The top teams in the RSL can compete with the bottom NHL teams.
Both the RSL and SEL are much better then the AHL.. by alot.
Both the RSL and SEL are much better then the AHL.. by alot.
The RSL. Not only do you have the top Euro players there and some great prospects, but NA guys who s*at the bed in the NHL but are really decent hockey players (especially goalies, Esche, Brathwaite, Noronen...). The AHL simply doesn't have guys like Morozov, Zinovjev, Danny Markov, Sushinsky, etc...
With more money to be made in the Europe these days, the AHL isn't what it was 10-15 years ago. The average player has gotten younger. It has turned into mainly a developmental league and you don't see the career AHLer to the extent you used to (many of whom are/would be the best players in the league).
RSL>>>>>>>>AHL
RSL>>>>>>>>AHL
Muscle Bob
Registered User
uh, maybe he didn't know so he was asking a question instead of just pretending to know about everything like most people do.
Frolov 6'3
Unregistered User
The difference is very small.
Every year at the Spengler Cup, a bunch of AHL calibre (at best) Canadians are thrown together at the last minute to play on a European rink with International rules and they do just fine against RSL club teams who play together, and on those rinks all season.
This year, Canada beat Ufa twice. And Ufa won the RSL this season.
Canada's best players were a semi-retired Curtis Joseph, Domenic Pittis, Marty Murray, J.P. Vigier etc.
It's hillarious to read some posters claim RSL >>>>>>>>>>>> AHL. Not true at all.
Every year at the Spengler Cup, a bunch of AHL calibre (at best) Canadians are thrown together at the last minute to play on a European rink with International rules and they do just fine against RSL club teams who play together, and on those rinks all season.
This year, Canada beat Ufa twice. And Ufa won the RSL this season.
Canada's best players were a semi-retired Curtis Joseph, Domenic Pittis, Marty Murray, J.P. Vigier etc.
It's hillarious to read some posters claim RSL >>>>>>>>>>>> AHL. Not true at all.
The difference is very small.
Every year at the Spengler Cup, a bunch of AHL calibre (at best) Canadians are thrown together at the last minute to play on a European rink with International rules and they do just fine against RSL club teams who play together, and on those rinks all season.
This year, Canada beat Ufa twice. And Ufa won the RSL this season.
Canada's best players were a semi-retired Curtis Joseph, Domenic Pittis, Marty Murray, J.P. Vigier etc.
It's hillarious to read some posters claim RSL >>>>>>>>>>>> AHL. Not true at all.
You are wrong. Look at how many European Club teams that have beaten NHL teams in preseason games over the years. Or teams like "Gretzkys All-Stars". Does that mean that European Leagues are better then the NHL?
Nah the AHL is getting respectable again, it certainly sucked allot right after the lockout. Many teams had like 6 Derian Hatchers on the blueline. Guys that couldn't play defense without clutching and grabbing. So most teams were forced to collapse extremely low whenever they lost the puck, and couldn't attack with more the 3 forwards... I think the Russian league is very tough league to have individual success in. And the top Russian teams are very talented. The AHL got really high tempo, but its not a league to develop puckmoving D's for example. The AHL is a great option for some types, and a bad option for others.
WatchaMaCarcass
Registered User
So how do N.A. leagues compare to Euro or Russian leagues then?
NHL = (Best possible equivalent)
AHL =
ECHL=
Etc. etc?
NHL = (Best possible equivalent)
AHL =
ECHL=
Etc. etc?
Muscle Bob
Registered User
Nobody needs the Spengler Cup that badly. Come to European Champions League and you will see the RSL teams playing at their best.The difference is very small.
Every year at the Spengler Cup, a bunch of AHL calibre (at best) Canadians are thrown together at the last minute to play on a European rink with International rules and they do just fine against RSL club teams who play together, and on those rinks all season.
This year, Canada beat Ufa twice. And Ufa won the RSL this season.
Canada's best players were a semi-retired Curtis Joseph, Domenic Pittis, Marty Murray, J.P. Vigier etc.
It's hillarious to read some posters claim RSL >>>>>>>>>>>> AHL. Not true at all.
Besides, making conclusions after watching 4 games at some New Year tournament is beyond my understanding
Nobody needs the Spengler Cup that badly. Come to European Champions League and you will see the RSL teams playing at their best.
Besides, making conclusions after watching 4 games at some New Year tournament is beyond my understanding
Yet, you dismiss the closest possible way to compare the two head to head, and conclude that RSL >>>>>> AHL just because that makes you feel better?
The only objective comparable is the Spengler Cup. There is no other opportunity granted where an AHL caliber team actually steps on the ice and plays against an RSL team. European rink, international rules. A club team against a group of players who get thrown together for two weeks. All the advantages are to the RSL side. Oh yeah, that's right, they don't try.
Too bad head to head matches are 'beyond your understanding'.
The leagues are close. AHL teams would beat RSL teams, and visa versa.
I'm European but I think that SEL, RSL and AHL are not in different classes. Different leagues, different styles. Like WHL, OHL and QMJHL. RSL can be best of the bunch, but not by far.
Muscle Bob
Registered User
Funny how you say AHL > RSL because the Canadians playing in Europe beaten the Russian club. And what about year 2005? Metallurg beaten team Canada 8:3 in the final, so I guess at that time RSL was two times better than AHL?Yet, you dismiss the closest possible way to compare the two head to head, and conclude that RSL >>>>>> AHL just because that makes you feel better?
