KHL Expansion part II

[ficohok*]

As everywhere results are important, but everyone knows MedveÅ¡čak will be an outsider next season.

I would be very pleased if Medvescak repeats Donbass's first season...

 

[BalticWarrior]

Around 10 games for next season. I dont know for 15/16 season, problem is that Arena is nor primarly built for hockey and having ice there for whole season is expensive. I think Arena needs some upgrade in order to reduce costs of having ice there for long period of time (such is one hockey season).

But do you think 2015/16 is the likely date they get it "fixed" ?

 

[BalticWarrior]

I would be very pleased if Medvescak repeats Donbass's first season...

What i really hope is that it boosts the popularity of hockey in Croatia,the interest IS there,you guys just need to expand on it,hockey needs a bigger exposure and if it succedes Croatia will be in elite division in foreseeable future (7-8 years)

 

[ficohok*]

But do you think 2015/16 is the likely date they get it "fixed" ?

I am sure it will be, but it is not up to Medvescak only, it is not their arena so City of Zagreb needs to give green light for any kind of upgrade or reconstruction.

 

[kp61c]

i'm glad for them, it'll be an exotic place to play for sure. but the main question is whether they'll be able to stay in the league for more than one year. frankly i find it unlikely. we'll see.

 

[BalticWarrior]

i'm glad for them, it'll be an exotic place to play for sure. but the main question is whether they'll be able to stay in the league for more than one year. frankly i find it unlikely. we'll see.

Not any more exotic than Ukraine really,also they have 3 year contract with the league.

 

[Purple hippo]

I hope they prove me wrong but I fully expect this club to be used as nothing more then to boost their national with more and more "croatians"

 

[ficohok*]

What i really hope is that it boosts the popularity of hockey in Croatia,the interest IS there,you guys just need to expand on it,hockey needs a bigger exposure and if it succedes Croatia will be in elite division in foreseeable future (7-8 years)

As you said interest is there, what we need is ice-rinks in other bigger cities in Croatia. As I said earlier, hopefully the presence of the strongest ice hockey league in Europe will be enough for majors of Rijeka, Osijek, Varazdin, Koprivnica, Karlovac to build ice rink.

 

[vorky]

Will be fun to follow KHL Medveščak Zagreb in KHL As I understand, clubs will use abbrevation KHL.

To guys comparing Zagreb with Poprad - if you knew history of Lev Poprad and what are KHL plans with Zagreb, you would not compare them.

 

[Ivan13]

Will be fun to follow KHL MedveÅ¡čak Zagreb in KHL As I understand, clubs will use abbrevation KHL.

To guys comparing Zagreb with Poprad - if you knew history of Lev Poprad and what are KHL plans with Zagreb, you would not compare them.

Yeah they'll use the KHL prefix since it means ''Klub hokeja na ledu'' and it's been in use since the club was founded.

 

[vorky]

Yeah they'll use the KHL prefix since it means ''Klub hokeja na ledu'' and it's been in use since the club was founded.

yep. I can not speak croatian but I understand this. Now I am curious for roster.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I hope they prove me wrong but I fully expect this club to be used as nothing more then to boost their national with more and more "croatians"

This will definitely be the case but since they've been using Medvescak this way for a long time already it's not much of a change.

 

[Theokritos]

What can we expect of the reinforced Croatian national team? Promotion and a secure place in Division I?

 

[ficohok*]

What can we expect of the reinforced Croatian national team? Promotion and a secure place in Division I?

Well...it is long way...first let's see cronucks in Medvescak jersey and then they have to play two/four years in Medvescak.

But with majority of cronucks at disposal, I am sure we can be D1A nation for some time.

 

[Purple hippo]

Well...it is long way...first let's see cronucks in Medvescak jersey and then they have to play two/four years in Medvescak.

But with majority of cronucks at disposal, I am sure we can be D1A nation for some time.

And is this something you or Croatia is proud of?

 

[ficohok*]

And is this something you or Croatia is proud of?

Well...Croatia has big number of imigrants outside of Croatia and in majority of them there is strong connection with mother country. For example there are croatian brother community in Toronto. People in Croatia consider them as croatians, because most of them didn't leave Croatia because they wanted to, but they have had to (political and economical reasons in early 20th century).

