Covid and the KHL (Discussion)

[zcaptain]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread , but ultimately, this topic could affect, all leagues, and by doing so, will affect the NHL.

For example, we have all heard that the KHL is in finacial difficulties, and that was before The Covid really hit the world.

Now fully entrenched, Covid is distroying ecconimies, and I would believe Russia would be no exception, in fact, with Russia having started an oil pricing war, they must be suffering dire hardships as of right now.
Will the KHL even survive?

Does the KHL suffer further contraction, do the clubs reduce salaries? Do they let veterans go. Do players
walk away from clubs?

Will there be a mass exodus to the NHL and AHL, and how does that impact UFA and RFA contracts coming due over the next 6 months.....

Like I said, I wasn't sure whether I should have put this in the International League thread, the Covid thread, or the GM thread, but in any case it will possibly impact the NHL and their clubs greatly, which is ultimately why I placed it here.

I would love to hear your comments, and hope to join in more so, throughout

(Mods if this belongs in a different Forum, please move, but IMO, it really does belong here. I think?)

Click to read more...

 

[Atas2000]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread , but ultimately, this topic could affect, all leagues, and by doing so, will affect the NHL.

For example, we have all heard that the KHL is in finacial difficulties, and that was before The Covid really hit the world.

Now fully entrenched, Covid is distroying ecconimies, and I would believe Russia would be no exception, in fact, with Russia having started an oil pricing war, they must be suffering dire hardships as of right now.
Will the KHL even survive?

Does the KHL suffer further contraction, do the clubs reduce salaries? Do they let veterans go. Do players
walk away from clubs?

Will there be a mass exodus to the NHL and AHL, and how does that impact UFA and RFA contracts coming due over the next 6 months.....

Like I said, I wasn't sure whether I should have put this in the International League thread, the Covid thread, or the GM thread, but in any case it will possibly impact the NHL and their clubs greatly, which is ultimately why I placed it here.

I would love to hear your comments, and hope to join in more so, throughout

(Mods if this belongs in a different Forum, please move, but IMO, it really does belong here. I think?)

"we have all heard that the KHL is in finacial difficulties"

Yeah, right "you all" hear a lot of nonsense coming from "your" BS journalists who have no idea. KHL was and is in no financial difficulties as of now. Business as ususal. The 1st May deadline just passed. Teams are signing players. Free agents are on the move.

"with Russia having started an oil pricing war, they must be suffering dire hardships as of right now"

Again, that might be something "your" press is telling you. The pricing war if anything benefits Russia(and it's oil businesses) in the long run. And who the heck told you Russia started it? No hardships here s far and yes the crisis will affect ALL economies. We are in the same boat. The winners will be those who lose less. I don't think Russia's economy is in trouble here. Not at all. While it will suffer the obvious effects of the crisis.

"Will the KHL even survive?"

LOL wut?

The hard salary cap was in the talk for years. The implementation from next season on was a done deal way before any COVID. In a way it helps even. Teams were planning on their budgets beforehand anyway. Some rich teams tried one last stand against the cap, but failed. The vast majority of GMs voted for upholding the decision on the hard cap. So far into day 2 after the 1st May(expiration date for KHL contracts) teams are anouncing a lot of signings, just as always. Some rich teams' players will and already had to agree to renegotiated contracts obviously to fit under the cap, but again that was expected.

Contractions and expansions aren't necessariliy a league thing. Teams have their own issues. What we should not expect is an expansion to the West. Most european candidates were stuggling to find the money to be on KHL level anyway. In the current situation there won't be any suitors. Most KHL orgs though are pretty much in normal mode and some poorer teams might even be relieved now with the cap in place. The subtraction of Khabarovsk also came before the COVID and has more to do with change of people in charge in the region.

All in all for now the KHL seems to be preparing for the next season without much of emergency situation flair. There are even a couple of players who resigned in the KHL instead of trying to get a NHL contract based on the uncertainty the NHL is way more now. The NHL is still tossing around some wild rumors and ideas about resuming the season or starting the next one "not in October", while the KHL cancelled the season and is just peraring for the next.

The players that so far reportedly are headed for the NHL next season are mostly the ones for which it was expected anyway. There is no flood of players coming. The KHL is not folding(no matter how many wet dreams some people apparently have about that).

