Second best league in the world?

[GareFan18]

When discussing the Olympics on NHL Radio this morning, it was said the KHL is the second best league in the world.

Is that really true? Sure, they have top end talent like Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Mozyakin, but top to bottom, is the KHL better than the AHL? I'm not sure I agree the KHL is better than the AHL.

A guy like Steve Moses plays in the KHL and is a point-per-game player and has 36 goals. He plays in the AHL and he has 16 points in 29 games. Granted, it may be a result of with whom Moses was on a line, but I think AHL goaltending is probably better, too.

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[210]

I think the average KHL team beats the average AHL team in a best of seven series...

 

[GareFan18]

The top end of the KHL is ridiculously good -- compared to the other KHL teams. SKA has 129 points in 51 games. CSKA has 118 in 50. But, once you get out of the top 5 or 6, the drop off is significant.

Tucson is an average AHL team. Look at their roster. You think they'd lose to, say, Spartak in a 7-game series? I don't. Ryan Stoa and Ben Maxwell weren't exactly tearing up the AHL. They're top line guys for Spartak.

Moscow Spartak 2017-18 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

 

[Nightsquad]

All the Euro leagues kinda hurt the American Hockey League. Someone I know spent time playing between the UHL and the AHL finally called it quits and went to Europe. He made more money, got to travel and see Europe for few years. He could play at the AA/AAA level well but knew his path to the NHL was long and difficult. Financially it was better for many to play Euro hockey.

 

[canucks4ever]

In the early to mid 2000s, there were 70 russians in the nhl. Now there are 40, that would mean about 30 nhl calibre russians are playing in the KHL. I would love to see top ahl and khl teams compete in the champions league or spengler cup.

 

[Albatros]

I'm not convinced that the AHL is better than the Swedish Hockey League or necessarily even the Swiss and the Finnish top leagues. Sure there are always some good players there, but conversely the farm system greatly devaluates the league otherwise.

 

[GarbageGoal]

The KHL has a handful of genuine NHL stars and older guys who would probably be too much for younger players with burgeoning NHL caliber raw talent.

 

[willy702]

As others said, AHL teams are superior to all but the top 3-4 KHL teams. The KHL is like the major European soccer leagues, you get the big name clubs in each country with resources that spend all the money and get most of the titles as a result, while the others are fighting to stay relevant and gladly selling off their best players when the time comes.

 

[210]

In a best of seven series of the average AHL team vs the average KHL team, I'd bet every single thing I own on the KHL team. If that AHL team got lucky they might win two.

 

[Ainec]

the average AHL team is better imo

 

[Spirit of 67]

Obviously not official but here is a ranking.

https://thehockeywriters.com/ranking-the-top-ten-hockey-leagues/

 

[ZEBROA]

Not sure AHL is better than SHL not Close to KHL tho.

 

[Albatros]

Obviously not official but here is a ranking.

The KHL is the second best hockey league in the world

Vis-à-vis the AHL one can always argue, but ranking the NLA lower than the DEL or even the ECHL is an utter joke.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Vis-à-vis the AHL one can always argue, but ranking the NLA lower than the DEL or even the ECHL is an utter joke.

I'll take your word for it. I have no idea and really don't pay that much attention.