The KHL is better than the AHL. That's an opinion... of numerous players who played in both leagues. Just an opinion.
C/W Marat Khusnutdinov (2020, 37th, MIN)
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
- Start date
The Russians have a great track record with developing elite skills for forwards. If I'm Minny, I don't mind Marat staying on that side of the pond for a few years, as long as you had a good clue that it wouldn't drag on into age 22 and 23 like Kaprizov.
Because if he doesn't get top 6 minutes or doesn't even crack the KHL, and is demoted to the VHL, I'd think Minnesota would want more control over his development. Doesn't make any sense to keep Marat in the VHL or as the 13th forward in the KHL when he could be getting minutes in Iowa.
KHL >= AHL > VHL > ECHL
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
If he can’t get KHL minutes, he won’t become good enough to play in the NHL. If he can’t get minutes with SKA, he should request a loan to another KHL team.
There are a lot of politics when it comes to the KHL Khovanov isn't getting any minutes right now, because of issues. Furthermore would the SKA loan him out to another KHL team? Doesn't seem like they are willing to do that to Khovanov.
SoundAndFury
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Player: stinks, gets sent down, plays 1st line, produces, waits for a call up.
Fan: blames politics, calls it "issues", doesn't aknowledge anything else.
Nice. Also seems to think SKA and Ak Bars are somehow the same team but I will let that slide.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
There are a lot of politics when it comes to the KHL because of Putin riding a bear bare chested? Or are there rather any surreal and irrational factors I am not aware of?
And thank you so much for resolving the great mystery. I was having trouble battling with certain posters here to find out of which team HC Sochi is a factual farm team in the KHL, SKA's or AkBars'. We are in fact one team. AkBars and SKA are one. Now it all makes sense! Finally!
Back to the stark but very factual reality:
Neither of the two Khovanov or Khusnutdinov are right now ready to be KHL regulars. But why would either team want to loan them out just now? They are still promising prospects. Playing them in the minors is what you do, be it in NA or Russia. I know, in Soviet Russia... but still. If they are showing progress, then they will get called up. Nothing new in the hockey world.
As for Khovanov the real issue seems to be his attidute and wrong expectations. If he thought he will be granted a KHL roster spot coming from NA, he thought wrong. He was given plenty of opportunity to show he can be effective and failed to do so. So far.
Khusnutdinov on the other hand is not showing any red flags. He is with the national team. WJC camp will start on 28th November as per Larionov. That's in three weeks. It would be not new or unexpected if he got some rest after the NT stint now and then he has like two and a half weeks he can play in the MHL/VHL and then a month and a half with the WJC squad. That's a busy and nice schedule for a developing young player.
Ultimately, the Wild are going to do what's best for Marat and more than likely have him over when his contract is up.
- Dec 10, 2012
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I'm not sure why you and a few select others are so certain that playing in NA is always the best option for a Russian player. It's really f***ing weird.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
I think the issue is generally that fans of NHL teams like to talk about the control their own team can exercise. It allows them to have a more positive view of a situation. In reality, the players need to be responsible for their inability to get ice time. We cannot always blame the KHL/SHL/Liiga/DEL team for the role a prospect is playing. There are situations where a team might not be giving a player the role they should be playing, but there are other ways to sort that out. It's often better to ask for a loan or trade within that league. Running away to an NHL organization that will feed you free minutes likely is not the best solution, and there's even less evidence it's the best solution for young Russian forwards.
- Dec 10, 2012
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Yeah I'm specifically talking about the two posters in this thread and Russia. One of them has had me on their ignore list since the last time I called them out for anti-Russian sentiments. but eventually you start to notice patterns...
With Marat, I don't see the problem. He is signed for one more year after this, after which he has the choice to sign again with the KHL, or sign with the Wild. They might decide to loan him out for another year to the KHL/VHL/MHL, but if there is a chance that he will play in the NHL for even a couple of games, then it will be better to have him in Iowa, where he will get coaching and eyes on him that are closely tied to MN, never mind a contract that allows him to play in the NHL at a moments notice.
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Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
I literally just gave you a few?
1- If a contract is signed with a KHL team he cannot break it and play with an NHL team.
2- In this case, the farm team is a 45 minute flight from the parent team, not an international flight involving customs, work permits, and the like.
3- The player can play for coaches who are very familiar with the style played on the parent club, and play with players who either will play, or have played with the main club. Coaches in the KHL don't give a shit what style the Wild play, or how he will fit into the big picture.
4- The prospect will be playing in an arena and culture that is very similar to the one in Minnesota.
All but the most talented players spend time in the AHL for those, and other, reasons. I don't understand why a player like Khusnutdinov would be too good to play in the AHL, or "ruined' by the experience, when players like Brodin, Granlund, Fiala, Suter, and Parise all played there. It is the easiest way to introduce a player into the NHL. If the guy is talented, he will shine and be called up to the big club.
1- If a contract is signed with a KHL team he cannot break it and play with an NHL team.
2- In this case, the farm team is a 45 minute flight from the parent team, not an international flight involving customs, work permits, and the like.
3- The player can play for coaches who are very familiar with the style played on the parent club, and play with players who either will play, or have played with the main club. Coaches in the KHL don't give a shit what style the Wild play, or how he will fit into the big picture.
4- The prospect will be playing in an arena and culture that is very similar to the one in Minnesota.
All but the most talented players spend time in the AHL for those, and other, reasons. I don't understand why a player like Khusnutdinov would be too good to play in the AHL, or "ruined' by the experience, when players like Brodin, Granlund, Fiala, Suter, and Parise all played there. It is the easiest way to introduce a player into the NHL. If the guy is talented, he will shine and be called up to the big club.
Unlike Podkolzin, Cninakhov and Amirov, Khusnutdinov wasn't that brilliant at the Karjala Cup. He wasn't bad, but that's it. Of course, he's about a year younger, than those other kids, but it's obvious he isn't ready for the KHL right now.
He still played big minutes at C and is clearly trusted by the brass with major responsibility. He is not going to be an NHL star anytime soon so he just needs to keep improving in Russia until he is ready to come to the Wild. If he wants to play in the AHL for a year that’s fine, but I like the idea of him developing in the KHL the next 3 or 4 years.
Do you have data to back this or just anecdotes? The vast majority Russian players stay in Russia until they are 20 and the vast majority of those don't have NHL success either, so the fact that we can think of examples that came to NA early and didn't have successful NHL careers isn't in itself proof of any pattern. I'm not saying it isn't there, just skeptical of the arguments I've seen so far.
SoundAndFury
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Well, out of 1st round picks in the KHL era none of the forwards picked from Russia legitimately busted (albeit Rubtsov is getting close) while of those who were picked from NA:
Burmi - bust
Yak - bust
Grigorenko - bust
Scherbak - bust
Goldobin - bust
Y. Svechnikov - almost certainly bust
You must agree the list is getting substantial. Longer than what could be called pure coincidence.
2Pair
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