Some middle level NHLers are not good enough for KHL

[LSnow]

20-goal scorers are what you'd call middle of the pack in the NHL. A consitent scorer who contributes every year but isn't really the star to carry the team.



Well, obviously lockout is a special case. The guys come over with a different attitude. In case of Lupul he obviously never prepared himself for a serious effort to become a notable player in a new league. You can blame him for that or the lockout or even the club management. After all they probably had talks before the signing. Or maybe they were good with it all the way for Lupul to come over for a couple of weeks and if doesn't work out, well, sayonara. If I was the GM I wouldn't jump at that deal, but as a last place team you may be desperate to do something like that.

Once again it doesn't work for every player to go overseas and get comfortable and play good hockey. Should we blame the players who can't handle it? I don't think so. I think we should just realize the true worth of the effort by players who actually succeed in the same situation.

But its ok to bash russians who fail to do the same. Excuses ! Excuses everywhere !

 

[Siberian]

Lupul thinks Gagarin Cup is called Gargan Cup. https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/281785136486428673
Lupul Gargan Style

 

[SoundAndFury]

http://ca.askmen.com/sports/fanatic/culture-shock-lupul-s-lockout-diary.html

Second part of the Lupul's blog

 

[TollefsenFan]

Evander Kane and Joffrey Lupul are really good examples that a lot of middle level North American NHLers are not good enough to compete in the KHL. There are many reasons - unwillingness to adapt, lack of toughness for harsher living conditions, inability to increase work output to compensate for the size of ice and pure laziness. Last lockout the same was shown by Lecavalier, Brad Richards who were about subpar in the old Superleague. KHL is a tough league to play.

Well Thoresen was also a mediocre NHLr, but he didnt have any problem scoring in the KHL. I think its just about being used to the big ice, a strong mind etc. Not about skill.

 

[Siberian]

Well Thoresen was also a mediocre NHLr, but he didnt have any problem scoring in the KHL. I think its just about being used to the big ice, a strong mind etc. Not about skill.

Well, Thoresen is not from North America.

 

[TollefsenFan]

Well, Thoresen is not from North America.

Okey so what is your point? That north americans cant play well in Russia, because they are north americans? Well thats just a crazy theory. Personally i believe its all about rink size, style of play and cultural differences. Remember that these players want to win. They wouldnt be NHLrs without that will to win and ofc they want to do their best. Just like the team Canada in the whc. Lots of good players, but its hard to adapt to european rink size in just a few games. You should give Kane and the other north americans some time to adapt, before u judge em.

 

[Siberian]

Okey so what is your point? That north americans cant play well in Russia, because they are north americans? Well thats just a crazy theory. Personally i believe its all about rink size, style of play and cultural differences. Remember that these players want to win. They wouldnt be NHLrs without that will to win and ofc they want to do their best. Just like the team Canada in the whc. Lots of good players, but its hard to adapt to european rink size in just a few games. You should give Kane and the other north americans some time to adapt, before u judge em.

I never said that. Read carefully, it is all in post#1.

 

[ult]

Lupul thinks Gagarin Cup is called Gargan Cup. https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/281785136486428673
Lupul Gargan Style

Wow, some lowlife noname is making fun of Yuri's surname. What a trash.

 

[TollefsenFan]

I never said that. Read carefully, it is all in post#1.

"that a lot of middle level North American NHLers are not good enough to compete in the KHL"

You said a lot. We all know that the biggest north american stars wont move to the KHL anyways. So then u got the so called "middle level" players left. Feks Dallman, Cal O Rielly, Stapleton, Garnett, Lalande (not played in the NHL) etc And u also got Hodgman who hasnt played one single NHL match. So at least i can name a bunch of former NHLrs that do well in the KHL. Some of em like Dallman and Stapleton are key players for their teams. What these players got in common are that they used to be bottom liners in the NHL. So I cant find any evidence to support your claim that a lot of middle class NA NHLrs wont make it in the KHL.

There are hundreds of mediocre north american NHLrs. So ofc some of em wont be able to adapt to the KHL. When u got a huge bunch of different individuals, then its only natural that some might find it hard to adapt. Again I doubt it has anything to do with skillz, since the NHL is clearly the best league in the world. It has to do with rink size, loneliness, culture etc. Alot of things can affect the players. It has nothing to do with em being mediocre.

 

[Siberian]

"that a lot of middle level North American NHLers are not good enough to compete in the KHL"

You said a lot. We all know that the biggest north american stars wont move to the KHL anyways. So then u got the so called "middle level" players left. Feks Dallman, Cal O Rielly, Stapleton, Garnett, Lalande (not played in the NHL) etc And u also got Hodgman who hasnt played one single NHL match. So at least i can name a bunch of former NHLrs that do well in the KHL. Some of em like Dallman and Stapleton are key players for their teams. What these players got in common are that they used to be bottom liners in the NHL. So I cant find any evidence to support your claim that a lot of middle class NA NHLrs wont make it in the KHL.

There are hundreds of mediocre north american NHLrs. So ofc some of em wont be able to adapt to the KHL. When u got a huge bunch of different individuals, then its only natural that some might find it hard to adapt. Again I doubt it has anything to do with skillz, since the NHL is clearly the best league in the world. It has to do with rink size, loneliness, culture etc. Alot of things can affect the players. It has nothing to do with em being mediocre.

You are all over the place. You started with Tollefsen, now you are trying to twist my words. We are not really on the same page in this conversation. I'd rather not argue with you if you are ok with that.

 

[Siberian]

Wow, some lowlife noname is making fun of Yuri's surname. What a trash.

Yeah, exactly. His personality is garbage to say the least. All of his interviews are filled with negativity.

