The Russians are the most skilled and dynamic players the NHL has ever been able to host and broadcast to the masses. This is not anti Canadian, the Canadians just play the game with more physicality and use teamwork to their advantage. The most recent player to leave was Atlanta Thrashers forward Maxim Afinogenov, who recently signed with SKA St. Petersburg. Afinogenov was not alone as former NHL players Evgeni Nabokov and Denis Grebeshkov also signed with SKA St. Petersburg.
The next probable departure is that of Ilya Kovalchuk who has been offered numerous contracts to play in the NHL and the KHL. Kovalchuk who recently had the NHL reject his contract with the New Jersey Devils that would have had him earning a hundred million over the next seventeen years. The Russians immediately jumped on the opportunity when KHL president Alexander Medvedev promised to match the NHL's offer if Kovalchuk agreed to sign with SKA this season. As of right now Kovalchuk has yet to make a decision and is awaiting further offers.
How Russian hockey grew so much as to be able to match the NHL's payroll is still a mystery, but the players are feeling they might as well staying in their home country if they are getting the same money. The NHL is going to be losing attention soon if the KHL is able to keep up and match their output, this bodes poorly for North American hockey. Eventually North Americans will not be able to see the Ovechkin's or the Malkin's if the future stars stay in Russia.
On the other hand this could be good for the NHL as it opens up a whole new attempt to get a global audience. A new series could eventually become a reality, NHL all-stars would take on the KHL all-stars in an annual game that could potentially draw a global audience. This stands to generate a great deal of revenue for both leagues while at the same time generating a larger audience.
Interestingly, the Russian players you mentioned in the article were Maxim Afinoganov, Evgeni Nabokov, Denis Grebeshkov, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.
ReplyDeleteKovalchuk never brought his team past the first round of the playoffs, and had (arguably) only two good seasons - last year, he wasn't the best player on his team by a long shot, and during the playoffs he failed to produce. He's never topped 100 points in a season, and has only ever once attained a positive +/-.
Evgeni Nabokov is a solid goaltender, but can't seem to be clutch - ever. He'll never be considered one of the NHL's best until he CAN be clutch. He's also not the best goaltender in the league by a long shot. The best goaltender, indisputably (over the last ten years), has been CANADIAN born Martin Brodeur. The guy who just won the cup? Niemi - Finnish. The guys who just LOST the cup? Boucher is American, and Leighton is CANADIAN. Hmm ...
Malkin isn't the best player on his team. The best player, incidentally, is CANADIAN - and even people who don't like Crosby have to appreciate that, when it counts, he makes bigger plays that Malkin - and constantly produces more. Crosby has 506 points over 5 seasons. Malkin has 381 points over 4 seasons. You do the math.
Afinoganov was, indisputably, at his peak in Buffalo. He was a pretty constant producer, but he was overshadowed by the two Captains on the team - Chris Drury, from America, and Daniel Briere, CANADIAN. His flashy counterpart, Thomas Vanek, (who was always more productive and effective than Afinoganov)is from Austria. Not Russia.
SO, the best player (recently) has been, quite indisputably, Alexander Ovechkin. His stats are phenomenal. His play is gritty and tough, but he constantly manages to elevate his mediocre team to one of the NHL's elite. However, check out the goal totals at the end of the season - you'll see that 2 CANADIANS tied for first, and a third CANADIAN came 4th. Not bad.
ALSO, the most points at the end of the season went to ...
Sedin (Swedish)
Crosby (CANADIAN)
Ovechkin (Russian)
Backstrom (Swedish)
Stamkos (CANADIAN)
2 Canadians, 2 Swedes, ... 1 Russian? In fact, 6, 7, and 8 are all CANADIAN, 9 is American, and 10 is Check. JUST SAYING. Only 1 Russian in the top 10 - 5 CANADIANS.
So I think your argument, that Canadians have fallen to second next to Russian talent, is invalid ...