Michael Farkas
Celebrate 68
There is an ebb and flow of talent based on circumstances, it's clear in the quality of the league. What you have always dodged is whether you actually watch these games...so I have no choice but to believe that you do not. Therefore, you're not judging the quality of the play, you're just waiting to complain about the fact that it's "All Canadian" without looking to see if maybe that is the best product.
I think the quality of the league increases from around 1986 or 87 for some time...the influx of Russians in the late 90's (~90ish in the league) did little to affect quality of the league it seems like...I'm not sure the game was any better in 1999 than it was 1989. I think it's good that the Russians, among others, are able to produce NHL talent...when they actually produce NHL talent. Considering how much "pride" you're taking in Slovenia being a hockey hot bed because of Anze Kopitar - who did a lot of hockey development in Sweden anyway, IIRC - what do you make of the notion that there's about a one-third the amount of Russians in the league now? Is the league worse now than it was in 1999?
In short, I think there's times that suck more, and there's times that suck less in terms of quality of play...I think having more talent available is better...but what you're tying talent to (a linear influx of countries and population growth) doesn't seem so much accurate as it does lazy and lacking of nuance and fundamental knowledge of the game, how players are developed, coaching, etc.
I think the quality of the league increases from around 1986 or 87 for some time...the influx of Russians in the late 90's (~90ish in the league) did little to affect quality of the league it seems like...I'm not sure the game was any better in 1999 than it was 1989. I think it's good that the Russians, among others, are able to produce NHL talent...when they actually produce NHL talent. Considering how much "pride" you're taking in Slovenia being a hockey hot bed because of Anze Kopitar - who did a lot of hockey development in Sweden anyway, IIRC - what do you make of the notion that there's about a one-third the amount of Russians in the league now? Is the league worse now than it was in 1999?
In short, I think there's times that suck more, and there's times that suck less in terms of quality of play...I think having more talent available is better...but what you're tying talent to (a linear influx of countries and population growth) doesn't seem so much accurate as it does lazy and lacking of nuance and fundamental knowledge of the game, how players are developed, coaching, etc.