The AHL is usually a graveyard for european skaters. Few european guys who play 100 games or more in the AHL ever become NHL mainstays. Miro Satan and Mikko Koivu are two exceptions..
I agree with axecrew. Why would you sign a deal with an NHL team and then break it? They usually only want guys who are good enough, mentally mature enough to leave their home countries, language and customs behind, to come over here and develop their game. A lot of guys stay over in Europe for an extra season so they don't get rushed into the North American style game on the smaller ice.
Your question seems to be asking about the opposite of what I have observed in the last 10 years. Milwaukee (Nashville affiliate) had 4 guys from Finland on the team last season. One will return there this year. One was an RFA after 4 years who signed with Severstal Cherepovets . The other two are expected to return to Milwaukee.
Patrick Cehlin of Sweden signed a three-year two-way deal with Nashville. I expect to see him in Milwaukee this season.
I know it's an affiliation but technically they signed with the NHL team with ELC deals. What if they were good enough and in the N already and have proved themselves? What is going to the A going to do for them this time around?
No, it isn't! Years ago, the Cincinnati Reds sent one of their young pitchers to Puerto Rico to play winter ball during their off season. He was supposed to gain some more experience, but only pitch a certain number of total innings. The manager down there played him more than double the limit. It ruined the guys arm and career. Nothing was nefarious, but the Reds lost a future star player because he was out of their control and the manager in PR wanted to win instead of following their deal.
The Rinne details that I heard were: He was walking home from a wedding and was attacked by two guys who seemed to be waiting for him. It could be consistant with your version, but those other details are new to me over here in the US. I tried to find out more about that story at the time, but really could not. Makes me think that there was a cover up about what really happened.
I have been in the UK, Germany, Austria and Czech Republic; those all seemed safe.
No one has answered how this is helpful to the NHLPA.
C'mon, safety isn't an issue. The United States is a FAR more dangerous place than almost everywhere in Europe.
If anything, players are putting themselves more at risk by staying in America.
I know it's an affiliation but technically they signed with the NHL team with ELC deals. What if they were good enough and in the N already and have proved themselves? What is going to the A going to do for them this time around?
Might wanna ask Spezza and Stahl to name a couple that come to mind next time you see them, cause they did it in 2005.
They really have no choice.....if their team tells them they have to play in the AHL they either report or get suspended and not paid. Doubt many of them have enough money to live on stock-piled away like a vet does.
I heard someone say around the draft its key to sign the players to elc in case of a lock out but if there is a lock out they would be free to go where every they want the catch is they have to report back when there is a new deal in place.
They really have no choice.....if their team tells them they have to play in the AHL they either report or get suspended and not paid. Doubt many of them have enough money to live on stock-piled away like a vet does.
All they would be losing is less than 100 K, the ''AHL salary'' on a 2-way contract entry level contract so to say.
A player can play where he wants during a lockout.
Rick Nash was still on his entry level contract in 2004-05 and played in Europe for HC Davos.
No, it isn't! Years ago, the Cincinnati Reds sent one of their young pitchers to Puerto Rico to play winter ball during their off season. He was supposed to gain some more experience, but only pitch a certain number of total innings. The manager down there played him more than double the limit. It ruined the guys arm and career. Nothing was nefarious, but the Reds lost a future star player because he was out of their control and the manager in PR wanted to win instead of following their deal.
The Rinne details that I heard were: He was walking home from a wedding and was attacked by two guys who seemed to be waiting for him. It could be consistant with your version, but those other details are new to me over here in the US. I tried to find out more about that story at the time, but really could not. Makes me think that there was a cover up about what really happened.
I have been in the UK, Germany, Austria and Czech Republic; those all seemed safe.
No one has answered how this is helpful to the NHLPA.
You just compared all of Europe to Puerto Rico? Safety shouldn't have even been brought into the discussion, as it is such a ridiculous and irrelevant issue. Adult professional athletes are more than capable of taking care of themselves and if they get into a dangerous situation it is during their personal time. Also, you saying you've been to those countries is like somebody from a different country saying "I've been to the U.S. and it didn't seem that bad" when there are hundreds and hundreds of cities in the US in a 3,000 mile range. I'm sure you didn't get to explore the entirety of the UK, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic during your visits there.
With a pending lock out on the horizon it seems as though the AHL is about to become the best league in the world since the last lock out. Last lock out names like Speeza, Cammalleri, Vanek, Boyes, Staal, Bourque, Brown, Bergeron etc all played in the AHL and it was an amazing year.
What is your NHL farm team gonna look like if there is a lock out. All players on entry level deals are eligible to play down until the NHL or IF the NHL resumes.
Lets see who is the early favorite going into the season
KHL would beg to differ; even if a Russian team could only add 3 non-Russian NHLers for the lockout's duration, Russian teams would then sign the best NHLers they can afford. But, make no mistake, the AHL will make the biggest gain in playing level.
The KHL is basically the overseas version of the AHL. Might as well have the AHL and KHL leagues square off.
You mixed up KHL and VHL; the VHL, in non-lockout years, is much closer to the AHL than the KHL is. But KHL bottom-feeders are perhaps nearly the same as Calder Cup contenders.
