The Olympics From a KHL Point of View...

[thevreelander]

There's no doubt that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi could be used to help build the KHL brand in many ways. Tonight on NBCSN during the Rangers vs Blackhawks game Mike Milbury broke down Team Finland and basically said "They don't stand a chance, because there are a lot of Liiga and KHL players on their roster". I think it's very key from a KHL perspective that a roster with some KHL players on it, takes gold (even though I won't be rooting for them).

Here's the breakdown by how many KHL players are on contenders for gold:

Russia - 10
Finland - 6

Out of these two teams which one winning would help build the KHL more?

My answer goes both ways. I think Russia winning would be better for KHL expansion in Europe because it'll prove to Europe that the KHL and it's players are the real deal of European hockey. However I think Finland would be better for North American expansion simply because if Russia wins every North American will be even more angry and won't buy into the KHL. (Yes I know Canadians and United States hockey fans make no sense.)

It's also important to note that the KHL has players on other teams too, but I chose to focus on Russia and Finland because I think they have the best chance to win Gold among those teams.

Also how do you think the KHL players on the team will do against NHL big boys?

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[Den]

There's no doubt that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi could be used to help build the KHL brand in many ways. Tonight on NBCSN during the Rangers vs Blackhawks game Mike Milbury broke down Team Finland and basically said "They don't stand a chance, because there are a lot of Liiga and KHL players on their roster". I think it's very key from a KHL perspective that a roster with some KHL players on it, takes gold (even though I won't be rooting for them).

Here's the breakdown by how many KHL players are on contenders for gold:

Russia - 10
Finland - 6

Out of these two teams which one winning would help build the KHL more?

My answer goes both ways. I think Russia winning would be better for KHL expansion in Europe because it'll prove to Europe that the KHL and it's players are the real deal of European hockey. However I think Finland would be better for North American expansion simply because if Russia wins every North American will be even more angry and won't buy into the KHL. (Yes I know Canadians and United States hockey fans make no sense.)

It's also important to note that the KHL has players on other teams too, but I chose to focus on Russia and Finland because I think they have the best chance to win Gold among those teams.

Also how do you think the KHL players on the team will do against NHL big boys?

Some of them will, like most of the Finnish selections, Kokarev, Soin, Rads. Some won't, like Nikulin or Hossa, posdibly Zaborsky and Salak

 

[Den]

There's no doubt that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi could be used to help build the KHL brand in many ways. Tonight on NBCSN during the Rangers vs Blackhawks game Mike Milbury broke down Team Finland and basically said "They don't stand a chance, because there are a lot of Liiga and KHL players on their roster". I think it's very key from a KHL perspective that a roster with some KHL players on it, takes gold (even though I won't be rooting for them).

It would be nice, but it is not the point in choosing KHLers for those teams. They simply don't have enough good players in the NHL. The choices that Russia made for example, are better than yakupovs, kucherovs and loktionovs. Same goes for Finland I guess.

 

[loppa*]

I think that this does not matter.