Ukraine: Ukrainian Hockey Championship
- Thread starter Sokil
- Start date
Go Donbass
Registered User
The Ukrainian Championship has 8 teams this year. Generals Kiev and Donbass are sitting on top of the table with 21 points each (and thus far destroying their competition), with Kremenchuk sitting in third (they handed Donbass their only defeat so far). The other teams are way behind these top three in terms of being competitive. Lot's of lopsided scores thus far. But quite frankly I'm just glad to have a full season league again this year, so I'm hardly complaining.
As for Donbass being in the K again next year, I'll defer to anyone living in Ukraine to answer this question. I have no idea where they are in terms of construction on the new arena, and the old one was all but destroyed in that fire a few years ago. So unless the new arena gets completed, I can't foresee Donbass re-entering the K anytime soon, as sad as that is for me to say.
Sokil
Ukraine Specialitsky
There's no arena and Donetsk is still occupied by Russia. There's nowhere for them to play and it wouldn't be realistic to build a KHL-grade arena in the east at the moment.
Also, the investment climate for such a venture would have to be low, with the Ukrainian currency tanking and oligarchs still shuffling around, unsure where they will end up with the ongoing reforms.
Also, the investment climate for such a venture would have to be low, with the Ukrainian currency tanking and oligarchs still shuffling around, unsure where they will end up with the ongoing reforms.
Go Donbass
Registered User
The other thing that occurred to me was that the airport in Donetsk was destroyed. Not much can or will happen until the airport is rebuilt and who knows when that will be.
Sokil
Ukraine Specialitsky
Also that, good point. They would (hypothetically) have to fly in to Kramatorsk and then deal with the security checkpoints. Or fly into Rostov and smuggle the team in from there.
Go Donbass
Registered User
2 biggest games of the year thus far this past weekend. Generals took on Donbass. Generals took 4 of 6 points to take sole possession of first place.
Kremenchuk won both of their games against Vityaz Kharkiv, and pass Donbass for second place.
Kremenchuk won both of their games against Vityaz Kharkiv, and pass Donbass for second place.
Sokil
Ukraine Specialitsky
i'm only seeing junior affiliate stuff on the site, i guess someone else here could give a better answer
http://hcsokol.com.ua/
hansomreiste
Registered User
Today, I was able to see some parts of Kremenchuk against Generals Kiev and I have to say that I am very surprised with the quality of the arena. Aside from Donbass, I thought every team had just these old barns with ugly lines on grey ice. However, both the arena and stream looked fantastic. I do not know who streamed it online illegally but this dude obviously knows his job. A great game to enjoy at 60fps. I am not the one to judge the quality of hockey yet the players looked pretty decent for a league of 8 teams only.
On a side note, I wish to ask Ukrainian friends: do people in Lviv love ice hockey or simply ice skating? If everything goes as planned, I will permanently move to Lviv in August this year. In Turkey, being able to skate is pretty much enough to be picked by an ice hockey team, especially for university teams. So, my plan in Turkey was to train for two months in Ukraine and then come back to play for the school team. However, now things changed. I searched a little bit but could not find anything concrete. Do universities in Lviv or Ukraine in general have ice hockey teams? How good is their level and as a guy who can't even handle a stick properly at the moment, may I join the team provided that I improve myself?
I know Ukrainians are no strangers to ice hockey but they are not major at it, either. So I really have no idea. For example, playing at a school team in Russia would be definitely impossible for me, as they are way way better than we Turks; but I am not sure where Ukrainian hockey stands at an amateur or semi-pro level.
I would like to make this clear: I am looking forward to playing for my university's team (Ivan Franko) if it exists, or any other amateur clubs. I am not fit to become a pro after that age (21) - moreover, I cannot even play hockey properly. So, just looking for something casual.
On a side note, I wish to ask Ukrainian friends: do people in Lviv love ice hockey or simply ice skating? If everything goes as planned, I will permanently move to Lviv in August this year. In Turkey, being able to skate is pretty much enough to be picked by an ice hockey team, especially for university teams. So, my plan in Turkey was to train for two months in Ukraine and then come back to play for the school team. However, now things changed. I searched a little bit but could not find anything concrete. Do universities in Lviv or Ukraine in general have ice hockey teams? How good is their level and as a guy who can't even handle a stick properly at the moment, may I join the team provided that I improve myself?
