Good for them, they need all these steps do you know if they are considering a team in VHL too. Correct me if I'm wrong if their plan comes to fruition the system of development would look like. Ukraine Juniors-MHL-PHL/VHL-KHL or something like that?......
Dont know about VHL plans. Still dont know if they want MHL A or MHL B. We will see next summer
VHL is definitely closing the gap with other top European leagues, and I think it would be save to say that VHL teams could beat Slovakian league teams and EBEL teams( save maybe the outliers such as Kosice).
if this link is correct, then VHL´s average budget 4,2m is 3x bigger than Slovak Extraliga average budget (1,62 m but yet with Slovan, without Slovan it´s even lower, somewhere around 1,2 - 1,4m)
yep. Sariarka Karaganda from Kazakhstan is playing VHL, leading the table, slovak G Kovac is a hero there you know Gangnam style and he has 6 shutouts if I remember
Slovak goalies running the show in all over the continent it seems, this is Hudacek from Södertälje
Good for them, they need all these steps do you know if they are considering a team in VHL too. Correct me if I'm wrong if their plan comes to fruition the system of development would look like. Ukraine Juniors-MHL-PHL/VHL-KHL or something like that?......
I really don't see the point to a VHL team, at least not for several years to the point where they are big enough to need a 2nd feeder team, but not only a feeder team, one that's *that much* better than the PHL one
and in several years, i think we can assume the PHL will be at least a little better than it currently is. (and as mentioned, Berkut could compete with VHL teams no problem and Sokil as well)
I really don't see the point to a VHL team, at least not for several years to the point where they are big enough to need a 2nd feeder team, but not only a feeder team, one that's *that much* better than the PHL one
and in several years, i think we can assume the PHL will be at least a little better than it currently is. (and as mentioned, Berkut could compete with VHL teams no problem and Sokil as well)
I think a team like Berkhut Kiev could compete fairly in the VHL. However, having that team in the PHL really increases the level of play and is likely better for Ukrainian hockey. An MHL team will be beneficial to development as it'd give the top junior players a chance to develop against strong competition at their level. It kind of sucks that kids like Zakharov and Martyshko have to develop in the PHL against men when I don't think they're ready. That being said, hockey in Ukraine is definitely on the rise. I expect to see them in the top division again in 4 years time.
- Ukraine can actually put together a good international team if everyone decides to play. Ponikarovsky, Fedotenko, Varlamov, Andrei Mikhnov, Gongalsky, Toryanik, Kvitchenko, Lyutkevich, Klimentyev, Donika and Materukhin are all KHL/NHL (for Poni and Feds) level players and can have a real positive impact on the national team. The only problem is that many of these guys are getting older and players like Gaiduchenko haven't committed to the national team. If he does they should easily move back up to the second division.
- Belarus is a good hockey country and I think they'll be a good national team going forward. Some people say they aren't producing good players anymore, but Gavrus, Gotovets, Hrabarenka and Korobov beg to differ. These guys will be nice complementary and defensive players on the national team and will provide a lot of depth behind the Kostitsyn's, Grabovski and Denisov.
- Not sure about Kazakhstan. I don't hear much and when I ask questions I don't get answers. They have a young ('95) defenseman who could be drafted this year. His last name starts with a 'Z' but his name escapes me.
- Belarus is a good hockey country and I think they'll be a good national team going forward. Some people say they aren't producing good players anymore, but Gavrus, Gotovets, Hrabarenka and Korobov beg to differ. These guys will be nice complementary and defensive players on the national team and will provide a lot of depth behind the Kostitsyn's, Grabovski and Denisov.
Decent prospects but not great. A.Kostitsyn was a first round pick who was a top 10 pick and better than all Russians in his draft class except arguably Zherdev. Grabovski and S.Kostitsyn are top 6 talents in the NHL, currently there is no prospects coming up from Belarus who I believe can reach this level.
Decent prospects but not great. A.Kostitsyn was a first round pick who was a top 10 pick and better than all Russians in his draft class except arguably Zherdev. Grabovski and S.Kostitsyn are top 6 talents in the NHL, currently there is no prospects coming up from Belarus who I believe can reach this level.
Gavrus has top 6 potential at the NHL level. Many scouts see him as a Grabovski type of player. AK may have been a top pick, but Grabo and SK were 6th and 7th rounders.
