European waves in NHL

[begbeee]

First real euro-star was Borje Salming. He showed the europeans are not softies and they are able to handle big minutes in NHL.
Then Peter Stastny and Jarri Kurri opened the door for first real wave of Euros - especially for skilled Swedish and Finnish players and some vets from CSSR.
Early nineties - big impact of former-soviet players...

During mid-to-late nineties the goal of almost every europlayer was to play NHL. I feel nowadays they are not interested in the same way...Yes, sure they play a season or two in AHL but that's it. They leave to KHL and other leagues. No way they are tryin' so long as their predecessors.

Did we see the peak of euro player in NHL in nineties? Does KHL has same impact as WHA?

Help me if I´m wrong, I would like to read your opinions.

Click to read more...

 

[alko]

First real euro-star was Borje Salming. He showed the europeans are not softies and they are able to handle big minutes in NHL.
Then Peter Stastny and Jarri Kurri opened the door for first real wave of Euros - especially for skilled Swedish and Finnish players and some vets from CSSR.
Early nineties - big impact of former-soviet players...

During mid-to-late nineties the goal of almost every europlayer was to play NHL. I feel nowadays they are not interested in the same way...Yes, sure they play a season or two in AHL but that's it. They leave to KHL and other leagues. No way they are tryin' so long as their predecessors.

Did we see the peak of euro player in NHL in nineties? Does KHL has same impact as WHA?

Help me if I´m wrong, I would like to read your opinions.

IMO is the Euro peak from 2000 to 2004. There were 2 new teams (Wild and Jackets) that needed new players and a lot of SLovak players in other teams.

 

[Czech Your Math]

It seems you're speaking of the more marginal NHLers, which may have peaked, but difficult to say. Some traditional powers (Cze, Svk, etc.) may have peaked or even begun to decline, while others (Ger, Sui, Den, Nor) seem on the rise and may make up for that and then some.

As far as top end talent, that seems fine for the moment, in large part due to Russia. However, that may indeed have peaked in 90s. So many greats and the fact that the most durable of them (Lidstrom, Jagr, Selanne, Hasek) are able to play quality hockey until 40 or beyond is amazing. I don't expect Ovechkin, Malkin and Chara to be playing nearly that long, but could be wrong. The guy who may is Kiprusoff.