Baltic Hockey League
- Thread starter Pardus
- Start date
Yes, sadly it is. Many fans would want the qualification games between Liiga and Mestis back. Maybe it will happen in the future when it's the right time to promote Jokerit and Kiekko-Espoo back to Liiga. Number of teams can't be raised too much so qualification should come back then.
ozo
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- Feb 24, 2010
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I'm not buying it really just because I don't see Estonia putting together a legit Mestis team.
Robert Rooba - Erik Embrich - Kristjan Kombe
Mark Viitanen - Robert Arrak - Morten Jürgens
Marek Potšinok - Erik Potšinok - Nikita Puzakov
Vadim Vasjonkin - Rasmus Kiik - Andre Linde
Deniss Kontseus, Klaus Jõgi
Eduard Slessarevski - Daniil Kulintsev
Konrad Kudeviita - Patrick Kookmaa
Hendrik-Paul Laosma - Artjom Anufrijev
Conrad Mölder
Georg Vladimirov
Would be legit enough.
ozo
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I meant legit as like one that is actually realistic - Rooba dropping to Mestis is simply not happening. If there was an Estonian NHLer out there, you would also slot him in to your Mestis roster? Anyway, just look at that D, how is those Sarja players suddenly reasonable Mestis players?
If there were to be a team from Tallinn in Mestis, then very likely there would be some foreigners playing for Tallinn. I think even a couple of Mestis caliber finnish defensmen would be enough for that roster be very competitive.
Rooba and Kombe are unrealistic indeed, but others would definitely be willing to play. I would add some candidates from players in swedish leagues: Usov, Svartbro, Aleksandrov, Ossipov (D).
All in all I think that putting together a good team for Mestis is doable. Only problem would be money. It just doesn´t seem like we have sponsors who are willing to bet on hockey. Football and basketball are still getting the most of the attention.
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Mestis pohtii laajenemista ulkomaille – "Olemme käyneet hyvin aktiivisia keskusteluja"
Suomalaisella miesten jääkiekon toiseksi korkeimmalla sarjatasolla Mestiksellä on kiinnostusta laajentua ulkomaille. Mestiksen operatiivinen johtaja Olli Aro kertoo, että aktiivisimpia keskusteluja on käyty Baltian suuntaan.
www.mtvuutiset.fi
Mestis pohtii laajenemista ulkomaille – "Olemme käyneet hyvin aktiivisia keskusteluja"
Suomalaisella miesten jääkiekon toiseksi korkeimmalla sarjatasolla Mestiksellä on kiinnostusta laajentua ulkomaille. Mestiksen operatiivinen johtaja Olli Aro kertoo, että aktiivisimpia keskusteluja on käyty Baltian suuntaan.
www.mtvuutiset.fi
Edit. Ah, @Exarz had already posted that.
Are there any plans for developing the BHL next season? HK Kurbads played in Estonian league this season so maybe finally a real united league?
07-08 there were one team from Estonia and Lithuania in Latvian league.
07-08 there were one team from Estonia and Lithuania in Latvian league.
I havent heard any rumors about BHL for next season. I hope that atleast the previous format will stay for the next season. Hopefully as years go by this format would eventually lead to a full united league, but it is not happening anytime soon as Estonian teams dont have funds to travel this much. Also we may excpect that multiple estonian teams will lose Russian players. Viru Sputnik will likely miss the next season.
I heard some rumors about Kurbads, that had they won the Estonian Championship they would be playing in the Latvian league next season. But I hope Kurbads stays for a few more years, because they made the league so much better and interesting. I think it shows that with Latvians it is possible to improve Estonian nad Lithuanian domestic hockey.
EDIT: HC Panter's head coach was asked what was the most memorable game of the season and he simply anserwed: "All the games against Kurbads and maybe the bronze medal game".
The Estonian team in the Latvian league had to fold because of the economic crisis, but was quite succesful as they iced mostly estonian players and were competitive. It was also the first fully proffessional ice hockey team in Estonia.
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SoundAndFury
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- May 28, 2012
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Energija played in the Latvian championship for almost 10 years so we know full well it's not feasible. Now more than ever when the Latvian league is truly having some decent teams.