Maybe but going back to Belarus was a strange development course. He could have stayed with Owen Sound or went to Russia or something.
Grabovski played in the same league at 19 and after two and a half years in Russia returned and played in the same league for a bit. It's a mens league and although it's an odd choice we'll see how it plays out.
Belarus with a strong showing in Div 1 A almost winning promotion to the top level while Kazakhstan stopped Ukraine from being the promoting team after Ukraine beat the winners and newly promoted team Poland 2-0. Good showings by these countries and you can see that the MHL benefited the Belarussian team imo.
I still dont understand how Belarus operates its player development. IMO I don't know why Gavrus plays in BOL when he could play in MHL/VHL. Look at Yunost, they are dead last in the MHL. They could really use a player of Gavrus quality. If he lights it up ther promote him to the VHL affiliate. I dont see the point of having 2 teams from Belraus in MHL if the best junior eligible players would rather play in BOL.
Belarus with a strong showing in Div 1 A almost winning promotion to the top level while Kazakhstan stopped Ukraine from being the promoting team after Ukraine beat the winners and newly promoted team Poland 2-0. Good showings by these countries and you can see that the MHL benefited the Belarussian team imo.
Belarus not being promoted actually is a disappointment. Norway with no MHL team is heading to Elite, but Belarus with it's superiour MHL development lingers behind once again
Lets face it, this was their best roster in years and they blew it.
I still dont understand how Belarus operates its player development. IMO I don't know why Gavrus plays in BOL when he could play in MHL/VHL. Look at Yunost, they are dead last in the MHL. They could really use a player of Gavrus quality. If he lights it up ther promote him to the VHL affiliate. I dont see the point of having 2 teams from Belraus in MHL if the best junior eligible players would rather play in BOL.
Why would Gavrus step down to the MHL? Jesus, maybe he was the leader of the team because he actually plays with the pros day in day out? He just proves that MHL doesn't lay golden eggs as some would like to think and you can be a good player without ever stepping on the MHL ice.
Also who cares that both Belarussian MHL teams are placed where they are in the MHL? It should never be about trophies at this level as long as player development is there.
I still dont understand how Belarus operates its player development. IMO I don't know why Gavrus plays in BOL when he could play in MHL/VHL. Look at Yunost, they are dead last in the MHL. They could really use a player of Gavrus quality. If he lights it up ther promote him to the VHL affiliate. I dont see the point of having 2 teams from Belraus in MHL if the best junior eligible players would rather play in BOL.
He's being paid as as a solid scorer in BOL instead of being paid close to nothing in the MHL. At the same time he plays for one of the best teams in the league, against men and is certain about his share of TOI. And he doesn't have to travel all over Eurasia.
Advantages of playing in Belorussian league are huge
Last edited by SoundAndFury: 12-16-2012 at 05:05 PM.
Why would Gavrus step down to the MHL? Jesus, maybe he was the leader of the team because he actually plays with the pros day in day out? He just proves that MHL doesn't lay golden eggs as some would like to think and you can be a good player without ever stepping on the MHL ice.
Also who cares that both Belarussian MHL teams are placed where they are in the MHL? It should never be about trophies at this level as long as player development is there.
I dont know why you get so mad when you respond. Also this post is so irrelevant and unresponsive to my question that I am refusing to carry on debate with you. You are too defensive about your opinions or something. You can get your final post in, Im done with you, thank you.
I dont know why you get so mad when you respond. Also this post is so irrelevant and unresponsive to my question that I am refusing to carry on debate with you. You are too defensive about your opinions or something. You can get your final post in, Im done with you, thank you.
Ok, first off, sorry for coming off like a complete cretin.
Anyway, my point is don't fix ain't broken. Gavrus was clearly the best player on his team. most likely because he's playing with men day in day out. Also he's a kid from Gomel, so he has no attachment to the system of Minsk clubs Dinamo or Yunost, so he chooses to play at home. Even if Gavrus chose to sign for Dinamo they don't have a VHL team anyway to which promote youngsters, it would be BOL once again. If he signed for Yunost, at best case he'd be playing in VHL which most likely is barely above BOL level so tat seems pointless as well.
He can't gain a thing by helping MHL teams finish couple of spots above their current standings. It's not about winning at this level (that said winning is nice), but I'd wish an endless loosing streak on HK Riga if only that would guarantee a one more kid making it as a good pro, capable of helping our senior national team.
you know Gangnam style 
