yes, this season no conferences. Classic euro model - 2 games each other, home/away. Best of 16 makes play-off. This model can be changed next season, everything can be changed in VHL/MHL/KHL from season to season
Had that something to do with the new teams and conferences would have made no sense anymore?
I have heard rumors of Saryarka potentially joining the KHL in the future, what are your thoughts about that and will it ever happen?
With as many newcomers as there may be KHL level might drop but at this moment Kazakhstan has barely enough players for one decent KHL team so I'm not sure if it would be for the best.
I've heard that their arena could be expanded to 9k (right now it's at 5.5k). Also are there any rules on having homegrown players in the KHL? the team could be mostly Russian (as it is now). Transition to the KHL would take a while, they are not joining next year for sure. Also with an influx of money, Kazzinic-Torpedo could have a chance to get into the KHL, though I doubt that will ever happen.
I've heard that their arena could be expanded to 9k (right now it's at 5.5k). Also are there any rules on having homegrown players in the KHL? the team could be mostly Russian (as it is now).
There isn't but it's kind of no fun if the team would be mostly Russians or Canadiens.
There isn't but it's kind of no fun if the team would be mostly Russians or Canadiens.
Then again technically you just described Barys roster.
But seriously, it won't happen because KHL hardly wants/needs another Kazakh team. Karaganda and Ust-Kamenogorsk won't add anything to the league, even Zagreb looks better from expansion viewpoint as a new market.
Then again technically you just described Barys roster.
But seriously, it won't happen because KHL hardly wants/needs another Kazakh team. Karaganda and Ust-Kamenogorsk won't add anything to the league, even Zagreb looks better from expansion viewpoint as a new market.
Barys is mostly made up of Kazakhstani players, they only have I think 6 international players (although many of the Kazakhstani players are naturalized citizens). Still I agree that from the KHL's standpoint there probably is no reason to expand into KZ.
There isn't but it's kind of no fun if the team would be mostly Russians or Canadiens.
Right now Saryarka is basically all Russian players and the fans dont seem to care that much, the stadium is full almost every game. But yea, KZ only has a pop of 16 mil and doesnt have a system to produce many KHL caliber players. Its getting there though, maybe in 10 years . . .
I've heard that their arena could be expanded to 9k (right now it's at 5.5k). Also are there any rules on having homegrown players in the KHL? the team could be mostly Russian (as it is now). Transition to the KHL would take a while, they are not joining next year for sure. Also with an influx of money, Kazzinic-Torpedo could have a chance to get into the KHL, though I doubt that will ever happen.
Yes. such rule exists. Non-russian club has to have at least 5 players on seasons roster which can play for NT of a country where is club located.
As you know, this rule can be changed for next season. We will see.
There's an interesting match in the Belorussian Extraliga today somewhat related to the VHL, Gomel - Yunior.
After Yunost missed VHL playoffs all their players moved to Yunior so basically it's a match between weak VHL team against one of the best teams in Belorussian league. This in a way will answer the question how good is VHL compared to local championship
There's an interesting match in the Belorussian Extraliga today somewhat related to the VHL, Gomel - Yunior.
After Yunost missed VHL playoffs all their players moved to Yunior so basically it's a match between weak VHL team against one of the best teams in Belorussian league. This in a way will answer the question how good is VHL compared to local championship
i'd say yunost is not as bad as you might think. they've played on average vhl level and sometimes were really good against top teams. they have had so much injuries and so on, so their final vhl position is not so representative as it seems to be.
they had played their last 8 or so games with their juniors on the ice also (which is somewhat an issue, and was widely discussed by other clubs afterwards).
belarusian top teams (metallurg zhlobin, neman grodno, gomel) are definitely vhl material but there is also so big disparity as bottom teams are really weak.
and there is another controversy which is in the making right now. it seems officials are totally killing gomel as it looked like in first two games of the series. one may say that it's all connected with zakharov (yunost coach) personality - he's known as a good friend of belarusian referees
Many teams lost a lot of fans. I thought the league would have been an even better product this year. 
