Henrik Karlsson - The Kazakh

[kabidjan18]

There's a largely important distinction that's not being made between naturalizing heritage-consistent expats and simply naturalizing the best available players...

 

[Siamese Dream]

In my opinion if a player wasn't eligible for a country at the U18s or U20s then they shouldn't be eligible for that country at senior level. Exceptions would be made in geopolitical circumstances like the break-up of the USSR for example, or if Scotland ever gained independence from the UK and got their own team.

 

[Albatros]

Even Russia does it. Anton Khudobin, Nikolai Zherdev, Alexander Perezhogin and Pavel Padakin (although Padakin is borderline since he's already represented Ukraine in the D1A, but has dressed up for Russia's second team) all started playing hockey in Kazakhstan/Ukraine and became naturalized by playing in Russia

It's actually pretty sad, Kazakhstan would have a pretty decent team if the better players had chosen to represent Kazakhstan instead of Russia.

Having been born in a different Soviet republic doesn't make a player less Russian, after the dissolution of the USSR Kazakhstan is much more of a foreign country for that lot.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Having been born in a different Soviet republic doesn't make a player less Russian, after the dissolution of the USSR Kazakhstan is much more of a foreign country for that lot.

Pavel Padakin. Alexander Yakovenko. Yegor Korshkov. Vladislav Lysenko. Ignat Zemchenko. None of whom spent one minute of their lives in the USSR. Funnily enough, once they commit to Russia and are unable to play for the countries they were born and raised in, Russia seems to lose interest in them.

 

[ozo]

Pavel Padakin. Alexander Yakovenko. Yegor Korshkov. Vladislav Lysenko. Ignat Zemchenko. None of whom spent one minute of their lives in the USSR. Funnily enough, once they commit to Russia and are unable to play for the countries they were born and raised in, Russia seems to lose interest in them.

Lets not look for conspiracies. It is easier to break into NT of particular age group than in the main senior team eventually.

 

[Albatros]

Pavel Padakin. Alexander Yakovenko. Yegor Korshkov. Vladislav Lysenko. Ignat Zemchenko. None of whom spent one minute of their lives in the USSR. Funnily enough, once they commit to Russia and are unable to play for the countries they were born and raised in, Russia seems to lose interest in them.

Which of the names are not Russian to you?