KHL Season 20/21

[Chris P Bacon]

Those Salavat jerseys were cool

 

[Atas2000]

650 pts for Zaripov. Shipachyov with 670 pts, Mozyakin with 897 pts.

He obviously won't catch Shipachyov and Mozyakin's numbers are just way out of reach too, so he will for now solidify that 3rd spot.

 

[Chris P Bacon]

As bad as Kulun is this Shaporev guy seems to be taking advantage of his chance. Likely just a good scoring streak I guess but pretty nice from someone completely off the radar.

 

[rohky]

"What to do with Hartikainen? The only way is to steal his skates before going on the ice, because in principle there is no player in the KHL who can stop him" - Bob Hartley on Finnish player. Withouth Hartikainen Ufa will not be the same team as they are right know IMHO

 

[SoundAndFury]

A bit of carry-over from Jokerit's thread. It's kinda hard to trust teams/Russian medical authorities when there are players all over the league with mysterious illnesses. Let's face it, it's rather rare for professional athletes to be sick to the point they are missing games in early autumn. And yet, Lehtera and Radil just missed 2nd game in a row due to an illness, Blacker and Lilja didn't play for Barys against CSKA too with "feeling unwell" quoted as a reason.

Not very characteristic, is it?

 

[Kshahdoo]

A bit of carry-over from Jokerit's thread. It's kinda hard to trust teams/Russian medical authorities when there are players all over the league with mysterious illnesses. Let's face it, it's rather rare for professional athletes to be sick to the point they are missing games in early autumn. And yet, Lehtera and Radil just missed 2nd game in a row due to an illness, Blacker and Lilja didn't play for Barys against CSKA too with "feeling unwell" quoted as a reason.

Not very characteristic, is it?

Yeah, but Neftekhimik is ok...

I think, players now have stopped caring about COVID. Nobody dies, asymptomatic illness, first panic long time gone... If not a bubble, it would be the same in the NHL.

 

[Albatros]

I think, players now have stopped caring about COVID. Nobody dies, asymptomatic illness, first panic long time gone... If not a bubble, it would be the same in the NHL.

Infected players may not die, but they can still spread the disease to others around them who do get more serious symptoms. So without a real full-time bubble like in the NHL it's hard to go forward as an international league.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Add Alexei Kovalev to the list of people who are ill all of the sudden.

I think, players now have stopped caring about COVID.

Players, teams, states. It's almost certain by this point KHL has chosen to go about things like this. Definitely hard to see Jokerit and Riga dealing with it the same way though.

 

[Go Donbass]

Infected players may not die, but they can still spread the disease to others around them who do get more serious symptoms. So without a real full-time bubble like in the NHL it's hard to go forward as an international league.

You're right and that potential has never existed with any other virus. Life has risks. No-one is forcing these guys to play hockey. There's any number of other things they can do if they feel that the risk is too high.

 

[Albatros]

You're right and that potential has never existed with any other virus. Life has risks. No-one is forcing these guys to play hockey. There's any number of other things they can do if they feel that the risk is too high.

Yes, but regardless they will have to cease playing hockey and isolate if exposed in any context.

 

[Go Donbass]

Yes, but regardless they will have to cease playing hockey and isolate if exposed in any context.

And this is different from any other virus how exactly?

 

[Albatros]

It has never been legally mandated to the same extent, with flu epidemics etc. noncompliance carried no concrete risk of sanctions and travel restrictions have been hardly ever placed.

 

[Go Donbass]

It has never been legally mandated to the same extent, with flu epidemics etc. noncompliance carried no concrete risk of sanctions and travel restrictions have been hardly ever placed.

Not arguing with any of that, as all of that is true. It just shouldn't be true. There's no need for any of that nonsense.

 

[Albatros]

A bit of carry-over from Jokerit's thread. It's kinda hard to trust teams/Russian medical authorities when there are players all over the league with mysterious illnesses. Let's face it, it's rather rare for professional athletes to be sick to the point they are missing games in early autumn. And yet, Lehtera and Radil just missed 2nd game in a row due to an illness, Blacker and Lilja didn't play for Barys against CSKA too with "feeling unwell" quoted as a reason.

Not very characteristic, is it?

Barys also in quarantine now after 12 team members tested positive, no games before October. One can perhaps deduce that "feeling unwell" was indeed COVID-19.

 

[Garl]

So, now Barys and Lokomotiv are both cancelling their games, Barys is on lockdown, Lokomotiv will likely follow, since they have a prescription from government medical staff aswell.

 

[vorky]

 

[rohky]

Amur is in trouble. Think the change of coach is going to change things?

 

[Jussi]

Riga announce 5 players and two staff members tested positive. More games postponed.

 

[Jussi]

30(!) positive cases at Lokomotiv...

Riga with 5, Torpedo with 4 and Ufa with 3 which includes head coach Tomi Lämsä.

 

[Exarz]

There's a risk that Jokerit will face another quarantine directly after this week, as Sibir, (who Jokerit faces on Friday) might be the source to Dinamo Riga's positive tests. Riga played against Sibir and Amur in the previous games, so the virus can most likely be tracked down to any of the two teams. If someone has a a source stating that Sibir has shown negative tests, feel free to share it.

Another quarantine so close to the previous one and I'm pretty sure we can call it a season for Jokerit.

 

[Albatros]

At this point the league as a whole is falling apart.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Interestingly, Loko got a technical defeat instead of game postponement.

SKA - Sibir game tomorrow is de facto canceled/postponed. Whatever was the plan to get through this season in doesn't seem to be working however I wonder how much will it impact other leagues just the same.

 

[vorky]

I will sum up just top European leagues. Three leagues are playing - KHL, Czechs & Swedes. The KHL has played the most games from all them. The Czechs postponed a few games due to virus while some bad news coming from their government. I do not know about Sweden, but I just read some analysis saying the SHL clubs would be out of money after a few rounds without fans (limited low fans). But generally, all European hockey will have financial problems now.

Germans & Swiss not playing. We do not know about the Germans if they even start playing soon. Finns should play within a few days. The Champions Hockey League is still postponing the season´s start. It will be interesting to follow them.

Unfortunatelly, I am not able to find reliable data with COVID testing in respective leagues. I just know the NHL & KHL paying it while the Czechs do not care (not having money & resources).

 

[ellja3]

I wouldn't call what KHL is doing atm playing, tho; w bunch of cases left and right & so many games postponed. I mean, technically yes, but...

 

[alko]

We do not know about the Germans if they even start playing soon.

Here is some news about it:

- season start is now scheduled for 13.11.2020. But they will have some talks with government. This date is not 100 % safe.
- All teams want to play. But again, there should be a reasonable amount of fans in stadium. Without fans it will be very difficult to start. All teams together need at least 60 000 000 € for proper start.