In light of the recent rumors of Elitserien clubs bolting for the KHL, I was wondering if the SM-Liiga has had similar recent speculation? I recall seeing something about Kärpät, but don't remember any specifics...
Last edited by worstfaceoffmanever: 04-28-2009 at 04:26 PM.
There were rumours that HIFK, Jokerit, TPS, Tappara, Kärpät and... Blues (?) were going to leave SM-Liiga to form a "Nordic League" with the top Elitserien teams. But few weeks ago, the rest of the teams signed the deals with SM-Liiga, so I don't think it'll happen any time soon.
There were rumours that HIFK, Jokerit, TPS, Tappara, Kärpät and... Blues (?) were going to leave SM-Liiga to form a "Nordic League" with the top Elitserien teams. But few weeks ago, the rest of the teams signed the deals with SM-Liiga, so I don't think it'll happen any time soon.
I guess Jokerit still haven´t signed...or at least that was the case few days/week ago...not 100% sure though.
I guess Jokerit still haven´t signed...or at least that was the case few days/week ago...not 100% sure though.
Tried to find that news report, but couldn't. But I'm 100% sure Jokerit has signed it, too. They made a big deal about finally having all teams agreed to terms for the first time. They interviewed Hjallis, too.
Have to take back some of my words, it says Jokerit is the only team that still haven't signed it, but they are going to. Haven't seen any news since then about the case.
Don't we get these rumours every summer? It must be the 4th or 5th year in a row this comes up.
Really? I just remember summer 08 and now spring 09
SM-Liiga has been digging its own grave for years now...the product ain´t getting better, just worse, the quality of the league has dropped and the best players go abroad...And now Kummola, Vuorinen and the little teams cry in the media when others (bigger) teams are looking other opportunities with the Swedish teams etc.
Do you stay in the SM-Liiga in the same shi**y environment (it hasn´t changed in years and will not chance in the future) and go backwards or take a risk and try go front. That´s the question.
Which helps Finnish hockey more? These teams competing in higher level of hockey with the Swedes/KHL/Europe or staying in the level of SM-Liiga?
We´ve seen the smoke, I hope there is some fire too...
KHL will definitely help. You have to remember it's not Russian championship. It's european championship organizied by Russians. What's so bad about that? A Scandinavian division and a Central European division will be just super great. I am sure people will love Finnish clubs playing Swedish ones a lot, Swiss clubs playing German etc. Yes, there's Champions League, but it's just a few games.
Finally, one european league will be a strong competitor to the NHL.
I am all for getting as many Finnish teams to the KHL as possible. Hockey in Finland has become so ridiculously dull in the past few years that we're spawning a generation that actually likes soccer. The cure for this is a change of scenery, bigger budgets, more skilled players (at least on the opponent's side) and best of all, international rivalries. What the KHL offers is a means to elevate the level of hockey fandom back to what it was in the 90s. Imagine being able to see Kazan or Magnitogorsk in Oulu, or the heat a game between Jokerit and some Swedish team would cause in the audience.
If Finnish teams opt not to join the KHL, they are basically throwing away the opportunity to bring Finnish hockey back on par with the other European countries. After one ****ing year of KHL's existence, the Belarussian and Latvians national teams are suddenly in the quarterfinals. That is NOT a coincidence.
no, there is. These two national teams are based on two KHL teams - Dinamo Riga and Dinamo Minsk. The players have a good chemistry and have experience of playing stronger sides. That helps a lot.
I am all for getting as many Finnish teams to the KHL as possible. Hockey in Finland has become so ridiculously dull in the past few years that we're spawning a generation that actually likes soccer. The cure for this is a change of scenery, bigger budgets, more skilled players (at least on the opponent's side) and best of all, international rivalries. What the KHL offers is a means to elevate the level of hockey fandom back to what it was in the 90s. Imagine being able to see Kazan or Magnitogorsk in Oulu, or the heat a game between Jokerit and some Swedish team would cause in the audience.
Finnish and Swedish fans don't give a crap about foreign teams, they are all about local/domestic rivals. The fact that the Nordic Trophy games are plaeyrd in samll arenas and still won't sell out should be a clear indication of that. Besides, IIRC there's a salary floor in the KHL, and even the Swedish clubs would have a hard time reaching that. I just don't see Gazprom fetching out millions of dollars to non-Russain teams, considering that they have also been hit by the economy and their funding of the CHL is even in jeopardy.
no, there is. These two national teams are based on two KHL teams - Dinamo Riga and Dinamo Minsk. The players have a good chemistry and have experience of playing stronger sides. That helps a lot.
