426 replies to this topic

[ChelisChick]

link

Hopefully Alexander Sizov will make it.

[13GoWings40]

I'd say the chances of Lokomotiv playing next year are very good.
New players will be wearing red and green next year, the club infrastructure (including a modern 10 yr old arena) is still there, the owner (National Railroad Co.) is rich, and its not like the team was a profit center before, its revenue usually covered no more than a third of the expense anyway.
The KHL promised to take over the payroll for the new players, so Lokomotiv can continue paying the salaries of the fallen to their families. The Russian president got personally involved in this and there's no way the team folds now.

And KHL brass is way, way more trustworthy and professional than is standard for sports management in Russia. Fetisov is playing a leading role. Do you not trust him either?

Of course I trust Fetisov, but he is one person. Perhaps I should have worded that part better, I have no faith in KHL executives when it comes to being honest about the financial state of a team. Remember how Hudler signed a two year contract in the KHL and after the first year the team just folded and refused to honor it? You said in your response that revenues are a third of expenses, so you are taking a team that is consistently in the red and adding even more losses to the ledger. It doesn't matter how much money the owner has, hockey is a business and at some point a smart businessman is going to stop investing in something that will likely never see a return on that investment.

[Casey]

I'm wondering what the Wings will do on opening night. Moment of silence seems a given, but beyond that?

[ChelisChick]

I would like to think that all teams would observe at least a moment of silence. I figure the Preds will for Belak and Skrastins. Anything beyond that is anyone's guess, but I'd like to see it memorialized in some way.

Fansin the Dallas area have come up with an idea to make a scrapbook for Karlis's family to be given to them around the holidays. Didn't know if anyone wanted to participate, but they did say fans of other teams were most welcome to send in any thoughts.

[Barrie]

http://twitter.com/#!/IIHFHockey

Russian agencies and the Russian Hockey Federation confirm the death of the ony surviving Lokomotiv Yaroslavl player, Alexander Galimov. RIP

RIP Galimov, and again for everyone else who lost their lives in the crash.

You never want to wish anyone dead, but when I heard Galimov suffered burns to 80% of his body, I was wondering what kind of life he would have if he survived. Whatever's after this life (I believe in the Bible) Galimov is probably better off there.

I hope the entire team is enjoying playing hockey together in the afterlife.

[Barrie]

I remember that.

I think it was late 2000.

I remember that too, well the one when the engines turned off in the air. I had a friend say to me when the news broke, "what would you have done if the Wings plane went down?" Obviously I didn't want to think about it. I think that one was during the 2000-01 season.

[55fan]

I had worried about that poor Galimov suffering. I know he was in a medically induced coma, but I was afraid of the long, painful road back. I had hoped that if it was not to be, that he would not have to linger on in pain. RIP.

[sibiriak]

Of course I trust Fetisov, but he is one person. Perhaps I should have worded that part better, I have no faith in KHL executives when it comes to being honest about the financial state of a team. Remember how Hudler signed a two year contract in the KHL and after the first year the team just folded and refused to honor it? You said in your response that revenues are a third of expenses, so you are taking a team that is consistently in the red and adding even more losses to the ledger. It doesn't matter how much money the owner has, hockey is a business and at some point a smart businessman is going to stop investing in something that will likely never see a return on that investment.

In Russia, hockey is not a bisness at all. It is rather a social service that large companies and/or local governments finance in order to please the masses and win popularity and reduce social discontent. If say, an oil oligarch wants to do business in Tatarstan (that has significant oil resreves), he WILL be asked to financially support Ak Bars or Neftekhimik KHL teams from that region. And the richer the region is, and the more hockey ambitions the local governor has, the more financing the team gets.

And while your point about players contracts not being guaranteed is valid, in this case the whole business has now the personal attention of the President of Russia, so the hockey management better follow through. It s political now.
Also, one should make a distinction between Federation of Hockey of Russia (FHR) under Tretiak, that is in charge of national teams, and the KHL under A. Medvedev and Fetisov that runs the top hockey league. They are distinct entities who are often at odds.
I don't trust the FHR as they tend to do business in the old Soviet way and are very corrupt and non-transparent as it comes to money and other things. KHL is trying to run a league as close as possible (in Russia ) to the professional standards set by the NHL. It is an uphill battle, but at least they are trying.