 

[SoundAndFury]

You are all over the place. You started with Tollefsen, now you are trying to twist my words. We are not really on the same page in this conversation. I'd rather not argue with you if you are ok with that.

And you don't even know the difference between Tollefsen and Thoresen

 

[Siberian]

And you don't even know the difference between Tollefsen and Thoresen

Yes I do. It was just a mistake.

 

[TollefsenFan]

You are all over the place. You started with Tollefsen, now you are trying to twist my words. We are not really on the same page in this conversation. I'd rather not argue with you if you are ok with that.

Thoresen developed in QMJHL and was a mediocre NHLr. Just like feks Evander Kane. So Thoresen and Kane got alot in common. I dnt see how their nationality has anything to do with their performance in the KHL.

The fact is still that most foreign stars in the KHL used to be mediocre NHLrs. That was my point (Weinhandl (former KHLr), MÃ¥rtensen, Nilson, Thoresen, Cal O Rielly, Stapleton etc)

If u dnt want to argue with me then thats fine. Have a nice day.

 

[DoubleDose86]

maybe it's the leaf fan in me, but Perhaps if Lupul had some more time he could have been decent in the KHL.

To say he isn't good enough is just unfair after so few games.

I also see the point people are making about the KHL not being just a scrub league, but Zherdev played 421 NHL game, even his 1st year was 57. There situation is a little different with the 2.

 

[Acallabeth]

To say he isn't good enough is just unfair after so few games.

I also see the point people are making about the KHL not being just a scrub league, but Zherdev played 421 NHL game, even his 1st year was 57. There situation is a little different with the 2.

Zherdev also was top3 in team scoring every year. I'm not bashing Lupul, but it's not like Zherdev ran from the team, and all this with attitude indicated by Lupul's own words...

Quick story: My first NHL road trip included stops in Dallas, Nashville and another city (a six- or seven-day trip). I spent hours packing, not knowing exactly what I should bring. I was a nervous wreck. I showed up at the airport for the charter, and Stanislav Chistov and Alexei Smirnov (two rookie Russian first-round picks) were there with only a shaving kit. I would assume that they had no idea that the trip was six days and lacked the English and/or confidence to ask anyone. The general response from the guys on the team was "what a couple of *****ing idiots," and they were chirped pretty much the whole time to Dallas, whereupon arrival they had to go shopping and buy a week's worth of clothing.

Read more: http://ca.askmen.com/sports/fanatic/culture-shock-lupul-s-lockout-diary.html#ixzz2FssC4hOJ

 

[Bolt32]

It's a quite a problem when you can't order it. I, unlike Mr. Lupul, can speak Russian but to quote him:

“The language was obviously really difficult. I don’t think I envisioned there being quite that little English there. There’s basically none,†he said. “So, I mean, regular day-to-day life, going for dinner, becomes quite difficult.â€

I can speak about a hundred or so words in Russian, few basic phrases, can order my food and drinks no problem. Days spent in Russia.....None. If he was going to sign with a Team in Russia, he should at the very least opened up the pocket book a little bit and try to learn. Ordering something to eat or drink in Russian isn't that hard....Conversations yes, basic phrases no. Its laziness.

 

[Den]

Let it go... One played 9 games, the other 12. Way to make conclusions...

 

[Siberian]

Let it go... One played 9 games, the other 12. Way to make conclusions...

Enough to understand what their prospects in the KHL can be. Combined minus 14 and 2 goals in 23 games. Yes, I am letting them go.

 

[yunost]

Let it go... One played 9 games, the other 12. Way to make conclusions...

One was released by the team. Thats a conclusion.

 

[WreckItRask]

Enough to understand what their prospects in the KHL can be. Combined minus 14 and 2 goals in 23 games. Yes, I am letting them go.

It's two dudes that, quite frankly, didn't take it serious enough to thrive over there. It's a good league, and anyone saying otherwise is clearly misinformed. But if you're trying to make the argument that an in shape and motivated Evander Kane (not the version that Minsk got) wouldn't be an elite player in the KHL...well, that's just silly. Evander Kane thought he could just show up with his gear in Minsk and he'd be fine...he was wrong.

 

[Siberian]

It's two dudes that, quite frankly, didn't take it serious enough to thrive over there. It's a good league, and anyone saying otherwise is clearly misinformed. But if you're trying to make the argument that an in shape and motivated Evander Kane (not the version that Minsk got) wouldn't be an elite player in the KHL...well, that's just silly. Evander Kane thought he could just show up with his gear in Minsk and he'd be fine...he was wrong.

Wow, you're making way too many assumptions. You assume that Kane and Lupul could have fared much better. May be, may be not. It's easy way out to claim they did not take it seriously. I think they did but they still were not good enough to stand out on bigger ice. I guarantee you they wouldn't be elite players under any circumstances, their skating is not as good to go longer East-West.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I guarantee you they wouldn't be elite players under any circumstances, their skating is not as good to go longer East-West.

Did you see them play at all??? I mean Janis Sprukts is 35 point player in the KHL and he just can't skate meanwhile Lupul is really, really good skater.

I mean ok, you don't think they are good enough, that's your opinion. But that skating remark just makes no sense whatsoever, is this really the best argument you managed to come up with?

 

[NJDevilsZG]

Wow, some lowlife noname is making fun of Yuri's surname. What a trash.

Well, you can learn a lot about a man ... from his trash. Nuff said.

As for NHLers not cutting it in KHL - that's not surprising. Some notables didn't exactly move the earth here in EBEL league. Only here we often hear - big ice, much faster up&down game, etc. It really just comes down to effort and hard work. As allways.

 

[gingerninja*]

It's mostly that nhl grinders will have tough time in khl. I take skilled, fast guy from ahl over grinders, thats for sure