Will more NHL players go to Russia

[pixburgher66]

yes it is the first big name but truth be told the russian player exodus has been ongoing and is nothing new

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 8m Only 18 Russian skaters played 30+ games in NHL last season. Ten years ago, there were 45+ regulars in the league. Slowly fading away.

Now, is that a result of them staying in the KHL, a fear of NHL clubs to invest in Russians, or are they getting out-played/can't adjust to NHL game? I tend to think it's a combination of all of that. I'm just not sure that it's them willingly choosing not to play. I think a BIG thing teams need to do is have another Russian around. Geno lived with Gonch...if that didn't happen, I'm fairly sure we wouldn't have THIS Geno, or Geno at all. These guys can't speak the language well, are coming in and having to adjust to a different game, and already have ample criticism just because of their country. Teams have to work a bit harder to keep them comfortable. I love Russian players...I think they're some of the most entertaining (and frustrating) players to watch.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Now, is that a result of them staying in the KHL, a fear of NHL clubs to invest in Russians, or are they getting out-played/can't adjust to NHL game? I tend to think it's a combination of all of that. I'm just not sure that it's them willingly choosing not to play. I think a BIG thing teams need to do is have another Russian around. Geno lived with Gonch...if that didn't happen, I'm fairly sure we wouldn't have THIS Geno, or Geno at all. These guys can't speak the language well, are coming in and having to adjust to a different game, and already have ample criticism just because of their country. Teams have to work a bit harder to keep them comfortable. I love Russian players...I think they're some of the most entertaining (and frustrating) players to watch.

you left out the biggest factor of all imo

K Sean Packard, CPA ‏@AthleteTax now After taxes, Ilya Kovalchuk would net about $42,548,000 on $77M in US. To net that n Russia, he'll only need 2 gross $48,905,747



hate to be cynical (who am i kidding? lol) but when its not about the money ..... its about the money!

 

[forty_three]

yes it is the first big name but truth be told the russian player exodus has been ongoing and is nothing new

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 8m Only 18 Russian skaters played 30+ games in NHL last season. Ten years ago, there were 45+ regulars in the league. Slowly fading away.

But how many of any nationality played more than 30? In a 48 game season, probably shows a statistical decline across the board.

Devils had 3 Russians on their roster that didn't make 30 games.

 

[dash]

hate to be cynical (who am i kidding? lol) but when its not about the money ..... its about the money!

 

[KennyBanyeah]

But how many of any nationality played more than 30? In a 48 game season, probably shows a statistical decline across the board.

Devils had 3 Russians on their roster that didn't make 30 games.

For the last several years the number of regular NHLers who were Russian has hovered between 20-30. That's less than one per team.

I think the biggest thing (haven't checked this statistically) is the unwillingness of Russians to play in the AHL. These guys don't want to ride the buses from Binghamton to Scranton to Charlotte while making a measly $100,000/year. They won't take those two years to develop into NHL players when they can go home, be close to family, make 5-10 times the money and play in the "big show" back in Mother Russia. Can't say I necessarily blame them.

 

[pixburgher66]

But how many of any nationality played more than 30? In a 48 game season, probably shows a statistical decline across the board.

Devils had 3 Russians on their roster that didn't make 30 games.

Hahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha...wow. Great point. I wasn't even thinking when I read that tweet. He probably should've prefaced it. Heck, Geno was injured a few games this year...he played 31! OV played all 48. Kovy only got 37 in.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

But how many of any nationality played more than 30? In a 48 game season, probably shows a statistical decline across the board.

Devils had 3 Russians on their roster that didn't make 30 games.

Hahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha...wow. Great point. I wasn't even thinking when I read that tweet. He probably should've prefaced it. Heck, Geno was injured a few games this year...he played 31! OV played all 48. Kovy only got 37 in.

