OT: Would you stay or would you go?

[Suntouchable13]

Let's say you're a top level NHL UFA who is North-American. A team in the KHL offers you more money than any team in the NHL is able to offer, would you take less money (although still a lot) to stay in NA? Or would you take the even more bloated salary and move to Russia/Europe? I would rather take the less money and stay in the NHL, I wouldn't want to move to a completely different country and try to integrate into a new culture. Possibly needing to learn a new language. Also, not to mention that the KHL is the inferior league. I'd take familiarity and comfort over a few extra million. What say you?

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[Cor]

Stop making threads Cor. (lounge Joke)

To answer, depends on the circumstances. Am I a superstar? Am I married, or single? Do I have kids? Have my past two years been rough, and going away for a year could help?

 

[Eb]

 

[Suntouchable13]

OK, let's say you're a Stamkos. That means you don't have any kids, you're not married (not as far as I know), and you're a superstar.

 

[Cor]

Then no, I don't leave. Unless I am like Russian and homesick

 

[Mess]

Let's say you're a top level NHL UFA who is North-American. A team in the KHL offers you more money than any team in the NHL is able to offer, would you take less money (although still a lot) to stay in NA? Or would you take the even more bloated salary and move to Russia/Europe? I would rather take the less money and stay in the NHL, I wouldn't want to move to a completely different country and try to integrate into a new culture. Possibly needing to learn a new language. Also, not to mention that the KHL is the inferior league. I'd take familiarity and comfort over a few extra million. What say you?

Depends where you were born.

If you were say Kulemin and playing in NA that is playing abroad where returning to the KHL for more money would be returning home. Komarov is perfectly happy in the KHL for similar reasons for money will play a part in his decision if he is willing to take less to play in the NHL.

A North American born player that calls home on this side of the ocean is more likely to take less money to stay and play at home. They usually head to Europe to play when there isn't opportunities to do so.

I'm Canadian born so I would prefer to play in the NHL if possible, but if it was playing for some obscure ECHL team or play for more money in Europe I certainly wouldn't be opposed to play overseas. Then again I love traveling and have been many places throughout he World, so perhaps that plays a part in my decision as well.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Then no, I don't leave. Unless I am like Russian and homesick

North American, born and raised in the US or Canada. Obviously it is completely different if you're Russian.

Would your answer be different if you were, let's say, Clarkson? Probably not, as you would be married with a kid then.

 

[Peasy]

Stay lol... Is that even a question? Hockey players in NA, their dream growing up is to win the Stanley cup, not the KHL championship.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Stay lol... Is that even a question? Hockey players in NA, their dream growing up is to win the Stanley cup, not the KHL championship.

I just thought that $$$ is more of a king to some of you. I just wanted to see if anybody would take the $$$

 

[SourGrapes]

I would like to play a year overseas. I'd prefer it be under lockout circumstances, but if I was offered a fair bit of money I'd go. Wouldn't play out my career there, but I'd go for a year or two.

This isn't really a monetary decision, rather my desire to get to know the European culture and see the world.

 

[Cor]

North American, born and raised in the US or Canada. Obviously it is completely different if you're Russian.

Would your answer be different if you were, let's say, Clarkson? Probably not, as you would be married with a kid then.

Either way I stay. Only way I consider it is if I'm Russian/European and I'm struggling to make an NHL team

 

[Epictetus]

If I am making more money, then I would go. Money over everything.

 

[Grant]

If I'm north american I would stay, if I was european I would probably leave.

The reason I would stay is because when I'm already making 6m+, what another couple million? Already have more than I can spend.

 

[Swervin81]

First thing I thought of too.

I'd stay in NA though. Just because you get paid more in Russia doesn't mean that you will benefit more. Russia's economy is way different. When you also add the political factor, as well as a completely different culture and playing inferior competition, it is an easy choice to stay in NA.

 

[ConnorTO]

if i could play for Toronto be great cause i live here...

 

[Al14]

Russian passenger jets or North American passenger jets?

NHL AINEC!

 

[htpwn]

Depends.

If your making $1 million more per year, it isn't worth it. The NHL offers better travel, better hotels, better facilities, better destinations (Moscow may be nice, but who wants to go to Novosibirsk on a road trip?), and more familiar lifestyle. If your European/Russian, obviously the latter doesn't matter as much, and you might even be more comfortable there than here.

If your offered significantly more, yeah definitely, especially if it is from one of the top teams/cities. Moscow, St. Petersburg, Zagreb would be nice, Prague, Riga, even Minsk.

 

[Swervin81]

Russian passenger jets or North American passenger jets?

NHL AINEC!

Good point. Russia has the worst air travel safety in the world (most plane crashes per capita).

 

[DD03]

I think it was Jagr who said he had to wait outside in a snow storm for the airplane to show up. No thanks, I'll stick to the classy NHL.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Russian passenger jets or North American passenger jets?

NHL AINEC!

Its why I say not the K, unless there is no other opportunities.
I'd rather play in Switzerland or Germany, or the northern leagues.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Depends.

If your making $1 million more per year, it isn't worth it. The NHL offers better travel, better hotels, better facilities, better destinations (Moscow may be nice, but who wants to go to Novosibirsk on a road trip?), and more familiar lifestyle. If your European/Russian, obviously the latter doesn't matter as much, and you might even be more comfortable there than here.

If your offered significantly more, yeah definitely, especially if it is from one of the top teams/cities. Moscow, St. Petersburg, Zagreb would be nice, Prague, Riga, even Minsk.

...and soon Helsinki

 

[Finnish your Czech]

I wouldn't, in most cases.

The only case I could think of would be a situation where I'm not wanted in North America due to a scandal or something like that.

Either way, after you get to the multi million dollar salary range, an increase in salary isn't THAT important.

 

[pucci2001]

Let's say you're a top level NHL UFA who is North-American. A team in the KHL offers you more money than any team in the NHL is able to offer, would you take less money (although still a lot) to stay in NA? Or would you take the even more bloated salary and move to Russia/Europe? I would rather take the less money and stay in the NHL, I wouldn't want to move to a completely different country and try to integrate into a new culture. Possibly needing to learn a new language. Also, not to mention that the KHL is the inferior league. I'd take familiarity and comfort over a few extra million. What say you?

In all honesty, depends what stage of my career, and of course exactly how much extra are we talking here?

I would take a haircut to play for the Leafs but if I had to play for Nashville for 2 million or in Russia or Sweden for 5 I think Russia is the easy decision unless there is some sort of connection I have with teammates/coach etc.

Worst case is I go to Russia for 1 or 2 seasons make fat stacks then come back and I can work for the league minimum and have a choice of where I would like to play.

 

[BIitz]

Let's be real here, you'd be offered significantly more to leave. I'm saying if you were offered 8M here, you'd be offered 11M there. And if that's the case, it's an easy go.

11 mil over lets say 10 years vs 8 mil over 10 years is a difference of 30 million. You'd have to be insane to turn down 30 million.

There's more ways to win a stanley cup than as a player. Getting a chance to play in Russia, learn a new language and experience a new culture while getting paid more than I would at home is an easy yes.

 

[Igy]

Lol, I would never play in Russia.