European Hockey League

Over the past 10 years european countries are producing less NHL players. I believe this is because the CHL is so good for Canada and the US that north american players are just developed much better. I propose that a european league be created based of the CHL. As apposed to WHL, OHL, and QMJHL there can be Scandinavian, Russian, and Czech-Slovak leagues. The countries that would initially get the most teams, would be Russia, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, but there can also be a few teams in Latvia, Switzerland, Belarus, and Germany. Norway, Denmark, and Kazakhstan are also improving and could be given a team each. As interest grows more teams could be added in the lesser developed countries and the league could expand to countries like Slovenia or Austria. Not to mention the winner of the memorial cup could play the winner of the equivalent european championship to grow hockey interest in both North America and in Europe.

It's not like this topic hasn't already been talked to death on this board.

So Europe should reconstruct it's junior leagues to produce more players for NHL? I don't think so. If Europe really wanted to do something related to hockey together, I think the first thing should be to find some way how to keep the best European players in Europe. I know it's fine to have the best league in the world with all best players on your continent, but it's not very practical for fans from other continents (at least for me).

Over the past 10 years european countries are producing less NHL players. I believe this is because the CHL is so good for Canada and the US that north american players are just developed much better.
No, it's because many Europeans would rather play in Europe.

If anything, considering the huge advantage Canada has when it comes to the number of registered players, they should have more NHL players than what they have now. Hardly evidence of the CHL being better at developing players.

As interest grows more teams could be added
Interest for a junior league will not grow.

I know it's fine to have the best league in the world with all best players on your continent, but it's not very practical for fans from other continents (at least for me).
You don't want every single one of the top players to play in NA? How greedy of you :sarcasm:

So Europe should reconstruct it's junior leagues to produce more players for NHL? I don't think so. If Europe really wanted to do something related to hockey together, I think the first thing should be to find some way how to keep the best European players in Europe. I know it's fine to have the best league in the world with all best players on your continent, but it's not very practical for fans from other continents (at least for me).

It doesn't matter about whether they play in the NHL or not it's just that European talent is declining, even european big 7 nations