Gagarin Cup contenders can be playoff-bubble in the NHL or even first-round exits.
The KHL is basically the overseas version of the AHL. Might as well have the AHL and KHL leagues square off.
.... seriously?
Man, the overhype of the AHL/underhype of the KHL really knows no bounds.
I'm sure that the best of the AHL could possibly beat the worst of the KHL in a seven game series, and that's something that couldn't be said about the AHL and NHL, but beyond that I don't think it's accurate to at all compare the AHL with the KHL. KHL is still much better than the AHL, which should be surprising given the fact that the KHL is a major league while the AHL is still a minor league.
Man, the overhype of the AHL/underhype of the KHL really knows no bounds.
I'm sure that the best of the AHL could possibly beat the worst of the KHL in a seven game series, and that's something that couldn't be said about the AHL and NHL, but beyond that I don't think it's accurate to at all compare the AHL with the KHL. KHL is still much better than the AHL, which should be surprising given the fact that the KHL is a major league while the AHL is still a minor league.
The Ahl is a good league i just would not put it in the top 3.
The Ahl is a good league i just would not put it in the top 3.
Agreed, I love the AHL and am quick to defend it from folks that try to downplay the level of skill in it, but it's just a massive stretch to try to compare it to the KHL or SEL. The Finnish and Czech leagues likely give the AHL a run for it's money, too, though I won't pretend to be an expert in those leagues or anything to make a viable comparison.
Agreed, I love the AHL and am quick to defend it from folks that try to downplay the level of skill in it, but it's just a massive stretch to try to compare it to the KHL or SEL. The Finnish and Czech leagues likely give the AHL a run for it's money, too, though I won't pretend to be an expert in those leagues or anything to make a viable comparison.
This is a common misconception on this board that will never die. The AHL is clearly below the KHL but certainly on par with the rest of Europe. I've had conversations about this with former Amerks who have played in both continents as well as an NHL scout.
This is a common misconception on this board that will never die. The AHL is clearly below the KHL but certainly on par with the rest of Europe. I've had conversations about this with former Amerks who have played in both continents as well as an NHL scout.
In terms of talent the Ahl is below the Khl/Sel but the big thing is money in Europe even in England the pay is real good.
In terms of talent the Ahl is below the Khl/Sel but the big thing is money in Europe even in England the pay is real good.
Below the KHL yes, though they do covet top AHL vets. The SEL? That's debatable. On European ice, I'm sure the SEL teams would win. On an AHL surface, AHL teams probably do pretty well.
Below the KHL yes, though they do covet top AHL vets. The SEL? That's debatable. On European ice, I'm sure the SEL teams would win. On an AHL surface, AHL teams probably do pretty well.
I am not just talking about on ice i am talking about the salary i know a fair amount of players that could have gone to the Ahl but went to Europe in part because of the pay.
You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. My opinion is based on going to hundreds upon hundreds of AHL games and watching close to 100 DEL games. IMO a team of quality veterans on a team built to win games will beat a team of prospects on a team that is design to develop talent rather than win games.
You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. My opinion is based on going to hundreds upon hundreds of AHL games and watching close to 100 DEL games. IMO a team of quality veterans on a team built to win games will beat a team of prospects on a team that is design to develop talent rather than win games.
I just clicked on a random DEL team (Ingolstadt). They have a few good AHL vets (Ross, Motzko, Reich) and a lot of obscure German players. The average AHL team still carries a few veterans but they are filled out with mostly legit prospects to the NHL. Would Derek Hahn really be a good AHL player? He made the jump from the CHL to the DEL and lit it up. Similarly, Brian Roloff, a 4th line nobody on Portland 2 years ago (4 goals) went to Augsberg and led the team in scoring.
That's just a quick look using stats. I'll still take the word of Chris Taylor and Terry Martin.
Ok you have a job offer one pays around $50.000 close to home the other pays around $120,000 but its far away what would you do?
That's such an elementary argument that it probably shouldn't even warrant a response.
European leagues on average pay more and they play less games. That's a big selling point.
On the other hand, playing in the AHL offers players a shot at their dream of playing in the NHL, while still being paid very well, and being closer to family and friends.
I just clicked on a random DEL team (Ingolstadt). They have a few good AHL vets (Ross, Motzko, Reich) and a lot of obscure German players. The average AHL team still carries a few veterans but they are filled out with mostly legit prospects to the NHL. Would Derek Hahn really be a good AHL player? He made the jump from the CHL to the DEL and lit it up. Similarly, Brian Roloff, a 4th line nobody on Portland 2 years ago (4 goals) went to Augsberg and led the team in scoring.
That's just a quick look using stats. I'll still take the word of Chris Taylor and Terry Martin.
You are welcome to base your opinion on what players have told you as a fan of the AHL. I will base mine on actually watching both leagues. In a head to head battle of teams I'll take the team that is built to win games with AHL veteran talent and plays a system to do so rather than a team of prospects that are thrown together who are there to learn the NHL club's system.
That said if the question is which league's players have more potential then no question the AHL wins hands down. But potential doesn't make the AHL a better league IMO.