Edited by sibiriak, 13 September 2011 - 08:02 AM.

[ChelisChick]

Brad's obituary. Includes link to sign guestbook.

link

[Kira]

I went and signed it. I also noticed a nice message from Joe Kocur. Seems that Brad gave Joe his nickname (Papa), and that name has stuck over time. It was a very sweet note.

[13GoWings40]

In Russia, hockey is not a bisness at all. It is rather a social service that large companies and/or local governments finance in order to please the masses and win popularity and reduce social discontent. If say, an oil oligarch wants to do business in Tatarstan (that has significant oil resreves), he WILL be asked to financially support Ak Bars or Neftekhimik KHL teams from that region. And the richer the region is, and the more hockey ambitions the local governor has, the more financing the team gets.

And while your point about players contracts not being guaranteed is valid, in this case the whole business has now the personal attention of the President of Russia, so the hockey management better follow through. It s political now.
Also, one should make a distinction between Federation of Hockey of Russia (FHR) under Tretiak, that is in charge of national teams, and the KHL under A. Medvedev and Fetisov that runs the top hockey league. They are distinct entities who are often at odds.
I don't trust the FHR as they tend to do business in the old Soviet way and are very corrupt and non-transparent as it comes to money and other things. KHL is trying to run a league as close as possible (in Russia ) to the professional standards set by the NHL. It is an uphill battle, but at least they are trying.

I didn't know that about the Russian teams, so basically the KHL is just an advertising/PR opportunity for businesses and the government with no real profit motive? I guess it's hard for me as an American to understand that, but with Russia's (USSR's) past provisions of government services I can definitely see how securing support for a sports team could still be considered the government's responsibility by the Russian public. Like I said in one of my previous posts, I hope for the people of Yaroslavl that they get a team back so I hope you're right about the influence of President Medvedev.

[Casey]

I didn't know that about the Russian teams, so basically the KHL is just an advertising/PR opportunity for businesses and the government with no real profit motive? I guess it's hard for me as an American to understand that, but with Russia's (USSR's) past provisions of government services I can definitely see how securing support for a sports team could still be considered the government's responsibility by the Russian public. Like I said in one of my previous posts, I hope for the people of Yaroslavl that they get a team back so I hope you're right about the influence of President Medvedev.

Considering how most of the news came from the Ministry of Sport, it would seem the Russian government has an interest in Yaroslavl having a team.

[ChelisChick]

Josh Harding's new goalie mask

Has anyone heard any more about the crew member who survived?

[P. Marlowe]

Has anyone heard any more about the crew member who survived?

Wikipedia says this:

Both Galimov and Sizov were transported to Moscow for treatment. The two were placed in medically-induced comas to relieve stress.

(...)

Sizov was moved from intensive care to a ward on 12 September, and his life was considered to be out of danger.

[Hockeytown0001]

Bit of a silver lining at least.

[Kira]

if there was any good news to come out of this, I guess that would be it.

[NvrFrgtRussian5]

Josh Harding's new goalie mask

Has anyone heard any more about the crew member who survived?

that is an incredibly thoughtful notion by Harding

[MulesWillFly93]

This is pretty cool - Datsyuk is going to wear #24 during the pre-season in honor of Salei. Very nice idea.

http://sports.yahoo....urn=nhl-wp12767

Edited by MulesWillFly93, 17 September 2011 - 07:53 AM.

[55fan]

This is pretty cool - Datsyuk is going to wear #24 during the pre-season in honor of Salei. Very nice idea.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Pavel-Datsyuk-switches-numbers-to-honor-late-Rus?urn=nhl-wp12767

That is so touching. Bless Dats' heart for thinking of that.

[Red Wings Addict]

The whole league should do something as a tribute. Even something small would do wonders imo. A lot of room on the helmets for something like how they did in 1999.