What Russian KHL players you would like to see in the NHL next season?

[jaco]

I am really curious to how would SKA do in a NHL season. Playoff team for sure in my mind

I'm sorry to say that, but I think they would end up dead last, by a large margin.... Still I prefer KHL

 

[Gerin]

I'm sorry to say that, but I think they would end up dead last, by a large margin.... Still I prefer KHL

You don't think they would place higher than teams like Carolina or Calgary. They have one of the best scorers of post lockout era hockey in Kovalchuk, high level 1 C in Datsyuk, team Russia national players with with Dadonov, Shipachev and Voynov. Maybe playoffs is to far but I highly doubt last place

 

[jaco]

You don't think they would place higher than teams like Carolina or Calgary. They have one of the best scorers of post lockout era hockey in Kovalchuk, high level 1 C in Datsyuk, team Russia national players with with Dadonov, Shipachev and Voynov. Maybe playoffs is to far but I highly doubt last place

I don't know. I love the KHL because there is some hockey going on, whereas in NHL sometimes it looks like a pinball game. But if you want to play in the NHL, you have to adapt to it. Comparing only the rosters is misleading, since Russian grown players (or European for that matter) may not adapt to small ice and vice versa. From the actual SKA roster "only" Kovalchuk, Datsyuk and Voynov have proven to be "NHL-ready".
The generally accepted rule says that "offense wins games, but defense wins championships" (and all of Team Russia's International failures lately are there to prove that) and from that point of view I have to say that Calgary and Carolina look much better than SKA. But still.... as a german poet (J.W. Goethe) once said: "All theory is gray"... So, we'll never know.

 

[bennitez7]

Any chance that Dadonov or Shipachyov are coming to the NHL in the future? How long are they under contract in the KHL?

Thanks guys.

 

[SoundAndFury]

They both have contracts til 2017. Shipachyov wasn't too eager to go to the NHL before and they are being paid so much in the KHL that I don't think they ever will.

 

[ozo]

They both have contracts til 2017. Shipachyov wasn't too eager to go to the NHL before and they are being paid so much in the KHL that I don't think they ever will.

I could see Shipachyov exploring his options, but Dadonov was in NA once already and imo he could be another Tikhonov, who would again be struggling to make any impact.

 

[SoundAndFury]

But at the same time Dadonov has ELC out of the way so teams could actually pay him to come (if there was interest). Shipachyov would lose money for sure signing ELC. And overall, I don't see him earning more than he does in the KHL.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I could see Shipachyov exploring his options, but Dadonov was in NA once already and imo he could be another Tikhonov, who would again be struggling to make any impact.

Tikhonov never had Dadonov's numbers in the KHL and is overall just a worse player. Dadonov didn't look bad at WCH, and it's already his 3rd good season in the KHL. He actually looks better and better with each new season, and Tikhonov is just the opposite to this.

 

[Dueling Banjos]

I can see Gusev making transition to Tampa someday, they have quite a traffic at LW position already though, Killorn, Namestnikov, Palat (who is slightly regressing lately) and Drouin if i am correct.

 

[Salavat Yulaev]

Hate to say it. But Kaprizov will probably be invited to NHL like Vasilevsky and Slepyshev were.

 

[MaxV]

Ozhiganov, definitely. I would like all the top Russian defenders to spend some time in NA senior leagues, and I emphasize senior.

 

[afcyung]

Hate to say it. But Kaprizov will probably be invited to NHL like Vasilevsky and Slepyshev were.

He has said his agent has been in contact with the Wild and he would like to attend training camp next year. I don't think he will be playing in NA any time soon though.

 

[CanadienShark]

Shipachyov (sp?), Dadonov, and most importantly I want to see Kovalchuk back.