So lets take mirtles 30 games played number out of the equation

10 years ago 59 russians played at least 1game in the nhl
last season it was 22

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I don't blame Lou in this. It's not like he's known for years that this was going to happen, at best he's known since January. What was he supposed to do? He probably would've treated the draft pick situation differently had he known this was coming. Should he have given that pick up? Absolutely, unless he knows something we don't and the Devils have a chance to get their pick back this year?

When he flipped the switch and was on his game Kovy was a top 10, possibly top 5 offensive player in the game. You do what you can to lock that guy up, Lou did what he had to. The loss of draft picks and all that nonsense, again, I don't put that on Lou. That's a whole other story.

 

[forty_three]

So lets take mirtles 30 games played number out of the equation

I get that the number / percentage is falling, but I thought that Myrtle was using a biased stat to make his point look stronger.

The point stands on it's own, no need to embellish.

I think the reaction to the Russian invasion in all NA leagues is the reason for the dwindling number. When guys like Mogilny, Fetisov, Fedorov, Bure, etc came over they had been in a very rigorous system for a very long time and when they got here their work ethic and habits immediately pushed them right to the top. Talent combined with the prior hard work showed the Canadian and American kids that going out every night for beers was going to keep them behind.

NA minors and Juniors are much more conditioned and the gap is gone. Other Euro leagues have responded too. Upper Europe looks to be the new hotbed. Some unreal players have been coming from Sweden and Finland. And it is showing no signs of stopping.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I don't blame Lou in this. It's not like he's known for years that this was going to happen, at best he's known since January. What was he supposed to do? He probably would've treated the draft pick situation differently had he known this was coming. Should he have given that pick up? Absolutely, unless he knows something we don't and the Devils have a chance to get their pick back this year?

When he flipped the switch and was on his game Kovy was a top 10, possibly top 5 offensive player in the game. You do what you can to lock that guy up, Lou did what he had to. The loss of draft picks and all that nonsense, again, I don't put that on Lou. That's a whole other story.

Yah i think lou knew when the lockout ended that this might be a possibility

U would think lou sought out kovy for some clarity on what kovy was doing next season before the draft

 

[dash]

As mentioned previously, the brutal part for the Devils and their fans is the timing of this Kovy decision. Do they trade for Schneider if they know Kovy is leaving? Maybe they take Bo Horvat or some other young forward instead (likely not Nickushkin though, once bitten, twice shy). As far as free agency is concerned, they probably make a better attempt to keep Clarkson or make moves in other ways knowing Kovy is gonzo.

Debacle is the word.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

As mentioned previously, the brutal part for the Devils and their fans is the timing of this Kovy decision. Do they trade for Schneider if they know Kovy is leaving? Maybe they take Bo Horvat or some other young forward instead (likely not Nickushkin though, once bitten, twice shy). As far as free agency is concerned, they probably make a better attempt to keep Clarkson or make moves in other ways knowing Kovy is gonzo.

Debacle is the word.

Heard yesterday devils were in on derek roy before he signed so kovy not letting lou know sooner can be seen as a blessing

 

[David_son]

As mentioned previously, the brutal part for the Devils and their fans is the timing of this Kovy decision. Do they trade for Schneider if they know Kovy is leaving? Maybe they take Bo Horvat or some other young forward instead (likely not Nickushkin though, once bitten, twice shy). As far as free agency is concerned, they probably make a better attempt to keep Clarkson or make moves in other ways knowing Kovy is gonzo.

Debacle is the word.

Devils probably lucked out with Clarkson but he got 7 years and six million a year. Now dont get me wrong Clarkson is a good player but he is not a 6 million a year player. So if IK retired early they might have been tempted to match that and then over paid for Clarkson.

 

[DevilishWon]

Lol does that ever happen???

/sochi 2014 cost overruns are up to $39 BILLION ... Im guessing alot of these guys who own alot of these khl teams are getting some serious corrupt coin from their buddy putin to drive empty dump trucks back and forth lol

Beat me to it. Does organized crime go bankrupt...lol