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CenterIce

Former Russian President, Putin, wants to see KHL expand to Europe

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Unless the KHL limits expansion to countries not part of the IIHF transfer agreement, there probably will be legal fights ahead. If the KHL expands to, say, Finland, the IIHF would probably then claim that at least the Finnish team, and maybe the entire league if they get ballsy enough, falls under the transfer agreement which Finland (NOT SM-liiga) signed.

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It wouldn't be that much different than how it is in North America.

I don't know what hockey markets they would specifically aim for, but looking at the world clock on my phone, there's a six hour difference from the middle of Europe to the middle of Russia. If coastline countries have any interest in playing, that number could go up to 8-9 hours difference. Granted most notable hockey markets are right around the Eurasia line, but I don't think teams outside that area would be too pleased with a merger of notable hockey leagues and not being included in it. Stock would certainly fall.

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I don't know what hockey markets they would specifically aim for, but looking at the world clock on my phone, there's a six hour difference from the middle of Europe to the middle of Russia. If coastline countries have any interest in playing, that number could go up to 8-9 hours difference. Granted most notable hockey markets are right around the Eurasia line, but I don't think teams outside that area would be too pleased with a merger of notable hockey leagues and not being included in it. Stock would certainly fall.

"Amur" of the KHL is 9 time zones away from Moscow, Moscow is 2 more time zones away from Prague or Stockholm or Berlin and is as far away as 3 time zones from London. Talk abouit road trip from hell!

The whole "Kontinental" part of the KHL name is purely wishfull thinking on the part of Russian hockey bigwigs. The KHL doesn't earn 20% of its expenses back, and without the massive sponsorship money of the big quasi-state Russian companies would be going nowhere. Until KHL becomes at least a break-even enterprise on its own, the NHL has nothing to worry about except occasional player poaching. No Swedish or Czech or German or Swiss club could possibly pay their players enough to compete on even terms with the "Gazprom" supported league. So they wouldn't be able to financially compete in the KHL.

BTW, the "Eurasia line" goes through Ural mountains in the middle of Russia, not along the Russian western border. :)

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I don't know what hockey markets they would specifically aim for, but looking at the world clock on my phone, there's a six hour difference from the middle of Europe to the middle of Russia. If coastline countries have any interest in playing, that number could go up to 8-9 hours difference. Granted most notable hockey markets are right around the Eurasia line, but I don't think teams outside that area would be too pleased with a merger of notable hockey leagues and not being included in it. Stock would certainly fall.

There are no problems with Champions League and UEFA CUP games. In fact Moscow hosted the Champions League finals a couple years ago that included two British teams. Moscow even hosted this past Eurovision Song contest which all of Europe competes in.

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Is it just me, or does it seem KHL is banking on the new Salary cap rule in the NHL? And now they are talking about expanding KHL? I doubt this would even be an idea if the cap was lifted or significantly raised.

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Guest Shoreline

It would only be fair and proper, then, for them to name it the VHL, or Vodka Hockey League.

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Guest Shoreline
Do not underestimate awesome power of vodka. Applied in sufficient quantity it can solve any problem.

I would convert to the VHL if Put-- I mean, whoever is running the KHL, made it happen. GIT 'R DUN.

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On a similar note, I'd love to see a serious effort to link the Czech, Swedish and Finnish elite leagues together with some frequent interleague play. Does that happen often? That'd help establish more parity between those teams in terms of competitive quality and would help the prospects in all of those leagues.

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There are no problems with Champions League and UEFA CUP games. In fact Moscow hosted the Champions League finals a couple years ago that included two British teams. Moscow even hosted this past Eurovision Song contest which all of Europe competes in.

but i think the difference with football (soccer) is that their games are spread out way more, so teams can adjust, and with tournaments and the like, one place usually hosts, so everybody goes, gets used to the time zone, and plays some games. most major leagues (not cups or tournaments) are, to my understanding, national, not continental. still, stockholm and berlin are only one time zone further than minsk, which is already five hours off of novokuznetsk (and eight from khabarovsk).

if you had a situation where the two conferences rarely if ever played each other in the regular season, it might be more feasible.

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