vorky
@vorkywh24
- Jan 23, 2010
- 11,515
- 1,324
I do not want to go off-topic, but it is always important to understand the greater picture ...If you are a fan of Team Russia then what you want is to see the brightest kids develop in a responsible way which means that there is a proper development pathway for them. This means heads not being turned in this mirage that going to North America means future success. It means developing players to the best of their ability in an environment that suits them emotionally and technically. There have to be several improvements in youth selection, development (in respect of several positions), greater reach of the sport throughout Russia. Not to mention if needs be importing overseas coaches to bring in new ideas which have seen a success as with the fencing team and netminders with Finnish help. Learn from that and build on it and self innovate as Tarasov did.
Currently player wastage is pretty bad. Not what is good for Team Russia or the individuals themselves. A few manage to pick themselves up. Most go by the wayside.
Alexander Medvedev once said, "we had an option/considered that Gazprom would buy one NHL club. But we chose to establish the KHL instead because it brings more benefits for Russian hockey as a whole." As you know, at the time, Russia did not have one top-tier junior hockey league at a national level, no quality in senior hockey, no development of players. As a direct result of the KHL´s establishment, these important elements were introduced, till this day the KHL operates the junior league (MHL).
So, if Gazprom decided to own an NHL club, it would be perhaps a good PR campaign for the company, but it would result in a wrong/no development of hockey in Russia. There would be no progress, no investment into youth & pro hockey.
There would be no construction of hockey academies (facilities for youth hockey) in Russia. As you say with foreign coaches, SKA has Bochner (player development coach), Johansson (methodist coach), Hirsh (goalie coach). These coaches are not serving just for SKA/KHL team, but all youth teams. Their experience is shared. The same with other coaches in other clubs. Plus, the Russian hockey federation developed a new methodology of players´ development, they use the best methods of Soviet hockey & recent development in Sweden and other leading countries. The methodology (Red Machine) has been sharing with all hockey youth schools/teams in Russia.
And I could go on...
But, if the Russian hockey had its top priority to have many NHLers as our Russian friend offer, there would be no progress in Russia at all. Therefore it is important to support your league (in all Europe), not to look at the number of NHLers.