The only objective comparable is the Spengler Cup. There is no other opportunity granted where an AHL caliber team actually steps on the ice and plays against an RSL team. European rink, international rules. A club team against a group of players who get thrown together for two weeks. All the advantages are to the RSL side. Oh yeah, that's right, they don't try.
Too bad head to head matches are 'beyond your understanding'.
The leagues are close. AHL teams would beat RSL teams, and visa versa.
And about "Russians don't care much", the quote of Dave King, the head coach of Metallurg in 2005:
Every single team after participating in this cup would get a losing streak, that's for sure. Metallurg had a great team that season, but after they returned from the Spengler Cup their game wasn't that good as it was before. And as a result, the main favourite of RSL didn't win the championship. The next year Metallurg has refused to participate and .... became the champion of RSL! The team which participated instead of Metallurg - Khimik. Khimik was one of the favourites of that season, thanks to the good mid-season campaign. They were on the 4th place before the Spengler Cup but they finished only on the 8th place in the regular season. This year Salavat decided not to repeat the previous faults of the Russian clubs and don't play their best - and you know the result (championship).
Muscle Bob
Registered User
If all of your arguments lie on the results how do you know that this team Canada won't destroy AHL teams? They never played I guess. So if you are trying to say that after team Canada won 2 games against Salavat, Canada is better - go on. But I don't see any connection between team Canada and AHL teams.
Yeah, and no need for 'those who can't play in AHL go to Europe' please. I don't care about your opinion as you don't care about others' opinions. Only facts matter.
Show me how team Canada is connected with AHL teams.
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RSL because of reasons mentioned above. AHL is better for getting a player from a European country use to the NHL style of game.
SuperUnknown
Registered User
Different leagues where you need different skills to succeed.
Myself I prefer the AHL because I think the smaller ice requires faster speed of execution, as well as more toughness. There's less hooking in the AHL and more bodychecks.
In the RSL, there's a lot of floating and perimeter play. Not much physical play as players tend to hook instead of playing the body.
There are NHL players that wouldnt be of much use in the RSL but would be good AHLers (like Ryan Malone) and RSL players that are effective there but are good AHLers and fringe NHLes (Grabovsky).
Imo, the AHL is better on NHL ice size while the RSL might be better on the international size rinks.
Also, while I'm sure many will disagree, but I find that AHL games are a better show than RSL games.
Myself I prefer the AHL because I think the smaller ice requires faster speed of execution, as well as more toughness. There's less hooking in the AHL and more bodychecks.
In the RSL, there's a lot of floating and perimeter play. Not much physical play as players tend to hook instead of playing the body.
There are NHL players that wouldnt be of much use in the RSL but would be good AHLers (like Ryan Malone) and RSL players that are effective there but are good AHLers and fringe NHLes (Grabovsky).
Imo, the AHL is better on NHL ice size while the RSL might be better on the international size rinks.
Also, while I'm sure many will disagree, but I find that AHL games are a better show than RSL games.
Muscle Bob
Registered User
Of course many will disagree because everybody likes his own 'hockey'. I like passes and combinations, you like shots and bodychecks. Hockey in RSL is smarter, in AHL - simpler. Everbody is free to choose what he likes.
Letang fan 58
No More Fleury
Wow a lot of european people think the RSL dominates. Hard to believe.
I dont think the difference is nearly as big as most would like you to think.
I dont think the difference is nearly as big as most would like you to think.
Redwingsfan
Global Moderator
- Jul 15, 2006
- 20,370
- 187
montreal
Go Habs Go
I see a ton of AHL games and I've seen several RSL games. Personally I like both leagues for diffrent reasons. It's hard to compare since the ahl is a development league for the NHL, so it's played on the smaller ice and from what i've seen clearly more physical. The RSL is considered to be one of the top leagues outside of the NHL, played on the bigger ice and they play to win championships. I'm not saying that ahl clubs don't play to win, but ther'es a huge difference in comparing a development league with a top European league since the ahl club has to deal with losing players to callups, and I assume that in some cases, some ahl teams will need to do what their nhl affilate wants them to do, as an example they may tell the ahl club to make sure their top prospect gets a certian amount of starts or ice time, even though it may not be in the best interest of the club.
I enjoy watching AHL games because your watching some future nhlers, so I like watching Hamilton to see future Habs. But I also happen to think the quality of the league isn't that great and generally get disgusted with the reffing (I have had a season pass to Hamilton for the last 2 years and have seen the dogs play in 5 or 6 cities, so I have seen close to 200 games in the last 3-4 years)
I like to watch RSL games for the skill, have seen several Habs play in Russia from watching Markov win a league championship, to seeing others like Perezhogin, Korneev, Emelin, Perezhogin, Grabovski and A.Kostitsyn. So I got to see AO play on Markov's team, got to see Malkin face off against Zherdev/A.Kostitsyn (it wasn't pretty for CSKA) as well as Euro Champs Cup. WC's and Euro Cup. So I got to see some really good hockey, they certainly have some very skilled hockey players in that league although I've seen mostly AK Bars, Omsk with some Dynamo, Lada and Neftekhimik games so my sample size of the rsl is much smaller.
To me each league brings something different, so I watch them for different reasons but to compare them is tough to do imo since they have different roles. As a Habs fan the ahl is like watching the junior Habs, as a hockey fan the rsl is good hockey to watch. So if I want to see future nhlers I watch the ahl, if I want to see a more open, less physical style I would watch the rsl. (not saying there aren't future nhlers in the rsl)