 

[zcaptain]

"we have all heard that the KHL is in finacial difficulties"

Yeah, right "you all" hear a lot of nonsense coming from "your" BS journalists who have no idea. KHL was and is in no financial difficulties as of now. Business as ususal. The 1st May deadline just passed. Teams are signing players. Free agents are on the move.

"with Russia having started an oil pricing war, they must be suffering dire hardships as of right now"

Again, that might be something "your" press is telling you. The pricing war if anything benefits Russia(and it's oil businesses) in the long run. And who the heck told you Russia started it? No hardships here s far and yes the crisis will affect ALL economies. We are in the same boat. The winners will be those who lose less. I don't think Russia's economy is in trouble here. Not at all. While it will suffer the obvious effects of the crisis.

"Will the KHL even survive?"

LOL wut?

The hard salary cap was in the talk for years. The implementation from next season on was a done deal way before any COVID. In a way it helps even. Teams were planning on their budgets beforehand anyway. Some rich teams tried one last stand against the cap, but failed. The vast majority of GMs voted for upholding the decision on the hard cap. So far into day 2 after the 1st May(expiration date for KHL contracts) teams are anouncing a lot of signings, just as always. Some rich teams' players will and already had to agree to renegotiated contracts obviously to fit under the cap, but again that was expected.

Contractions and expansions aren't necessariliy a league thing. Teams have their own issues. What we should not expect is an expansion to the West. Most european candidates were stuggling to find the money to be on KHL level anyway. In the current situation there won't be any suitors. Most KHL orgs though are pretty much in normal mode and some poorer teams might even be relieved now with the cap in place. The subtraction of Khabarovsk also came before the COVID and has more to do with change of people in charge in the region.

All in all for now the KHL seems to be preparing for the next season without much of emergency situation flair. There are even a couple of players who resigned in the KHL instead of trying to get a NHL contract based on the uncertainty the NHL is way more now. The NHL is still tossing around some wild rumors and ideas about resuming the season or starting the next one "not in October", while the KHL cancelled the season and is just peraring for the next.

The players that so far reportedly are headed for the NHL next season are mostly the ones for which it was expected anyway. There is no flood of players coming. The KHL is not folding(no matter how many wet dreams some people apparently have about that).

I don't buy it at all. The average Russian makes $5000.00 per year......and they have been ordered to stay home
I would say there is hardship there.

Don't you think?

 

[Jussi]

Growing rate of infections makes it obvious KHL season likely won't start on time.

 

[Atas2000]

I don't buy it at all. The average Russian makes $5000.00 per year......and they have been ordered to stay home
I would say there is hardship there.

Don't you think?

Who are "we all'?

And yeah, an average Russian makes how much? And yeah, I stay home too, nt earning a penny less, so... Yes, it does not work that way for every single person, but you literally have no idea about the situation in Russia.

 

[Atas2000]

Growing rate of infections makes it obvious KHL season likely won't start on time.

COVIDiocy really comes in all shapes and colors. From denialists to we all gonna die. The KHL season is supposed to start in September. It's 3rd May FFS.

 

[zcaptain]

Who are "we all'?

And yeah, an average Russian makes how much? And yeah, I stay home too, nt earning a penny less, so... Yes, it does not work that way for every single person, but you literally have no idea about the situation in Russia.

And of course an average salary is just that...an average. You can goggle an number of different sites to get the same info.

Personally, I do not think that any particular government, describes the people of the country, as usually the people in power are an elite few, and do not usually echo the majority of people of that countries views.

But, the KHL has been suffering for many years, in terms have having all their teams solevent. But the K is a good league and I am usually the one defending the calibre on here. Again, this has nothing to do with anything other than the ecconomics of the country..... which directly influences the ecconomics of the teams.

Anyways......lets wait and see.

Good luck to you! Stay healthy!

 

[vorky]

So, let us compare 2017-18 & 2018-19 seasons for the KHL. The league´s profit increased by 20%, the league is financially in good shape. The numbers for 2019-20 season will be known in September.

 

[Caser]

So far there's a legit concern about closed borders, due to having non-Russian teams, but that something that definitely can change until September.

As for the financial stuff, there are teams that are at risk like Amur or I think Neftekhimik, but other teams look pretty fine so far.

 

[Jussi]

So far there's a legit concern about closed borders, due to having non-Russian teams, but that something that definitely can change until September.

As for the financial stuff, there are teams that are at risk like Amur or I think Neftekhimik, but other teams look pretty fine so far.

I think there will be question marks if in September Jokerit can travel to and from Russia at a rate needed for sports.