KHL Season 2017/18
- Thread starter hansomreiste
- Start date
tsamolotoff
Registered User
To be honest, I don't get the hype for CSKA this year - they bought a bunch of players first, without even getting a new head coach, they did not follow any kind of strategy, then hired a worse copy of Kvartalny. Of course, the sheer amount of players might help them get to the finals, but who can actually stand in front of them, except Lokomotiv or SKA? Everyone else is weak or collapsed (like Dynamo). I would not even be surprised that something like Torpedo or even Minsk can get into quarterfinals (and to think of it, some people think that the West is better than the East 
)
Overall, I think, this season would be much more interesting than the previous one (thanks to the SKA losses), but the calendar is kinda trashy - many teams, including Ak Bars, would have 8-9 home or away streaks with games every second day. Why does the KHL kowtow to these swamp creatures at FHR, I don't really know, these Eurohockey tour games are boring to watch and they don't really help the national team to build itself - the coaches have to get the best roster to please the political leadership and Tretyak himself instead of finding new NT-worthy players (last year was an exception to that rule though).
)Overall, I think, this season would be much more interesting than the previous one (thanks to the SKA losses), but the calendar is kinda trashy - many teams, including Ak Bars, would have 8-9 home or away streaks with games every second day. Why does the KHL kowtow to these swamp creatures at FHR, I don't really know, these Eurohockey tour games are boring to watch and they don't really help the national team to build itself - the coaches have to get the best roster to please the political leadership and Tretyak himself instead of finding new NT-worthy players (last year was an exception to that rule though).
Alexander the Gr8
Registered User
I'm sure Zaripov will play again this season. He is still one of the best players in the league, with or without doping. He was unreal in the playoffs last year, the league will give him a second chance.
hansomreiste
Registered User
He is good so he should be allowed to do whatever he wants? If he is not guilty, then sure; I wish he would get his ban removed, but if this is not the case, then let it stay as it is. KHL gave people enough material to get laughed at. We don't need another one.
Jussi
Registered User
SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
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(and to think of it, some people think that the West is better than the East
Can you explain how 8 out of 12 top teams in the league were from the West? Or in general, what can this illusion of East being equal (not even talking about better) be based on exactly?
tsamolotoff
Registered User
Well, by watching games, most probably, instead of looking at the stats.
I don't know why you judge the strength of the conferences by the points in the regular season, it's kinda pointless to do that with separate tallies. Both Ak Bars and Magnitka (and probably Omsk, not so sure there) basically stopped playing in january and february and started to get ready for the playoffs, so their overall standings fell down. Also, there were definite bottom feeder teams in the East (Novokuznetsk, Lada and Amur) which just gave up mid-season.
And I'm pretty sure there weren't any team on the West side apart from SKA, CSKA and Loko (and CSKA is kinda on the side here) that could have beaten top-5 Eastern teams
I don't know why you judge the strength of the conferences by the points in the regular season, it's kinda pointless to do that with separate tallies. Both Ak Bars and Magnitka (and probably Omsk, not so sure there) basically stopped playing in january and february and started to get ready for the playoffs, so their overall standings fell down. Also, there were definite bottom feeder teams in the East (Novokuznetsk, Lada and Amur) which just gave up mid-season.
And I'm pretty sure there weren't any team on the West side apart from SKA, CSKA and Loko (and CSKA is kinda on the side here) that could have beaten top-5 Eastern teams
hansomreiste
Registered User
Was not sure where to post this... I love that.
https://www.facebook.com/KHL.en/videos/1795005783858021/
https://www.facebook.com/KHL.en/videos/1795005783858021/
Go Donbass
Registered User
hansomreiste
Registered User
Couple of minutes till puck drop on the novy sayson. Here's hoping both teams lose
You're not alone. I think CSKA will handily win it all at the end of the season but aside from that, both regular season and play-offs seem to be promising way more entertainment compared to the disaster that is last season. With teams like Jokerit and Salavat back in contention, I hope this time we will have a more competitive season.Though the fact that laola1.tv doesn't broadcast KHL anymore makes me really sad. Sure, there are alternative channels but for me it was like a part of KHL for so many years. Will be sorely missed.
By the way, does anyone know whether I can find wallpaper calendar (or something like that) or not? Last year, one guy prepared a great wallpaper for each team but I can't find anything for this season. Guess I'll just have to google "Avangard Omsk schedule" every several days this time. Not like it's something that takes effort but damn, this schedule wallpaper was really cool.
