But they are addressing some core issues in Russian hockey and player development, at least. - What can you do to prevent the kids bolting across the pond then? If they wanna go they go.
Indeed. This is the core problem, that
they still want to go after two decades of failed Russian prospects in the CHL. These players have worked hard for their careers and then they just want to throw it all away choosing the "fastest route to the NHL"! This is something very hard to understand. In reality it is the fastest route to the hockey cemetary.
It doesn't bother me that these idiot kids destroy their own careers, but it bothers me as a Russian hockey fan that this ill practice rids Russian hockey of many good players that would otherwise be stars in the NHL or in the KHL. It brings down the level of the Russian national team and the KHL, and it also decreases the number of Russians in the NHL.
What do to then? I have suggested here that the Russian Hockey Federation should make it a lot harder for these kids to move. Create barriers that makes their departure harder. Some suggestions:
1. Make it compulsory for each Russian junior aged 13-14 to sign a 6-7 year contract for his club in Russia. Shorter contracts for junior players should be prohibited. If the kid doesn't want to sign that's fine. He can either quit hockey or move abroad. But he cannot play competitive hockey in Russia anymore. Those who are able to leave at 13-14 can do that, but those who don't are bind to their Russian club until they are at least drafted to the NHL.
2. Ban every Russian player who left to play in the CHL from the national team and from the KHL. This might sound counterproductive because at least some CHL-trained Russians are going to be successful because right now just about every talented kids leaves before he turns 17. But it would force the kids, their agents and their parents to think about the consequences a bit more. If the kid never makes it to the NHL (as is the case for the most) then he can never return to Russia to play hockey. He has to find a job in Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Germany or somewhere else where the pay is a lot smaller than in Russia.