I know Ukrainians are no strangers to ice hockey but they are not major at it, either. So I really have no idea. For example, playing at a school team in Russia would be definitely impossible for me, as they are way way better than we Turks; but I am not sure where Ukrainian hockey stands at an amateur or semi-pro level.
I would like to make this clear: I am looking forward to playing for my university's team (Ivan Franko) if it exists, or any other amateur clubs. I am not fit to become a pro after that age (21) - moreover, I cannot even play hockey properly. So, just looking for something casual.
Does anyone know which teams that will participate in the Ukrainian Hockey Extra League the 2016-17 season?
Why has the web page of the league down?
http://www.hel.net.ua
It has been down for weeks.
Why has the web page of the league down?
http://www.hel.net.ua
It has been down for weeks.
ozo
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2010
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Usually nobody knows the answer about the participant list until late August.
Go Donbass
Registered User
The teams participating in next years championship were announced today. Only a couple of changes from last year. Looks like Rapid Kiev either folded or merged with Kompanion, and Krivbass join to keep the league at 8 teams. Nice to see an early announcement this year, as maybe this is an indication the league is on a little more sure footing. Hopefully we won't have too many 27-0 blowouts again this year too. A solid domestic league should help Ukraine's chances of making the top flight of the WC's also.
Go Donbass
Registered User
Arsenal Xharkov announced their intention to join the league for 2016/17. That would make three teams in Xharkov, so not sure how much sense that makes, but hey the more the merrier right.
Also, new kids on the block, Krivbass have been signing players left, right and centre the past week or so. Looks like they want to make a championship run, right out of the gate.
Also, new kids on the block, Krivbass have been signing players left, right and centre the past week or so. Looks like they want to make a championship run, right out of the gate.
They should only be allowed to join if they agree to change their name. Like seriously, Arsenal?
Go Donbass
Registered User
Milos Krasic
Best Serbian Footballer (2009) / Serie A Winner
- Jul 1, 2008
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Arsenal is a common name throughout Europe.
Russia has a soccer club called Arsenal Tula.
Don't see the big deal.
Russia has a soccer club called Arsenal Tula.
Don't see the big deal.
I guess it's not that big of a deal as these Anglicized names are so common these days. It's simply sad that nations no longer appreciate their own languages.
Go Donbass
Registered User
Agreed. League announced today that each team will be limited to 10 foreign players.
It's pretty exciting that this league seems to be more than the fly by night operations we've seen in Ukraine the past several seasons. They have a TV deal, decent local sponsorship's. Hopefully having a strong domestic league will translate into better results for the national team.
Your old Jofa helmet
Registered User
.
Just to let you know that arsenal is a standard word in russian or Ukrainian languages, it means the facility for storing ammunition. It's been a word for many many years, even though it was borrowed from other languages at some point. Teams owned by weapons factories were called Arsenals long time ago.
So it's not like Espoo Blues...
Go Donbass
Registered User
Kremenchuk beat Donbass 4-2 to win a pre-season tournament, that also featured Krivbass and Bely Bars.
Milos Krasic
Best Serbian Footballer (2009) / Serie A Winner
- Jul 1, 2008
- 1,827
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Go Donbass
Registered User
Season is underway, but only 6 teams instead of the 8 that were announced. No Kompanion and no Yunost Kharkiv.
Donbass beat Generals 4-0
Krivbass beat Kremenchuk 2-1 in OT
Belyi Bars beat Vityaz 3-1
Donbass beat Generals 4-0
Krivbass beat Kremenchuk 2-1 in OT
Belyi Bars beat Vityaz 3-1
ozo
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2010
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- 434
When you look at last season's table, those two teams won't be missed, their combined goal difference for the season was approximately -700
Go Donbass
Registered User
When you look at last season's table, those two teams won't be missed, their combined goal difference for the season was approximately -700
An 8 team league is always better than a 6 team league, in that at least there's better diversity in the schedule from week to week.
That being said, the league will be more competitive obviously. I am guessing Yunost Kharkiv was a U-20 type team.
I do hope that these 6 teams can solidify themselves financially, and that they can build on this foundation. Clearly a lack of decent arenas is a killer for hockey in Ukraine. And not a problem that is going to be solved any time soon.
