cska78
Registered User
Nikita Korostelev (97) (a CSKA product who left to NA at the age of 15!!!!!) has linked up with Sarnia Sting...very unfortunate that we are loosing a marquee talent at such an early age. MAKE IT STOP!
Our North-Americans or Russians in the NHL, AHL, CHL etc...
- Thread starter cska78
- Start date
ozo
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2010
- 4,338
- 434
BalticWarrior
Registered User
Ozo c`mon now,dont you know thats impossible,good thing yakupov didnt play chl or else he might have gotten ruined
I see in Latvia you guys are pretty open minded, cheers.
cska78
Registered User
it's possible, but he was the best 97 CSKA player already and groomed for the bright future. IMHO, the majority is making a mistake by leaving.
As for Yakupov - same scenario - he was one of the top 93 in the country, also what he turned to as we could have seen during the WJC - is not at all what one would like him to become.
He will probably still be a good (mb very good NHL player) but will not hit his potential had he stayed in Russia, became more of a team player.
cska78
Registered User
Coming from the guy who has compiled the most successful NHL team with composition of majority Europeans and has developed the most NHL players from Europe the past 20 years... Guess that settles the debate!
Jussi
Registered User
You did read the "unless they're ready to play in the National Hockey League" part? Are you sure about that most NHL players part? Because developing players wasn't exactly their primary focus before 2004-05 lockout and a lot of their Europeans went fairly quickly to play at Grand Rapids.
I think you may be confused with the wording... They stay in Europe unless (as in until they are ready for the NHL)... Yes you are right, many of their recent players have spent significant time in GR. However his statement says they have had the best luck with guys who have stayed in Europe, not a concrete statement saying every guy who has made the NHL has not spent time in GR. Meaning their best guys like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Franzen etc.. who have gone from Europe to NHL are obviously better players than the other guys who are regulars who have made the NHL but spent significant time in GR.
You are correct in that they revamped the GR program post lockout, I follow it closely they have put more focus into development. They now have recycled retired players like Chelios working on player development with the GR guys. I think the new philosophy is to have the Euros play in Europe until they are ready and the come over and get maybe a year of an eye opener in the AHL to get aquainted with the RedWings system and see how they react to physical play etc.. That is why Jarncrok and Puulkinen are here now only for the end of season. Holland said he sent Jarncrok back and said it was an eye opener for him. Expects both of these guys to earn a roster spot next fall in camp assuming they work on their strength... Both these guys could have been assigned to GR at the beginning of the year but Holland believes that they were better off in Europe. Almquist is close as well, the only reason why he is in GR is because they think he is far too weak, and wanted him to beef up a bit. They want to see how he handled the physical play with his small frame and he responded well.
Only if he has superstar talent to take with him (e.g., Fedorov, Bure, Malkin, etc.). When he gets to NA, he will be 7 or 8 years behind his teammates, who will all have been playing highly organized, highly competitive schedules since they were 6 or 7 years of age. He will have Russian hockey schools and if he is lucky, a couple of years of playing experience to offer. The CHL is not a development league - you are expected to be productive in an NHL-like schedule, playing a completely different style than he's used to, different language, customs, and all of that. Some 16-year old kids will overcome all those obstacles and not lose ground, but most will get swallowed up by them.
