Russia in 2014

[BigT2002]

Even if the NHL allows the players to go, will they be as formidable as they were supposed to be this year? They had quite a few people on that squad who were already in their mid 30's to 40's. Will another 4 years be a demise?

[dimi19]

Originally Posted by BigT2002

Even if the NHL allows the players to go, will they be as formidable as they were supposed to be this year? They had quite a few people on that squad who were already in their mid 30's to 40's. Will another 4 years be a demise?

the sad thing is that they really coulda put a great team together this year, and if they coached it right, they really woulda had a much better chance at winning gold, but alas...

[BigT2002]

Originally Posted by dimi19

the sad thing is that they really coulda put a great team together this year, and if they coached it right, they really woulda had a much better chance at winning gold, but alas...

I'm assuming most Russian fans viewed the KHL thing is a way for them to try to show they have top talent equivalent to the NHL?

[NyQuil]

4 years is a long way away.

Who knows.

[RusskiyHockey]

Originally Posted by BigT2002

I'm assuming most Russian fans viewed the KHL thing is a way for them to try to show they have top talent equivalent to the NHL?

No one thinks like that. The primary purpose of the KHL is to have a strong domestic hockey infrastructure, including the marketing aspect and junior hockey. The attraction of foreign players and NHLers only marginally boosts the quality of the games. The KHL is not some experiment meant to compete with the NHL. It's the successor to the more financially-restrained and unstable RSL. In order to become stable and more financially viable, the KHL is obviously adopting some NHL policies. Unless the NHL plan to have is own clubs in Russia and Eastern/Northern Europe, then it doesn't compete with the NHL.