Russians stay home

[VladNYC*]

more roster spots for other players to enter the league at 18 and be significantly better developed in all hockey aspects by age 20.

Except it doesn't work that way. It has been proven that Russian prospects are much better off developing at home and coming over to the NHL later. The IIHF did a study on it. You can look it up.

 

[Celtic Note]

Just so you know, Tarasenko was promised by the Blues that if he came over it would be straight to the NHL and he would not see any AHL time. So there are other factors then just not wanting to play in the CHL/AHL or not being able to get a contract.

Armstrong said that wasn't the case.

 

[vorky]

If the Russian prospect is playing in one of the CHL leagues (Burmistrov or Yakupov for example) then I don't think it's an issue. They'll go the CHL/AHL route if they have to. Obviously the ones in the KHL...if they can't make the NHL teams as a regular then they'll stay in the KHL rather than joining a CHL or AHL team.

There are exceptions and Kitsyn is a good one as someone mentioned because he joined his OHL club after getting little ice-time from his KHL one. Btw, Kitsyn is going back to Russia according to him but not because he doesn't wanna play in the NHL right now. He just hasn't been offered a contract yet I think. He said barring something remarkable he'll return to the KHL meaning that if the Kings don't offer him a contract but I wouldn't worry. He's NHL ready and the Kings should sign him this year but they'll probably do it next year.

I dont think that it was a reason coming to OHL. It was not about little ice time but another reason. His KHL team (Novokuznetsk) did not make play-off, his junior MHL team did not make play-off. So he did not want to finish season in mid february.


his TOI in KHL btw he was injured at beginning of season.

 

[Pez68]

People are reading way too much into this. It's about one thing.

$$$$$$$$$

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Well Rundblad is another european. Of course, swedes aren't that hesitant to come over as the russians now, but they still have not a bad league at home and the KHL nearby. Idon't think that was the point for Ottawa. It was definitely more that they wanted a D-man.

LOLWUT?

Him being Russian was the only reason Ottawa didn't draft him. If he was any other nation Ottawa would have drafted him instantly. Ottawa also didn't pick another forward because they believed Rundblad>any other forward left besides Tarasenko.

A year later, they were more than right.

 

[Lord Helix]

Look...I'm a hardcore Blues fan, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried right now. We all knew the possibility of him doing this, yet we hoped to get him sooner rather than later. He still may come over, but we all know that Russia will throw the bank at him next year. Hopefully his father will let/tell him to come over and try to be the next Russian star. Another year of waiting stinks, but Schwartz, our potential Parise, may be ready after another year in college.