2013-2014 KHL thread

[Tomas]

The league expanded - again - geographically. After adding Prague, Bratislava, and Donetsk (Ukraine) last year, this year its Vladivostok (far east of Russia) and Zagreb (Croatia). Thanks to addition of Vladivostok, the league now spans 11(!) time zones (from Central European GMT+1 to Vladivostok GMT+11). Incidentally, the Zagreb-Vladivostok distance is 5,151 miles (Vancouver to Miami is 2,805 miles).

Regarding the expansion, KHL is not done. Next year, they'll 99% add Jokerit Helsinki (one of the most popular Finnish teams) and one team from Italy (Bolzano?).

Interesting transaction/moves:

Ex-Penguin G Peter Skudra just became the head coach of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
John Torchetti will be the new head coach of CSKA Moscow (ex-Penguin Sergei Zubov will be the defense coach there).
Jonathan Cheechoo to Medvescak Zagreb.
Tomas Vincour (ex-DAL, COL) to Kazan.
Hossa to RIG

Something from the last year: NHL player salaries (per team) KHL teams paid during lockout (in RUB; 1 USD = 32.6 RUB today):

1. CSKA Moskva (Bryzgalov, Dacjuk, Grabovskij) 326.103.907 (i.e. ~$10 mil)
2. Magnitogorsk (Gončar, Malkin, Kuljomin) 254.172.855
3. Dynamo Moskva (Ovečkin, Bäckström, Komarov) 237.028.402
4. Petrohrad (Bobrovskij, Kovalčuk) 233.767.622
5. N. Novgorod (Volčenkov, Sjomin) 72.517.935
6. Doněck (Babčuk, Fedotěnko, Ponikarovskij) 62.539.206
7. Barys Astana (Hedman, McDonagh, Antropov) 48.832.004
8. Lev Praha (Chára, Červenka, Voráček, Hudler) 48.585.000
9. Jaroslavl (Varlamov, Kulikov, Anisimov) 38.593.152
10. Omsk (Nikitin, S. Kosticyn) 36.540.128
11. Dynamo Minsk (Rinne, Kane, Pavelski) 28.833.257
12. Atlant (Chudobin, Tjutin, Stalberg) 24.833.257
13. Čechov (A. Markov) 23.051.196
14. Kazaň (Jemelin) 19.930.462
15. Slovan Bratislava (Sekera, Višňovský) 9.319.282
16. Nižněkamsk (Jakupov) 8.377.198
17. Čerepovec (Wandell) 6.600.000
18. Jekatěrinburg (Lupul) 5.380.571
19. Dynamo Riga (Daugavinš) 4.076.129

[JS©]

The league expanded - again - geographically. After adding Prague, Bratislava, and Donetsk (Ukraine) last year, this year its Vladivostok (far east of Russia) and Zagreb (Croatia). Thanks to addition of Vladivostok, the league now spans 11(!) time zones (from Central European GMT+1 to Vladivostok GMT+11). Incidentally, the Zagreb-Vladivostok distance is 5,151 miles (Vancouver to Miami is 2,805 miles).

Somebody in the TSN comment section said that Kovy went back to the K because he didn't like the travel of the NHL. Funny thing is that he'll probably be travelling 2x as much.

Regarding the expansion, KHL is not done. Next year, they'll 99% add Jokerit Helsinki (one of the most popular Finnish teams) and one team from Italy (Bolzano?).

I thought Bolzano was going, but it looks like they're heading to the Austrian Hockey League.
http://www.hcb.net/it/stagione-attuale/ ... -1914.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[canaan]

Some Notable AHL/NHL to KHL contracts (from the FA Tracker thread)

Wilson, Kyle: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Dinamo Riga
Sanguinetti, Bobby: Signed Overseas 2 years, KHL Atlant
Thomas, Bill: Signed Overseas 1 year, KHL Medvescak Zagreb
Shirokov, Sergei: Signed Overseas 1 year, KHL CSKA
Kostitysn, Sergei: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Avangard Omsk
Perkovich, Nathan: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Medvescak Zagreb
Pyett, Logan: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Vityaz Podolsk
Lundin, Mike: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Barys Astana
Fedotenko, Ruslan: Signed Overseas 3 years, 9 million. KHL Donbass
Reese, Dylan: Signed Overseas Undisclosed, KHL Amur Khabarovsk
Burmistrov, Alexander: Signed Overseas 2 years, Undisclosed, KHL Ak Bars Kazan

[GSdrums87]

I like that the KHL is gaining some traction. I still feel the best talents will be in the NHL, but it gives other very talented players that might not have been drafted, drafted late and never assimilated into the NHL, or whatever reason a chance to play on a huge stage. NHL players leave for the KHL, but maybe soon it could be happening the other way around too.

[Tomas]

Derek Meech (WPG) to Dinamo Minsk.

[canaan]

Kyle Klubertanz (MTL) to Medvescak Zagreb

[mikey287]

Kyle Klubertanz (MTL) to Medvescak Zagreb

That doesn't sound very Croatian...I guess they ran out...

[Tomas]

Eric Belanger (EDM) to Automobilist Yekaterinburg

[canaan]

Kyle Klubertanz (MTL) to Medvescak Zagreb

That doesn't sound very Croatian...I guess they ran out...

maybe they will rename him Toni Kukoc

[Factorial]

the league now spans 11(!) time zones

It's not even funny.