So, to answer on your question, yes, I am proud, because I look on them as croats.

Even in soccer, there are many players with croatian roots from Germany, Australia, and unlike in ice hockey player base in soccer in Croatia is like 100X higher. Yes, and they still use "cro/ger/aus/nucks"

 

[SoundAndFury]

And is this something you or Croatia is proud of?

Asks person living in the country where kids have to learn Russian to understand what coaches are saying.

 

[ebis]

Wow, news about Zvolen, current champion of Slovak Extraliga (Slovan was champion before them), trying to join KHL for 2014/2015 season:

http://sport.sme.sk/c/6785131/zahreb-sa-stal-timom-khl-pridat-sa-chce-aj-zvolen.html

Apparently there are some two big Russian sponsors (but GM didn't confirm it, just confirmed increased sponsor interest) and Zvolen's arena was already approved by KHL.

I'm not sure how to feel. I want more Slovak clubs in KHL, but Extraliga was already struggling for survival after Slovan left and if the current champion left too along with arguably the second best team of this season (Piestany want to join EBEL for 2014/2015), I don't know what could happen.

 

[vorky]

Wow, news about Zvolen, current champion of Slovak Extraliga (Slovan was champion before them), trying to join KHL for 2014/2015 season:

http://sport.sme.sk/c/6785131/zahreb-sa-stal-timom-khl-pridat-sa-chce-aj-zvolen.html

Apparently there are some two big Russian sponsors (but GM didn't confirm it, just confirmed increased sponsor interest) and Zvolen's arena was already approved by KHL.

I'm not sure how to feel. I want more Slovak clubs in KHL, but Extraliga was already struggling for survival after Slovan left and if the current champion left too along with arguably the second best team of this season (Piestany want to join EBEL for 2014/2015), I don't know what could happen.

Bold - nonsense. No commision was in Zvolen. Btw, this project has NO chance according to info I have. Btw, did not HK Poprad want to join last year?

 

[Jussi]

Wow, news about Zvolen, current champion of Slovak Extraliga (Slovan was champion before them), trying to join KHL for 2014/2015 season:

http://sport.sme.sk/c/6785131/zahreb-sa-stal-timom-khl-pridat-sa-chce-aj-zvolen.html

Apparently there are some two big Russian sponsors (but GM didn't confirm it, just confirmed increased sponsor interest) and Zvolen's arena was already approved by KHL.

I'm not sure how to feel. I want more Slovak clubs in KHL, but Extraliga was already struggling for survival after Slovan left and if the current champion left too along with arguably the second best team of this season (Piestany want to join EBEL for 2014/2015), I don't know what could happen.

That could mean a severely diluted domestic league. The KHL expanding too rapidly can cause big problems for other leagues as I posted here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=64873479&postcount=78

 

[VladNYC*]

Congrads to our Croatian friends! Welcome to the KHL. Hope your stay is fruitful. Let's hope we see a Croatian MHL team soon.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Asks person living in the country where kids have to learn Russian to understand what coaches are saying.

Not all the coaches are Russian in Latvia hell not even the most of them are Russian.

 

[DonCorleone]

Zvolen? With that stadium?

 

[bobo23]

And is this something you or Croatia is proud of?

At this point evrything is welcome to develope hockey in Croatia. So maybe in 2020 and leater we will have more native players playing for Croatia t high level. Key thing is now to use this to loby for more ice surfces trough Croatia. I live 100km away from Zagreb and when Medvescak joined EBEL I saw 7-8 year old kids starting to simulate hockey, but unfortunally non of them can't practice hockey and become profesinal. Even before Medvescak joined EBEL you would be surprised how manny people folowed Olympics and WC hockey games not just in Croatia but in other ries from regin as well. So evrything that can be used to loby for better conditions for future generations in welcome

 

[supermasif]

That could mean a severely diluted domestic league. The KHL expanding too rapidly can cause big problems for other leagues as I posted here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=64873479&postcount=78

Which makes me, and others who want strong domestic leagues, wish for the failure of KHL... hopefully the KHL experiment has fizzled out in ten years or so. NHL will still remain strong, and will be the place where aspiring young swedes want to play hockey.