Confirmed with Link: Michael Rasmussen loaned to Graz 99ers in Austria

[rawraw]

Kinda weird. Why not the SEL or, well, any other league? Are their rosters frozen now or something?

One of the reasons is like Rhombo pointed out in his post: " If you want the right to recall a North American player of his caliber midseason, you aren't going to be able to get him a job in one of the better European leagues. Those clubs are businesses and don't want to bother with major roster turnover midseason and import caps."

Another reason might be that the Wings want him to be playing top 6 minutes and that won't be a guarantee in the SEL. He played a limited amount of games last season so he'd probably get 3rd/4th line minutes starting out in the SEL (or any other high end pro league in Europe).
With him being loaned to Graz it checks two important boxes:
1. Being able to recall him midseason.
2. Will play a top 6 roll and get minutes.

While it's not the most ideal situation, it's a solution that makes the most sense at this point imo.

 

[Pavels Dog]

One of the reasons is like Rhombo pointed out in his post: " If you want the right to recall a North American player of his caliber midseason, you aren't going to be able to get him a job in one of the better European leagues. Those clubs are businesses and don't want to bother with major roster turnover midseason and import caps."

Another reason might be that the Wings want him to be playing top 6 minutes and that won't be a guarantee in the SEL. He played a limited amount of games last season so he'd probably get 3rd/4th line minutes starting out in the SEL (or any other high end pro league in Europe).
With him being loaned to Graz it checks two important boxes:
1. Being able to recall him midseason.
2. Will play a top 6 roll and get minutes.

While it's not the most ideal situation, it's a solution that makes the most sense at this point imo.

Yeah I think Rasmussen is pretty much a lock to be in the NHL when the season starts so it would be a major consideration that they're able to recall him.

 

[Hen Kolland]

He might as well be in the CHL then. This is a major step back competition wise.

Why is it so hard for people to understand that playing against lesser competition is better than skating in an empty rink by himself.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Why is it so hard for people to understand that playing against lesser competition is better than skating in an empty rink by himself.

Is it? His skating could use work.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Is it? His skating could use work.

It is. Because he's likely been doing some form of training all offseason, including getting back on the ice more recently. He has a lot of hockey-centric things he could work in addition to skating.

Unless your goal is to have a top 10 pick evolve into only a bigger Darren Helm, and not a more impactful hockey player.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Is it? His skating could use work.

Have you played much hockey? If so, think back on your experience and how you felt and played a month into the season in comparison to the first week. Even a good hard camp is only going to get you so far.

As to your other question about why not other leagues, I suspect that most European leagues have some limits on the number of imported players allowed. Unlike Zadina and Seider, Ras would be an import. I am sure that this wasn't their first option for Ras in terms of competition.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

EBEL is terrible league one tier below DEL and 2tiers below NLA, Liiga,Extraliga,SHL.

I wouldn't put the Czech league on the same level as the tiers you listed. It is above the DEL for me, but I would put the SHL and Liiga in a tier above the others listed. I think the SHL is the 4th best league in the world behind the NHL, KHL and AHL.

I agree that Austria is probably an ECHL level, I had a buddy play there after he left the AHL and he said it was an easy league to score in.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I wouldn't put the Czech league on the same level as the tiers you listed. It is above the DEL for me, but I would put the SHL and Liiga in a tier above the others listed. I think the SHL is the 4th best league in the world behind the NHL, KHL and AHL.

I agree that Austria is probably an ECHL level, I had a buddy play there after he left the AHL and he said it was an easy league to score in.

Czech teams have much better showing in CHL(Champions Hockey League) than Liiga, NLA, and DEL. In last 3 years there were czech teams making it to finals, NA imports are coming from AHL or better so stop talking nonsense. AHL above SHL is also very funny.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Have you played much hockey? If so, think back on your experience and how you felt and played a month into the season in comparison to the first week. Even a good hard camp is only going to get you so far.

As to your other question about why not other leagues, I suspect that most European leagues have some limits on the number of imported players allowed. Unlike Zadina and Seider, Ras would be an import. I am sure that this wasn't their first option for Ras in terms of competition.

Poorly, if that counts.

But, tbh, I was just trolling.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Czech teams have much better showing in CHL(Champions Hockey League) than Liiga, NLA, and DEL. In last 3 years there were czech teams making it to finals, NA imports are coming from AHL or better so stop talking nonsense. AHL above SHL is also very funny.

I don't have a ton of care on the champions league, it isn't treated with the same priority by each team from what I can tell. More importantly in terms of opinion the hockey executives I have talked to over here don't seem to value it a ton either.

Yes I have the AHL as the third best league, no different than what every NHL executive says on the subject too for the record. By the way I think it is a heck of a lot closer to the KHL than the KHL is to the NHL. In your average AHL game you are going to probably have 8 to 10 guys that play a couple hundred NHL games at least. While in some cases they are younger or older on their way back down they still have significantly more talent than you seem to be agreeing with. I have attended 100s of AHL games too, it isn't the ECHL. The hockey is pretty good quality, it is just slower and more physical than the NHL. It's a damn good league, but there is a reason they usually want most European prospects to go through it when coming over, front offices see it as a step up. You can not like that, certainly understand that opinion. But using the league pecking orders that the Yzerman's, Holland's and so forth use isn't ridiculous. I believe Yzerman actually called the AHL the second best league in the world in a recent interview...