[youtube][/youtube]

[canaan]

Tom Wandell (DAL) to Spartak Moskva

[mikey287]

Tom Wandell (DAL) to Spartak Moskva

Actually (I'm just nitpicking because there's nothing to talk about here hockey-wise at the moment), he signed a little while ago but it's from Colorado. He was traded straight for Cameron Gaunce at the deadline. Imagine if that kind of asset management went down under Shero's watch.

It's like trading Bortuzzo for Wandell and Wandell leaving a month later...catastrophe.

[canaan]

Ah whoops. I need to double check my info. Gracias.


and yeah, thats brutal. This place would have a meltdown if that happened

[Tomas]

Kyle Klubertanz (MTL) to Medvescak Zagreb

That doesn't sound very Croatian...I guess they ran out...

Hokej.cz just posted a feature article on Zagreb. Only one Croatian-born player on the roster - and that's the 3rd goalie. However, 11 players have already received Croatian citizenship...

Their roster:

G: Barry Brust, Mark Dekanich, Andrej Vasiljevič

D: Mathieu Carle, Mark Katič, Kyle Klubertanz, Alan Letang, Kenny MacAulay, Sasa Martinovič, Mark Popovič, Geoff Waugh

F: Patrick Bjorkstrand, Jonathan Cheechoo, Mike Glumac, Hugh Jessiman, Boyd Kane, Gal Koren, Dario Kostovič, Charles Linglet, Matt Murley, Nathan Perkovič, Michael Ryan, Bill Thomas, Ryan Vesce, Luke Walker, Brian Willsie (jen do října 2013)

Realizační tým:

Generální manažer: Markoantonio Belinič
Sportovní manažer: Aaron Fox
Hlavní trenér: Mark French
Asistenti trenéra: Dean Fedorchuk, Don MacLean, Ivo Ratej
Trenér brankářů: Klemen Mohorič
Vedoucí týmu: Dragutin Ljubič

[mikey287]

It's a shame we snapped up Drazenovic (does anyone here even know we got him, I didn't see it discussed...he's not a bad player), he would have been dynamite for this team. Especially on a team that - from looks of it - could really use a creative center that can distribute the puck. Drazenovic will maybe join them next year.

[canaan]

i think ive brought him up once or twice...outside of that, i dont think so.

[columbia]

Is that THE Bill Thomas?

[meow]

Is that THE Bill Thomas?

The one and only.

[JS©]

don't forget THE Matt Murley

[MRandall25]

Drazenovic was a 4th line/tweener guy from the Blue Jackets organization.

He's exactly what I described: a tweener.

[canaan]

was not mentioned in the thread, but ilya kovalchuk signed a 4 year deal with SKA St Petersburg

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/sport ... f-khl.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Factorial]

was not mentioned in the thread, but ilya kovalchuk signed a 4 year deal with SKA St Petersburg

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/sport ... f-khl.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Morozov chimes in:

CSKA Moscow forward Alexei Morozov, who played seven seasons in the N.H.L. before returning to Russia in 2004, suggested that Kovalchuk’s return might lead to the eventual repatriation of other Russian stars, like Alex Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin. All three recently re-signed with their N.H.L. clubs. But as Kovalchuk’s retirement maneuver showed, there is a way for them to leave.

[Tomas]

Nick Zherdev to Lev Prague (1-year deal).

[JS©]

was not mentioned in the thread, but ilya kovalchuk signed a 4 year deal with SKA St Petersburg

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/sport ... f-khl.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Morozov chimes in:

CSKA Moscow forward Alexei Morozov, who played seven seasons in the N.H.L. before returning to Russia in 2004, suggested that Kovalchuk’s return might lead to the eventual repatriation of other Russian stars, like Alex Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin. All three recently re-signed with their N.H.L. clubs. But as Kovalchuk’s retirement maneuver showed, there is a way for them to leave.

Morozov's name is mentioned and not a single mention of him switching to the Red Army team this year? I guess there was more important things going on back in May...like the playoffs.

CSKA hockey club added two players. Today, two-year contract with CSKA signed forward Alexei Morozov. At the same time the agreement is designed with a defender Georgi Misharin, whose contract will be signed in the near future.


Alexei Morozov:

- The contract I signed with CSKA Moscow today, I can assure you that all of the information that appeared in the media before, ahead of the event and its authors were based not on facts but on speculation. We, together with the agent did a great job, and I'm happy with her results. Happy with his transition into the army club, I was completely satisfied with the attitude of the players in this team and the club approach to preparing players for the task. Interesting and very goals that stand before the command. And these goals can be only one - the revival of its former greatness, restore winning tradition of the hockey club CSKA Moscow. By the way, I am familiar with CSKA since childhood, it turned out that my brother (former Penguins' draft pick Valentin Morozov) is a graduate of the Army of the school, and he finished his career in "Wings of the Soviets." I have the same can happen the other way around.

http://www.cska-hockey.ru/news/Morozov_ ... yat_v_CSKA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tomas]

Tim Brent (ex-CAR) and Wojtek Wolski (ex-WSH) to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (the team coached by ex-Pen Peter Skudra).

Kurtis Foster (ex-PHI) to Zagreb.

Finnish SM-Liiga demands €5 mil from Jokerit Helsinki if the club bolts for KHL in 2014 (€1.5 mil are the team's debts to the other teams; €3.5 mil for TV and sponsor rights losses).

Geoff Platt (Dinamo Minsk) can start playing for his new adopted homeland Belarus after August 12. He is expected to be on the national team roster for next year's WC to be played in Belarus.