Europe should put a division in NHL

[Atas2000]

Why the hell would the NHL ever acknowledge the KHL as it’s equal?

Your arrogance is so stupid it's even more funny than annoying.

 

[almostawake]

IMO this isn't even remotely possible until the price of season tickets in the major European football leagues catch up to the NHL.

At least then people may have a little willingness to pay the ticket prices an NHL franchise requires.

 

[rojac]

Your artogance is so stupid it's even more funny than annoying.

I’m just saying that the NHL believes itself to be the top hockey league in the world. If the NHL champion were to play the KHL champion and lose that puts that belief in question, so why would they do it?

 

[Atas2000]

I’m just saying that the NHL believes itself to be the top hockey league in the world. If the NHL champion were to play the KHL champion and lose that puts that belief in question, so why would they do it?

If they are te best qhat do they have to fear?

 

[sandysan]

Yes, it does.

Why?
I have a team, till my last dying breath. A team that isn't going anywhere.

Another team in NA is just another team to dislike. Seattle, Mexico city, Buenos Aires no difference to me.

 

[sandysan]

On a personal level I would love to be able to watch NHL hockey regularly but I would never accept my team joining the NHL

So classic " never want to be part of a club that would have me"?

Looks like you are safe

 

[sandysan]

Untapped revenue streams.

This isn't so much about the fans as the owners. This is why there is so much interest in China. The league doesn't care about the quality of hockey out there, they want that 1.3 billion person market that has almost no saturation right now.

And even less rinks or demand!

It's a goldmine!

 

[sandysan]

I’m just saying that the NHL believes itself to be the top hockey league in the world. If the NHL champion were to play the KHL champion and lose that puts that belief in question, so why would they do it?

It's not the nhl that believes itself to be the best league in the world. It's entirely a different demographic.

People with functioning eyes.

 

[jkrdevil]

Collective bargaining is different in Europe and the league CBA would be very much illegal in Europe, potentially opening a can of worms

So we can put this in the never ever going to happen category

 

[Atas2000]

Collective bargaining is different in Europe and the league CBA would be very much illegal in Europe, potentially opening a can of worms

So we can put this in the never ever going to happen category

What could happen is a series like the soviet teams series back then. The NHL will not do it anyway.

 

[MikeyMike01]

No thanks. Don’t want the NHL polluted with European teams.

 

[IamNotADancer]

Those who think the "NHL wouldn't do it because they are too scared they would get beat by European teams" don't understand the concept of brand protection.
Why would the NHL try to damage and risk it's own brand to play games in which most NHL players likely won't even dress nor give it their all? The only thing that matters is Lord Stanley or Olympic Gold. In hockey there is nothing bigger to achieve. No Spengler Cup, no Victoria Cup, no Gagarin Cup, nothing. In a short series or one off game it's very possible an inferior team can beat a better team. The NHL gains nothing from it and only loses. If they win, it's expected, if they lose you'll have people question "what the big deal is about the NHL".

 

[Noisia]

Your arrogance is so stupid it's even more funny than annoying.

Its not an equal though.

Its the great professional league, it doesn't come close to touching the NHL though.

 

[BM14]

This is how low Tim and Sid have fallen.

 

[Atas2000]

Its not an equal though.

Its the great professional league, it doesn't come close to touching the NHL though.

Who cares? It's about how entertaining the games could be for the fans, not about some silly territorial p***ings by the leagues. And the leages not being equal doesn't mean two teams from those leagues can't be at least close.

 

[coolboarder]

I doubt that there will be a NHL Europe division, however, if there are a World Club hockey championship to be held right after the Stanley Cup Final, then maybe it will draw some interests. There are just simply too many teams in North America and will even dilute even further and SHL, KHL, Finnish, Swiss leagues would not be able to make money. I just don't see the profit for the NHL as European mentality is different than North America. Let the NHL be NHL in North America and there's that. You are competing against European football leagues as well so doubt that it will prosper. If you see some leagues struggling to draw fans in their local club, what makes you think that NHL will thrive in that market?

 

[Eisen]

If the prices in Europe are staying the same, OK. If they are rising, no way. If the salary floor goes down a couple of tens of millions, OK. If not, forget it.

 

[Nino33]

Your arrogance is so stupid it's even more funny than annoying.