 

[Ezekial]

There are only so many roster spots for temporary players in leagues that are playing.

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

Several people are worried that this league doesn't play at a very high level; but if several other teams send their high-end AHL guys to this league, it's gonna be playing at a higher level pretty f*cking quickly.

I have high hopes for Rasmussen. I'm hoping he's a great third-line center some day, or at worst a very good second-line wing. Shit, who knows, he's young, maybe he'll be a good second-line center. Big, fast, smooth, smart. He's not quite ready for the big show, but when he's been up, he's looked very promising. I think it's great that he's going somewhere that he'll be a focal point with a lot of responsibility.

 

[1878rgw]

If the paperwork is done until tomorrow he plays tomorrow. (They still work with telefax in this league, so it takes time).

Graz99ers wollen gegen Dornbirn wieder auf die Siegesstraße – Moser Medical Graz99ers

 

[newfy]

He might as well be in the CHL then. This is a major step back competition wise.

And the CHL would also be better than not playing at all so I dont get what your point is

 

[Shaman464]

And the CHL would also be better than not playing at all so I dont get what your point is

Is it though? At what point is is better to just train instead? Beer league? Ball hockey? Jai alai? Because I would argue that playing against lesser competition gets to the point that its no longer good for one's development and may cause back sliding.

 

[ArmChairGM89]

Is it though? At what point is is better to just train instead? Beer league? Ball hockey? Jai alai? Because I would argue that playing against lesser competition gets to the point that its no longer good for one's development and may cause back sliding.

I guess I hope steve Yzerman knows the answer to this. I certainly have more faith in his opinion than yours, and he thinks that league is perfectly acceptable, obviously.

 

[FabricDetails]

If the paperwork is done until tomorrow he plays tomorrow. (They still work with telefax in this league, so it takes time).

Graz99ers wollen gegen Dornbirn wieder auf die Siegesstraße – Moser Medical Graz99ers

Wth is telefax? Hehe.

 

[Henkka]

Is it though? At what point is is better to just train instead? Beer league? Ball hockey? Jai alai? Because I would argue that playing against lesser competition gets to the point that its no longer good for one's development and may cause back sliding.

They just had March-April-May-June-July-August-September...

...freaking 7 months of time to train.

Time get back on the ice and get some game-shape and on-ice routines.

 

[newfy]

Is it though? At what point is is better to just train instead? Beer league? Ball hockey? Jai alai? Because I would argue that playing against lesser competition gets to the point that its no longer good for one's development and may cause back sliding.

Youre right, its probably better to train for a whole year without ever stepping on the ice instead of having 7 months to train and then playing in a pro hockey league. I would argue just for getting in game shape after hes missed a lot of time hurt and then had a huge lay off that theres no way this could hurt him

 

[lhsgolf19]

Big Fella is indeed in the lineup today... starts in about 25 minutes

 

[Ezekial]

Looks like the game ended in a loss for Rasmussen's team, 2-1, he had no points.

May as well stay over there bum!

 

[Shaman464]

Youre right, its probably better to train for a whole year without ever stepping on the ice instead of having 7 months to train and then playing in a pro hockey league. I would argue just for getting in game shape after hes missed a lot of time hurt and then had a huge lay off that theres no way this could hurt him

The ALIH is a pro hockey league too, doesn't mean players should be using it to get into game shape. There is a level of competition that is so low that it stops being good for a players development/training. The Austrian league sits near the ECHL and ALIH (Japanese hockey) than it does to the NHL/AHL/SEL/KHL. At that point you have to question will it actually help his development to be the biggest fish in a teeny tiny pound?

 

[lilidk]

The ALIH is a pro hockey league too, doesn't mean players should be using it to get into game shape. There is a level of competition that is so low that it stops being good for a players development/training. The Austrian league sits near the ECHL and ALIH (Japanese hockey) than it does to the NHL/AHL/SEL/KHL. At that point you have to question will it actually help his development to be the biggest fish in a teeny tiny pound?

His job is become Rossi friend

 

[SirloinUB]

Jesus Christ. Only on an Internet forum is not playing hockey better than playing hockey. Smh. I’ve had enough of the Internet today

 

[newfy]

The ALIH is a pro hockey league too, doesn't mean players should be using it to get into game shape. There is a level of competition that is so low that it stops being good for a players development/training. The Austrian league sits near the ECHL and ALIH (Japanese hockey) than it does to the NHL/AHL/SEL/KHL. At that point you have to question will it actually help his development to be the biggest fish in a teeny tiny pound?

Youre off base here. Even if you dont want to look at it as playing hockey, its still a very specific form of cardio that you cant get from non game play. Why do you think NHLers play beer league type hockey in the summers with the ECHL level players a lot of the time? Even with very low intensity, that is even still better than not skating at all.

So to be in a pro league with high intensity is absolutely better than sitting at home for another 3 months. Do you really think not playing hockey for a full year is better for Rasmussen development than playing professionally somewhere? Come on