July 14, 2008
The Rise of Russia
There has been a recent flurry of deals of late, regarding the professional Russian hockey league (KHL) and NHL players.
And Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog doesn't think there's much fire behing all this smoke.
But perhaps this point of view isn't taking world events into enough perspective. After all, there's something to be said for a player who wants to spend the final years of his playing career near home.
Jaromir Jagr, for example, is certainly in the twilight of a brilliant NHL career. And he could have kept playing in the NHL for the next 4-6 years if he chose to. But instead, Jagr will be playing in Russia, for the same team he was on during the lockout.
Something new is happening now. As the Russian economy rises back onto the world stage, so too will their influence in international sports. And with that, Russia is emerging as a true alternative market for world-class hockey players.
Sure, at first, it'll be mostly Europeans and Russians - and we're seeing that now.
But we've also seen North American players get a chance to star in Russia. Wade Dubielewicz and Ray Emery are both goaltenders who couldn't hold a starting job in the NHL and have signed this offseason to play in the KHL.
So while the KHL is skimming off the fringe players of the NHL for the time being, is there more of this trend to come? Or will it be as Puck Daddy posits:
After all, there is no place like home. And being 3 hours away is a lot different than 8 or 10.
And Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog doesn't think there's much fire behing all this smoke.
But perhaps this point of view isn't taking world events into enough perspective. After all, there's something to be said for a player who wants to spend the final years of his playing career near home.
Jaromir Jagr, for example, is certainly in the twilight of a brilliant NHL career. And he could have kept playing in the NHL for the next 4-6 years if he chose to. But instead, Jagr will be playing in Russia, for the same team he was on during the lockout.
Something new is happening now. As the Russian economy rises back onto the world stage, so too will their influence in international sports. And with that, Russia is emerging as a true alternative market for world-class hockey players.
Sure, at first, it'll be mostly Europeans and Russians - and we're seeing that now.
But we've also seen North American players get a chance to star in Russia. Wade Dubielewicz and Ray Emery are both goaltenders who couldn't hold a starting job in the NHL and have signed this offseason to play in the KHL.
So while the KHL is skimming off the fringe players of the NHL for the time being, is there more of this trend to come? Or will it be as Puck Daddy posits:
"Sorry to be so flip about this whole Russian League thing, but I just don't understand the ominous reaction from many NHL fans towards this new rival. I'm sure with its undeniable funding, it's going to be able to attract players that would otherwise play in the NHL. But it's never going to get top-flight North American talent to pick the CHL over the NHL. It's never going to keep the Ovechkins or Malkins, who go in the Top 5 of an NHL Draft. It's never, ever, ever going to have the goaltending the NHL enjoys. Given its current trajectory, it might as well be the Sloppy-Seconds Hockey League."That just seems to be a very shortsighted view. There is a ton of money in Russia these days; and it's power as a nation will only continue to grow. Even the old former Soviet states are rising up - especially the oil-rich ones. And while it's probably true that the Ovechkins and Malkins will still want to show their skills on the NHL stage, we in North America could very easily see their careers here shortened because of the option to play in Russia. And we'll likely to see a lot more mid-level players spend part or most of their careers in the KHL as well.
After all, there is no place like home. And being 3 hours away is a lot different than 8 or 10.