a 50% chance of making 900k to 1.5++m for years after that?
 
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Pokecheque

Whack it Hard to Girard
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I read somewhere (was it here?) that Russian fans get mad at Russian junior-age players who opt to play in NA to hone their game, like Svechnikov. Some have practically denounced him for doing so. Shvyryov will no doubt receive similar pressure.

Also, everyone remember when Malkin was bullied into signing a multiyear deal in the KHL and then was basically sneaked out of the country to begin his NHL career?

I get that the Twitter story Slava Malamud posted today has largely been denounced but there's no doubt that there's some super-shady stuff going on over there.
 

tigervixxxen

Optimism=Delusional
Jul 7, 2013
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I read somewhere (was it here?) that Russian fans get mad at Russian junior-age players who opt to play in NA to hone their game, like Svechnikov. Some have practically denounced him for doing so. Shvyryov will no doubt receive similar pressure.

Also, everyone remember when Malkin was bullied into signing a multiyear deal in the KHL and then was basically sneaked out of the country to begin his NHL career?

I get that the Twitter story Slava Malamud posted today has largely been denounced but there's no doubt that there's some super-shady stuff going on over there.
Go read any Russian's thread on the prospect board, you'll see it easily. Their theory is they get all the skill beat out of them by coming to NA and they fail here. One even blamed Kamenev's injury on coming over too early.
 

dahrougem2

Registered User
Dec 9, 2011
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I think Russians have a legitimate gripe when it comes to skill/style of play differences. Go read Evegeny Kuznetsov's Player's Tribune article on when he first came to Washington and the literal shock he felt witnessing Alex Ovechkin play dump and chase hockey.
 

henchman21

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I think Russians have a legitimate gripe when it comes to skill/style of play differences. Go read Evegeny Kuznetsov's Player's Tribune article on when he first came to Washington and the literal shock he felt witnessing Alex Ovechkin play dump and chase hockey.

That is a big ice/small ice thing... and not so much about a preference towards dump and chase. With how tight the game is in NA, they HAVE to dump the puck and grind sometimes. Dancing around with the puck trying to carry it in can easily lead to turnovers and odd man rushes that lose games. These moments obviously still happen (and MacK is one of the best in the game at controlled zone entries), but they are difficult on small ice and they can't be pulled off every time. Spots have to be picked much better.
 

dahrougem2

Registered User
Dec 9, 2011
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That is a big ice/small ice thing... and not so much about a preference towards dump and chase. With how tight the game is in NA, they HAVE to dump the puck and grind sometimes. Dancing around with the puck trying to carry it in can easily lead to turnovers and odd man rushes that lose games. These moments obviously still happen (and MacK is one of the best in the game at controlled zone entries), but they are difficult on small ice and they can't be pulled off every time. Spots have to be picked much better.
I'm not disagreeing. It's a legitimate gripe they have when coming from Russia, though. They have never played that style of hockey in their lives, and all of a sudden they have to or else they'll be stapled to the bench for mistakes.
 

Ivan13

Not posting anymore
May 3, 2011
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Go read any Russian's thread on the prospect board, you'll see it easily. Their theory is they get all the skill beat out of them by coming to NA and they fail here. One even blamed Kamenev's injury on coming over too early.
That guy is a complete clown. No one with half a brain functioning can come to such a conclusion. Not to mention that gloating over a kid getting injured is the lowest of the low. Completely brainwashed.
 

Freudian

Clearly deranged
Jul 3, 2003
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I was going to write that Arizona scares me but it's more Colorado that scares me a bit at the moment. Wildly inconsistent.
 

The Kingslayer

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Aug 26, 2004
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I was going to write that Arizona scares me but it's more Colorado that scares me a bit at the moment. Wildly inconsistent.
Yotes been playing some good hockey. I wouldn't be shocked if we lost the way the Yotes have been going and our issues on the road. Nobody should be shocked if we lose to them.
 

Sascha

Registered User
Jan 7, 2018
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Yotes been playing some good hockey. I wouldn't be shocked if we lost the way the Yotes have been going and our issues on the road. Nobody should be shocked if we lose to them.

nashville has won the last 10 games and we looked damn good against them. but right, it will not be easy vs. the yotes. but we play at home, so we'll see completely different avs. for whatever reason
 

Grackle Party

Full of guts!!
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Everyone keeps saying the Avs are inconsistent... I guess I get what they are saying but inconsistent is the wrong way to describe them. They are incredibly consistent, great at home, not great on the road.
 

CobraAcesS

De Opresso Liber
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The funny thing is... It's actually key that they pull point from the road. If you look at NSH and WPG they have double the road OT points. It's just a little late in the game for the Avs lol.
 

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