Latvia NT has been always 2/3 Riga, and Belarus - Yunost+Keramin or Dinamo, be it in KHL or somewhere else. Nor is the result (quaterfinals) an indication of anything since both teams already were there. Not to mention that Latvia barely made it at all. Was the Swiss a little luckier yesterday - there would be no talk of the Latvian success due to KHL.
Finnish and Swedish fans don't give a crap about foreign teams, they are all about local/domestic rivals. The fact that the Nordic Trophy games are plaeyrd in samll arenas and still won't sell out should be a clear indication of that. Besides, IIRC there's a salary floor in the KHL, and even the Swedish clubs would have a hard time reaching that. I just don't see Gazprom fetching out millions of dollars to non-Russain teams, considering that they have also been hit by the economy and their funding of the CHL is even in jeopardy.
All about domestic/local rivals...really? There aren´t that many anymore...just normal and boring games without big star-players... Even the Helsinki/Tampere rivalries are boring these days (too many matchups) and I wouldn´t bring that pathetic Nordic "Exhibition games" Trophy to this subject...they are just exhibition "höntsäily" games.
Fans will be interested if the quality of the games are good and also to see some star players (Jagr etc)... plus every team doesn´t have to compete with the salaries/budgets with KHL teams but of course it would make more difficult to build a team that can compete in the new league.
Latvia NT has been always 2/3 Riga, and Belarus - Yunost+Keramin or Dinamo, be it in KHL or somewhere else. Nor is the result (quaterfinals) an indication of anything since both teams already were there. Not to mention that Latvia barely made it at all. Was the Swiss a little luckier yesterday - there would be no talk of the Latvian success due to KHL.
that's bull. They might have had few players from those teams, but they barely were the base teams.
I see only 4 players from Latvian clubs. Now they have 15 players from Dinamo Riga + 1 player from Nizhnekamsk. Total 16 players from KHL, more than enough.
Now they have only 6 players from other Belarussian teams, 10 from Dinamo Minsk and 5 from other KHL teams. Again 15 players.
Belarus only made 2 quarterfinals in their history, Latvia made in 3 times. And it's all in 15 years. Now, they both made it and it does not matter whether it was because Swiss lost or not.
2007 - 16 players from the 3 teams that I mentioned. A pretty uniform bunch as far as I am concerned.
Earlier rosters have between 14 and 18 Keramin+Yunost players
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Now, they both made it and it does not matter whether it was because Swiss lost or not.
Of course it does - there is nothing convincing about such QF entry. Wait for several years, if they make the PO significantly more often than in the past, then claim away. "Not enough statistical data" as of now.
I can make a point that it's Henlon's system mostly that took them to QF. Or that it's the Slovak disaster that freed the place for them: would be as valid as the KHL claim.
Of course it does - there is nothing convincing about such QF entry. Wait for several years, if they make the PO significantly more often than in the past, then claim away. "Not enough statistical data" as of now.
I can make a point that it's Henlon's system mostly that took them to QF. Or that it's the Slovak disaster that freed the place for them: would be as valid as the KHL claim.
you can see that Slovakia is slightly slipping away from top pool, so is Germany. Switzerland seems to be playing better. And this is a chance for Belarus and Latvia to step up and take those vacant spots.
I am pretty sure if Slovaks could somehow manage to get their best non-NHL players in one team and then join KHL, they would definitely play better than they do now.
If Finnish teams opt not to join the KHL, they are basically throwing away the opportunity to bring Finnish hockey back on par with the other European countries. After one ****ing year of KHL's existence, the Belarussian and Latvians national teams are suddenly in the quarterfinals. That is NOT a coincidence.
Other than Jokerit, is there any other team in the Finnish league which would have the fan and population base, large arena, and financial means to compete in the KHL? It would seem that if only Jokerit joined the league it would in effect become a "national" team and attract the support of the whole of Finland (in the same way that all the individual Finnish athletes such as Raikonen in F1 or Nieminen in golf, and the various ski jumpers, or cross country skiiers do).
At the same time, the SM-Liiga would maintain the traditional rivalries within Finland that were referred to here in other posts - even possibly including a Jokerit-Team club.
I think Den is somewhat right about not enough statistical data to support. But if you forget about the stats and watch some of the games by both Latvia and Belarus you will realize that these teams did improve considerably.
The overall offensive skill is still not there, just not enough talent playing hockey. But now it seems both team have a lot more confidence than they had in the past, at least from what I have seen. Belarus has looked excellent against Russia and Latvia also looked very competent against Canada, forget about the upsets both teams caused in the preliminary games.
