[Cockroach]

Originally Posted by Hockey North Star

KHL has zero change of going head to head with the NHL first of all if any of you have ever been to russia you would know this. the Arens are to small compred to North America.
TV Money is not even close to what the NHL makes. just the 6 Canadian Teams CBC & TSN deals make more the KHL. The ticket prices in the NHL are 3 times more then KHL charge for games.
right now the only thing that KHL has is oil money. They may compete the NHL one day but it won't be right now.
What the KHL will do is raid the rest of the european leagues like Sweden Finland and the Czech leagues. they will get some NHL players but for the most part it will be 3rd and 4th liners. It will hurt maybe minor leagues like AHL ECHL and so on.

Disagree.Fist of all,Russia started to build their good hockey structure just 10-15 y ago.NHL was on the same level about 10 years earlier.They started to set up new arenas just couple years ago,but what about NHL arenas?When we gonna upgrade our arenas again?Our arenas stay like that for many years and probably will for a long time in the future.What do u mean by OIL MONEY?Alberta has LOTS of OIL MONEY,but it doesnt mean they can win Stanley Cup,so do Edmonton Oilers.About prices for tickets make me laughin too.U have not to compare that one,cuz this`s not about hockey stuff,it`s about lifestyle in Russia and America.They paid for ticket as much as they get paid for job,I guess,we just have better income and strong country development,that`s it.In that case,KHL of course far behind NHL,but I think they do good.

[Phaneuf]

I wonder if well have the WHA all over again.

It would be neat if the two eventually merged and became an international league. I doubt that would ever happen, but its neat to think about.

[gordfish]

Originally Posted by faulkner91sf

Is anyone else getting pretty nervous about the new Russian, Belarus, Kazakh, and Latvian league? It seems like all the news paper articles and all the blogs and everything on the internet that they are going to take a serious run at being the number 1 league in the world.

The weird thing is, I think they have a good chance of doing it. With the NHL being at one of its weaker points, it is the perfect time for other leagues to "attack" and move up in the rankings.

The no salary cap for the KHL is going to get a lot of big players interested from all around the world.

Also the KHL has 24 teams at the moment and they want to expand into the 09-10 season, they have invited the Swedish powerhouses Farjestads and Frolunda. They have no accepeted OR REJECTED.

thoughts?

How is the NHL at its weakest? With profits climbing thanks to the strong Canadian dollar and the US television ratings for last year's Cup final higher than they'd been since 1994, I'd say the NHL is starting look stronger than it has for 15 years.

The KHL still has a long way to go. Right now they are only luring aging eastern European talent for the most part. When they lure a player of Ovechkin's or Crosby's ability away from the NHL, then I'll sit up and take notice. The best young North American talent will not go to Russia unless the money being offered is at least double. They can't win a Stanley Cup playing in Latvia.

Right now the KHL is at best Europe's incarnation of the WHA. IMO they are a greater threat to the Swedish Elite League than they are to the NHL.

[gordfish]

Originally Posted by MaCabe

I doubt it will surpass the NHL, the major flaw it has is that a majority (strong majority) of the World's best are Canadian, so this would mean we would see less Eastern Europeans in the league for sure, but as for our competitive level I think it will always be the top.

I wonder if the start of an international European league is finally going to move the NHL into Gordo's wet dream for hockey. I remember back at hockeyforums.com he would often mentioned the NHL evolving into the two league system, Euro and North American, they would play separately, and their champions would meet in the final, but of course both leagues would have to shave off the fat, a 60 team league would be too large. It would be interesting to see if the NHL will be able to absorb the kHL like they did the WHL.

I think you are misremembering things there, Mac. I believe I might have thrown the idea out there as a topic for discussion during the lockout, but I have never been a huge supporter of that idea.

[Chris_1968]

Rome wasnt built overnight and same will be said of the Russian league. However they do have the Money to become a competitive league. Will they become another NHL? That i highly doubt. But you will see less of the Great Euro players coming to the NHL over the next 10-20 years once the league really establishes itself . Thats my opinion.

[flsharpshooter]

that's true old NHL hotshots like Ed Belfour,(soon to be) Gary Roberts, and russian rejects will lead the KHL. Maybe even homesick europe players, but NHL will always be on top with the CanAm superstars.

[canadiancreed]

The question that comes to mind is, is the guy that's running the KHL better then what we have?

[Cockroach]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

The question that comes to mind is, is the guy that's running the KHL better then what we have?

Give him a call and we`ll know

[nittanypucker]

Well, the people running the KHL are making SOME of the right initial moves. Luring homesick Russian players back for large amounts of money and also using the money to pursuade players who are past their prime or having trouble getting picked up by an NHL team. I think the KHL is already the strongest Euro/Asian team and is working to get even stronger. Down the line the league might be incredible, but as of now...not a threat to the NHL. The money, the lifestyle and the talent of NHL players is still enough to make so many high calibre players want to be a part of the NHL. As long as we can keep high profile players like Crosby and Ovechkin interested in playing here...