How about one professional team from Lithuania and one from Estonia in Latvian league?
Yes, I remember. I was living in Tartu at the time. It was really sad that it lasted only one season.
I also watched from TV channel Kalev Sport when Rooba played his first games in Estonian league with Purikad as he was just 14 years old.
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SoundAndFury
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Well, it's the usual. There is no money, no real interest, neither of those teams would be truly competitive in the Latvian league and it would kill the domestic league. There is just more downsides than upsides. Especially since Latvian clubs are pretty open to Lithuanian kids who want to play for them as is (Alisauskas, Kaleinikovas, Verenis all being reasonably notable success stories).
GX
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I guess Latvian 16-17 year olds playing in Estonian or Lithuanian league IN ADDITION to Latvia2 makes a bit more sense in helping to improve EE/LT hockey. So, let's say Marupe, who is a bit more wealthy, joining Lithuanian league, Kurbads playing in Estonia. IF, however, there is someone with ambition and money in EE or LT, it would be cool to see them in Latvian league.
Mestis tähyää laajemmille markkinoille: uusi joukkue Latviaan tähtäimessä jo syksyksi, Viro vuotta myöhemmin
Mikäli kevään aikana vilkkaana käyneet neuvottelut menevät maaliin, Mestistä pelataan pian kotimaan kaukaloiden lisäksi Latvian mestarin kotihallissa.
www.jatkoaika.com
Negotiations going on:
Zemgale to join 22-23 season
New team from Tallinn to join 23-24
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GX
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Updates from Zemgale:
Budget not bigger than EUR 1.5m
Will continue to also play in Latvian league
Abols continues as head coach
Focus on players who are on U20 NT radar, but more experienced players to be present
Budget not bigger than EUR 1.5m
Will continue to also play in Latvian league
Abols continues as head coach
Focus on players who are on U20 NT radar, but more experienced players to be present
GX
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So, 3 Lithuanian teams confirmed willing and ready to play in the Latvian league. Six Latvian teams (all from last season, except for Liepaja). They may call it the Baltic league, there isn't a decision yet, in such a case it would serve also as both Latvian and Lithuanian championship.
Overall, great to have Lithuanians onboard, but 3 teams at once is a lot and will bring down the level of play unfortunately. Also, I hope they won't decrease number of games to 4 rounds of 8 games. Latvian league has played 5 rounds in regular season in the past, so I hope they opt for that, even though it seems unlikely. But let's see.
Overall, great to have Lithuanians onboard, but 3 teams at once is a lot and will bring down the level of play unfortunately. Also, I hope they won't decrease number of games to 4 rounds of 8 games. Latvian league has played 5 rounds in regular season in the past, so I hope they opt for that, even though it seems unlikely. But let's see.
Eye of Ra
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GX
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There were some rumors going around that they might help finance Olimp Riga's season. So there may be some collaboration there.
ozo
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Sometimes it is funny how detached you are from reality, this is not one of those times. There are literally handful of professional Lithuanian players around and none of them will drop down to this Baltic league level, rest of the national team players are already playing for Lithuanian teams or even at worse level.
Eye of Ra
Grandmaster General of the International boards
GX
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So, LHF confirms 9 teams to take part. It's still the Latvian league, under Optibet hockey league name, but winner of the playoffs will be awarded as Baltic champion. Best Latvian and best Lithuanian team - national champions. Season to begin on September 3.
Dinamo Riga replaces Olimp Riga among the participants. Still, from what we've heard over the summer, it'll probably be the same Olimp core, just playing under Dinamo brand and with their financing.
Lithuanian teams - Kaunas City, Hockey Punks, Energija.
And, as I was afraid, 4 rounds of games. So 4*8 = 32. Certainly a way to increase the level of play - decrease already the ridiculously small number of games.
Dinamo Riga replaces Olimp Riga among the participants. Still, from what we've heard over the summer, it'll probably be the same Olimp core, just playing under Dinamo brand and with their financing.
Lithuanian teams - Kaunas City, Hockey Punks, Energija.
And, as I was afraid, 4 rounds of games. So 4*8 = 32. Certainly a way to increase the level of play - decrease already the ridiculously small number of games.
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