Hard not to lose respect for a professional hockey player that is presumably wanted by several teams (and a stanley cup contender, not to mention) and then darts to Russia just for the extra (not guaranteed) paychecks..
Hard not to lose respect for a professional hockey player that is presumably wanted by several teams (and a stanley cup contender, not to mention) and then darts to Russia just for the extra (not guaranteed) paychecks..
Any player can player wherever they want to. It's their choice.
can't hate a guy who's getting paid more to play in his home country. stanley cups are everyone's #1 priority. i was hoping he'd sign a reasonable deal w/ the flyers, but that hope quickly faded.
Hard not to lose respect for a professional hockey player that is presumably wanted by several teams (and a stanley cup contender, not to mention) and then darts to Russia just for the extra (not guaranteed) paychecks..
Or maybe it's because he's from Russia and has missed his homeland?
can't hate a guy who's getting paid more to play in his home country. stanley cups are everyone's #1 priority. i was hoping he'd sign a reasonable deal w/ the flyers, but that hope quickly faded.
Quote:
Originally Posted by teegale
Or maybe it's because he's from Russia and has missed his homeland?
why wouldn't it be a professional hockey player's number one priority? because said person couldn't get it done for ten years? afraid to try again? it is hockey's most important trophy. aside from gold, of course.
do you seriously think he decided to go to Russia because he missed it? wouldn't that decision have come rather quickly? it is about money and good riddance to him if he doesn't want to play in the NHL. he can have fun in Russia with this money (if they pay him) playing in what is practically an amateur league compared to the NHL.
Didn't want him anyway - with an offer like 6 million I'm guessing he wouldn't have taken any less than 5 million to stay in the NHL and he's just not worth that.
So this leaves the Flyers with a bunch of salary to dump and no goalie. I guess they could trade Gagne or Carle for a 2-2.5 million dollar goalie and a pick or a player.
Hard not to lose respect for a professional hockey player that is presumably wanted by several teams (and a stanley cup contender, not to mention) and then darts to Russia just for the extra (not guaranteed) paychecks..
You lose respect for a guy pursuing the best compensation for doing his job within his profession?
He's from Russia... he came here to get paid to play hockey. Now there's money for him in Russia that is greater than anything being offered here.
He did it for the money and the length of the contract. This is what happens when you price yourself out of the league and you're not willing to take less.
why wouldn't it be a professional hockey player's number one priority? because said person couldn't get it done for ten years? afraid to try again? it is hockey's most important trophy. aside from gold, of course.
do you seriously think he decided to go to Russia because he missed it? wouldn't that decision have come rather quickly? it is about money and good riddance to him if he doesn't want to play in the NHL. he can have fun in Russia with this money (if they pay him) playing in what is practically an amateur league compared to the NHL.
whatever my profession ends up being, i can guarantee that it will be less important to me than my family and my happiness.
He may have done it for the money, it is what it is, but my view on those who willingly leave the NHL is that if you don't want to be in the best league in the world, I don't want you in it either.
Nabokov was more likely to leave for the KHL from the start anyways. No NHL team was coming close to what he's getting.
It'll be funny because in 4 years he'll still be Russia's starting goaltender just to spite Bryzgalov & Co.
whatever my profession ends up being, i can guarantee that it will be less important to me than my family and my happiness.
i can't tell if you agree or disagree? he will be happier in the KHL? is that what you are saying? if so, maybe. maybe not. i would find it hard to believe he would have a better life playing in russia from the stories i have heard about the league.
You lose respect for a guy pursuing the best compensation for doing his job within his profession?
He's from Russia... he came here to get paid to play hockey. Now there's money for him in Russia that is greater than anything being offered here.
i lose respect for a competitor who is pursuing slightly higher compensation in a less competitive, severely inferior league as opposed to playing in the best possible situation as a professional hockey player.
Hard not to lose respect for a professional hockey player that is presumably wanted by several teams (and a stanley cup contender, not to mention) and then darts to Russia just for the extra (not guaranteed) paychecks..
Quote:
Originally Posted by triqsix
i lose respect for a competitor who is pursuing slightly higher compensation in a less competitive, severely inferior league as opposed to playing in the best possible situation as a professional hockey player.
But yet when Malkin escapes his homeland for the NHL it's applauded? I see nothing wrong with going closer to home, especially when likely lowballed by that "Stanley Cup contender" you mentioned.
Personally if I was offered a much higher contract to do less work, I think i'd do it. I guess what i'm saying is, it's his choice and his life. Sorry to disappoint.
i can't tell if you agree or disagree? he will be happier in the KHL? is that what you are saying? if so, maybe. maybe not. i would find it hard to believe he would have a better life playing in russia from the stories i have heard about the league.
i have no objection to him heading for russia if it's what he thinks is best for him and his
But yet when Malkin escapes his homeland for the NHL it's applauded? I see nothing wrong with going closer to home, especially when likely lowballed by that "Stanley Cup contender" you mentioned.
Personally if I was offered a much higher contract to do less work, I think i'd do it. I guess what i'm saying is, it's his choice and his life. Sorry to disappoint.
russia is not a very pleasant place to live or play hockey evidently, which leads me and many others to believe mr. nabokov left for the money, not the scenery.
russia is not a very pleasant place to live or play hockey evidently, which leads me and many others to believe mr. nabokov left for the money, not the scenery.
It's where (ethnically) his people are. How can you hate your home?
Can't blame him a bit for going back, he's getting big money, a long enough contract that will allow him to play in the Olympics, and he's going home. The Olympics are in Russia and all the Russian hockey players want to play, just as the Canadians wanted to play in Vancouver. The NHL hasn't committed yet so he doesn't have to worry about it anymore. Plus, this is his last lucrative contract so he made a very smart move.
What pisses me off is Turco's price just went up because Homer hasn't signed him yet. One less goalie for any team that is still looking is not a good thing.
russia is not a very pleasant place to live or play hockey evidently, which leads me and many others to believe mr. nabokov left for the money, not the scenery.
And how exactly do you know that it isn't a pleasant place to live or play hockey? Seems a lot of players are pretty happy to go over there. And if he went for the money, so what? He had the choice to do what he wanted.
He may have done it for the money, it is what it is, but my view on those who willingly leave the NHL is that if you don't want to be in the best league in the world, I don't want you in it either.
Nabokov was more likely to leave for the KHL from the start anyways. No NHL team was coming close to what he's getting.
It'll be funny because in 4 years he'll still be Russia's starting goaltender just to spite Bryzgalov & Co.
The only reason the NHL is the best league in the world is because it's always been able to outspend the other professional leagues (by a lot, in fact). Now that there is a competitor on the block financially, you'll begin to see players migrate in that direction.
It's ALWAYS been about the money, and the NHL has always benefited from being housed within the strongest economy in the world. Acting affronted that players are going where the money is just because it's somewhere other than the NHL is the height of ignorant hypocrisy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by triqsix
i lose respect for a competitor who is pursuing slightly higher compensation in a less competitive, severely inferior league as opposed to playing in the best possible situation as a professional hockey player.
"Slightly higher compensation"? I doubt Nabokov could have gotten more than 3M per in the NHL, and almost certainly wasn't getting a 4-year contract. You add in the issue of income tax and Nabokov is getting paid a **** load more to play in the KHL than he would here.
But, sure, lets let the NHL chauvinism rule, and castigate players that don't bow to the powerful draw of playing in North America.
russia is not a very pleasant place to live or play hockey evidently, which leads me and many others to believe mr. nabokov left for the money, not the scenery.
Actually, I've heard St. Petersburg is a pretty cool place.