Dueling Banjos
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2014
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Artorius Horus T
sincerety
Anyone here watching the KHL season opener?
- was that FK Zenits head coach,Roberto Mancini watching the game,
it sure looked like him.
- was that FK Zenits head coach,Roberto Mancini watching the game,
it sure looked like him.
Caser
@RUSProspects
Something change with KHL TV? As usually in previous seasons I wanna buy and watch game on the official KHL website, but now it is not possible. On the screan is notice "Unfortunately, this video is not available in your country."
WTF?? Team from my country is part of the league, I wanna to pay KHL for , but... This is absolutely abnormal, KHL change to the crap. No future for this league if they do something like this.
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WTF?? Team from my country is part of the league, I wanna to pay KHL for , but... This is absolutely abnormal, KHL change to the crap. No future for this league if they do something like this.
Ok, I understand, it is business. But if not exist deal between KHL and Sport TV, KHL must to find ways to give the chance people from Slovakia, Czech, Hungary etc. to watch games. Opener is something like play-off game, I wait for this all summer but now I have only black hole and no hockey... so my solution? Bye bye KHL and switch to domestic leagues and NHL... maybe after this.
tsamolotoff
Registered User
Thoroughly disgusting game for many reasons. CSKA is , don't even know how they think they can win the Cup with such coaching and teamplay. And both teams impoverished the league by hogging all the top and aspiring players from the other teams (except top-5)
, don't even know how they think they can win the Cup with such coaching and teamplay. And both teams impoverished the league by hogging all the top and aspiring players from the other teams (except top-5)Thoroughly disgusting game for many reasons. CSKA is
CSKA has a lot of young skilled players... and all of them, but Kaprizov were healthy scratches. And Kaprizov was the best CSKA player. Can't say I didn't expect it. Nikitin is Kvartalnov without talent.
SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
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Yeah firing Kvartalnov and getting nobody to replace him was a huge mistake. Like others pointed out, skill guys in the stands, Kaprizov and Shalunov nominally on the 4th line.. You are down 2 goals, 3 minutes left in the game, you have attacking zone faceoff and you are putting Andronov's line on the ice.. Give me a break.
Also I was under the impression idea behind "Kubok Atkrytia" was last year's finalist plating each other, now it's just a champion and some other team? It's like, hmm, this is marquee event so lets just let CSKA play.
Also I was under the impression idea behind "Kubok Atkrytia" was last year's finalist plating each other, now it's just a champion and some other team? It's like, hmm, this is marquee event so lets just let CSKA play.
hansomreiste
Registered User
I think it's regular season winner against Gagarin Cup winner. Feel like it has been this way all along, though not entirely sure.
Go Donbass
Registered User
I was about to say that too, but then realized that nope, last years кубок открытка was between Magnitka and CSKA. I think the only other year they did it this way, was the year after Lev folded.
hansomreiste
Registered User
CSKA was the regular season champions in 2015/16 and Magnitka got Gagarin Cup, so 2016/17 Opening Cup game was played between those two.
SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
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It was always finalists playing each other. That was the whole idea behind the event as such. Gagarin Cup winners and regular season champions are very often the same team it wouldn't even make sense. Unless they changed things the year Lev collapsed.
Well upon further examination it looks like that's exactly what happened, SKA played CSKA in 2015 as well.
Well upon further examination it looks like that's exactly what happened, SKA played CSKA in 2015 as well.
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Go Donbass
Registered User
Had to check Wikipedia, and sorry but you're wrong. It has always been the two teams that were in the Gagarin Cup finals the year before. There's only been 2 exceptions. The year after Lev folded, Magnitka played Dynamo Moscow as they were deemed the third place finishers. Then in 2015 for some reason they decided to have SKA play CSKA instead of Ak Bars, and then this year too of course. Last year it was the regular format, it was just a co-incidence that CSKA also happened to win the regular season title as well. Although I am willing to concede that they may have changed the format.
vorky
@vorkywh24
- Jan 23, 2010
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The Opening Cup is played between Gagarin Cup holder & Winner of Continental Cup (regular season winner). If Gagarin Cup champion & winner of regular season is the same club, then The Opening Cup is played between GC Champion & runner up of GC Final. That is what KHL rules say (article 11, part 3, source in RUS). I do not have time to check all KHL history, but I am sure this (GC Champ v regular season winner) was the case from the beginning.
