In fact, I believe that the NHL won't have the choice to make it happen with the Europeen Super League coming very soon. Many NHL players are already leaving America for the Russian Super League. Alexei Yashin is a good example.
The NHL "project" goes like this: 2 American divisions, 1 Canadian division and 1 Europeen division.
2007-10-09 10:58:00 · 18 answers · asked by AbsoluteMart! 4 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Yashin didn't leave, He wasn't happy with the offers he was getting. He received 4 offers, 2 of which would have paid him close to what he made with the Islanders, but nobody wanted to guarantee anything more than a year
2007-10-09 14:20:26 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, sure, if the NHL wants to call it quits in five years. The logistics of that would be insane if a full 82 games were to be played.
Also, the only reason why Yashin left for the Russian Super League is because no one in the NHL wants him. He's an overpaid underachiever, and I wouldn't even consider him a star. He just took the money and ran off to his own little world the moment he signed on with the Islanders. Really, what team would have a healthy scratch on their own captain? I wouldn't be surprised if he's slacking off right now in Russia.
Just to reiterate the point, the only reason why former NHLers go to Europe to play is when they don't have jobs anymore on this side of the Atlantic. Aki Berg and Ed Belfour's another example that just came to mind. Jason Allison and, sadly, Curtis Joseph should be going soon....
2007-10-09 11:24:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No way.The game needs to stay here.Teams rely heavily on thier home game revenue.Tickets already cost way too much as it is.Take away some of those games and your ticket prices go way up.Not to mention the dumb hours games would be televised.It would be a godawful mess.If the europeans wanna leave so be it.I remember the nhl before the major invasion from european players and it was damn good hockey.Look at Canadas junior teams and tell me they couldnt stock more of the nhl as well as some of the young American players that get passed up for european prospects.If you consider the loss of Alexi Yashin as a big deal you had better stop watching hockey,I have never seen him do anything great.The best players in the world come from Canada so as long as they dont head to europe to play for the whatever cup they will have we will be fine.The Stanley cup the singlemost difficult trophy to win in all of sports belongs in North America.
2007-10-10 05:55:49 · answer #3 · answered by butchdalton 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The NHL needs to stop the hemorrhaging state side first. They need to get the small/no market teams in billy bob redneck cities (florida,nashville,phoenix etc.) out . kill two off and put two maybe three in Canada (Winnipeg,Hamilton,Quebec city) that way the league can start the healing process. Then after some of the bleeding has subsided expand into Seattle,Portland etc. after the firm foot hold is reestablished. Then after all of that is said and done then look into adding another division with a few sparse inter division games mixed in. But without saying for ANY of this to happen, the chimpanzee Bettman needs to be ousted.
2007-10-09 11:54:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make an NHL-Europe. Send all of the European players to that league. Keep all of the Canadians and Americans in our league. It's about time we bring back checking and fighting, 2 things euro-players don't do..
2007-10-11 06:51:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nah. The Europeans are too soft. 50% of the Fans at the games in London didn't know what a Goalie Helmet looked like. If that happens Maybe the team will be in Russia or Finland, but thats all the countrys they would do.
2007-10-09 12:43:31 · answer #6 · answered by Sask Riders Pwn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure they want to go along with that. I just recently read where the league isn't interested in operating franchises in Europe. Instead, they just want to market the NHL brand to popularize it now.
The Super League could be a venture independent of the NHL.
2007-10-09 11:09:38 · answer #7 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I kinda like the idea. I know hockey is really enjoyed in Europe (I like Europe and their hockey culture) and it IS the NATIONAL Hockey League after all. I also don't want to forget some of my favorite players and if they switch what is now different leagues, I may never hear of them again.
It also may be the answer to alot of the problems in the NHL today, well that have been problems for awhile like salaries for eg.
Good Q!
2007-10-09 11:05:51 · answer #8 · answered by I don't know 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wouldn't work. Why would fans in Europe abandon clubs they have supported for 50 years or more for some instant NHL Europe division?
2007-10-09 12:19:59 · answer #9 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Big Deal - Yashin left. Not a single tear was shed for that. The guy was a total loser.
Perhaps it will happen. And perhaps a rock will fall out of the sky and strike Bettman dead.
2007-10-09 11:10:19 · answer #10 · answered by PuckDat 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