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Russian hockey league is competition for NHL
by yuls.source | September 2, 2008 at 10:51 am
304 views | 2 Recommendations | 4 comments
(K)Continental Hockey League (KHL), a new international hockey league which consists of teams from Russia, Belarus, Latvia and Kazakhstan, is stepping on NHL’s heels. With deeper pockets to dive into for player salaries, KHL looks to retain Eastern European hockey talent at home. Until recently NHL saw virtually no competition for young talented players. This summer, however, KHL made its reputation as an outbidder, threatening NHL’s recruitment prospects.
The KHL has already signed a number of NHL players this summer, most notably aging superstar Jaromir Jagr, but the strength of the league may rest in its ability to outbid for the rights to younger players. The NHL, which is already handcuffed by a salary cap, has a rookie maximum salary of $US 875,000.
NHL’s Nashville Predators cried foul when Salavat Yulaev signed budding star Alexander Radulov to a three-year contract worth an estimated US $13 million. Radulov, who had one year remaining on his entry contract with the team at US $984,200, has been suspended from international play by the International Ice Hockey Federation.
The number of Russian players drafted by the NHL has been in steady decline since 2000, not because of a lack of talent but because of a fear they will never arrive. With the emergence of a competitive Eurasian league, European prospects may start joining them. With a bevy of talent and money at its disposal, the lure of playing in Russia has never been greater.
Considering hockey is still big in Eastern Europe and more fans can now afford paying to see a game or two, the market is definitely there. Hence, investments necessary to recruit and retain celebrity players are likely to keep on pouring in.
September 2, 2008 at 10:51 am by yuls.source, 304 views, 4 comments
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 15:28 on September 2nd, 2008
I don't like how some of the best players in the world might turn to the KHL on a personal pleasure point of view, but for the players, this is great as they have more options to choose where they want to play and reside. Definitely a threat to the NHL.
at 15:33 on September 2nd, 2008
yuls.source,
Very interesting, thanks!
at 23:52 on September 2nd, 2008
Its still a long time away that the KHL will actually compete with the NHL.
Perhaps a decade or more until they are even considered competition.
As of now all they will get is aging superstars, russian stars (who dont mind playing in Russia) and NHL players that are no longer asked for their services in the NHL.
Your still playing in Russia which is still not exactly a free fully civilized country.
And the lure of the Stanley Cup is still far beyond the non-existent lure of the Gagarin Cup.
And this is being said by a Russian.
at 08:01 on September 3rd, 2008
Thanks for your comments, everyone. I agree KHL might be in its early developmental stages, but the fact that is being somewhat of a nuisance to the almighty NHL is interesting, in my opinion.