Who cares? It's about how entertaining the games could be for the fans, not about some silly territorial p***ings by the leagues. And the leages not being equal doesn't mean two teams from those leagues can't be at least close.

Do you think the KHL acts any different than the NHL?
Hasn’t the KHL avoided involvement with the CHL? and doesn’t the KHL and it’s fans think the league is outright better than/unquestionably above any other European league?

 

[Atas2000]

Do you think the KHL acts any different than the NHL?
Hasn’t the KHL avoided involvement with the CHL? and doesn’t the KHL and it’s fans think the league is outright better than/unquestionably above any other European league?

You are really missing the point here.

The KHL being above other european leagues has nothing to do with the KHL not participating in the CHL. The KHL never said they won't ever play against other european teams and in fact KHL teams go to the Spengler Cup every year.

The CHL and the KHL just could not find common ground for many reasons, one of them being the KHL schedule which is jammed as it is already with those NT breaks. The CHL is not a short tournament which could be held at a convenient time for all sides. It is stretched throughout the season. The KHL could not possibly find time for it's teams to play there too. You have to have in mind the travel in the KHL. This is nothing like travel between any of the participating CHL teams. The KHL is probably record setting in this department among pro leagues of this world.

Some sort of a Spengler Cup with an NHL team or two could easily be a good start here. The ball's in NHL's field.

 

[Nino33]

You are really missing the point here.

The KHL being above other european leagues has nothing to do with the KHL not participating in the CHL.

#1 you missed the point, the KHL “being above other European leagues” is just as arrogant a thought as the NHL’s above the KHL was the point (or, maybe neither statement is arrogant, they’re both just reality?)
#2 you don’t agree with what the NHL and it’s supporters say...your pro-KHL version of things isn’t any different, might even be more biased/false than what you complain about

 

[Civetty]

I think its inevitable and something to get done in 10 years. What they should do is to mark a country and city for a couple of years. For example having 2-3 games in Stockholm (at lower price, otherwise its doomed) and 1 in Malmö, Gothenburg and in Karlstad/Jonkoping/Leksand for the next 5 years, creating a show that people would love. Then you put one team here. Seeing how big the interest have been lately in the NHL, i actually think it would work.

The problem would have been with the big european cities like London, Paris, Rome etc where the interest in the NHL is very low. I dont really see how they would get the sponsorships, attendance and general interest before the experiment is over.

Also think its a bit like with Vegas, its pretty damn important that you are first. NFL have been talking about London, and it will be done soon and I actually believe it will be a huge success.

When you understand what is wrong with this sentence you'll understand why it would not work in Europe.

 

[Atas2000]

#1 you missed the point, the KHL “being above other European leagues” is just as arrogant a thought as the NHL’s above the KHL was the point (or, maybe neither statement is arrogant, they’re both just reality?)
#2 you don’t agree with what the NHL and it’s supporters say...your pro-KHL version of things isn’t any different, might even be more biased/false than what you complain about

The point you missed is not the claim that any league would be better that the next best, it's the attitude of why would we even play against you if we're better. My point being that a league being not on the same level is no obstacle for playing some games/series/tournaments. And I gave you a fitting example of KHL involvement in the Spengler Cup. The KHL unlike the NHL does not stay away from playing against other league's teams regardless of how good the leagues involved might be compared to eachother.

Edit: Also I only scratched the surface talking about the KHL's possible CHL involvement. The resources of CHL participants are very different from those in the KHL. It's travel again. CHL teams would have to come to Russia and not only the european part eventually or Kazachstan to play CHL games. Are they ready to take on that task? Just ask a team from say Rouen or Cardiff if they are willing/able to play an away game in Omsk. I am quite certain about the answer.

 

[Goodbahd]

When supersonic travel becomes available, then we can have teams all over the world, but until then it’s just not reasonable.

 

[Atas2000]

When supersonic travel becomes available, then we can have teams all over the world, but until then it’s just not reasonable.

Not only available. Affordable to a bigger numer of organizations.

 

[Bleedred]

This would be a logistical nightmare. The travel would be insane, especially for the teams from Europe. Every team playing at least one game/taking one trip to Europe (or probably two games, like the Panthers and Jets just did on the same trip) a season would be interesting, that would be pretty cool, but this doesn't work with however many teams permanently playing out of Europe for home games and being in the NHL.