September 22, 2008 Hypocritical NHL making
mistake with KHL The NHL better
watch out. Dan Kingerski believes the new KHL is trying to break
through the door.
[Pittsburgh, PA] -- The NHL has
competition, again.
This time, the NHL is not dealing with a couple small time businessmen
in an apartment trying to revive the WHA. Instead, they're facing a
well-funded, hungry and aggressive foe, the Kontinental Hockey League.
The KHL is the former Russian Super League, and is backed by billions
of dollars from Russian oil revenue, most notably from oil tycoon Alex
Medvedev.
The KHL's summer signing of Nashville Predator Alexander Radulov,
despite Radulov's current NHL contract, is just a small warning shot.
In 2007, Medvedev hired former NHLPA head, Bob Goodenow to begin the
formation of a European hockey league. If the NHL wanted to destroy
the KHL, perhaps it would make Gary Bettman available, too... but I
digress.
The KHL is also rumored to be
expanding next year, by including several Baltic teams and Swedish
Elite league clubs. The Czech Republic, Germany and Finland will
likely follow. That is expansion not seen in Europe since the 1930's.
Late
last week, Bill Daly said the NHL may expand to Europe in the next 10
years. Ten years?! 2018 will be too late. Perhaps the NHL will be able
to colonize the Italian or French professional leagues by then, but in
10 years the major European hockey landscape will be dominated by the
KHL.
Anyone who has read the front section of a newspaper since July knows
that something new, or perhaps old, is going on in Russia. Just ask
their neighbors. However, the NHL attitude continues to be one of
superiority and obliviousness.
While the NHL has allowed its teams to poach signed talent from
Russia, such as Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin, it has taken a hard
line against the KHL's recent signing of Radulov, who had one-more
year on his Predators contract.
While Ovechkin's contractual
status in Russia was cloudy, at best, Malkin was signed to play at
least one more year in Russia. You may remember reports that Malkin
was forced, by Russian officials, to re-up, but duress was not a
central tenet of the argument to liberate Malkin.
So, the NHL takes Malkin. The KHL takes Radulov. Advantage NHL,
however the KHL has struck back and it does not figure to be the last
time.
The Russians fueled the 1990's NHL with players like Pavel Bure,
Sergei Federov, and Alexander Mogilny. Then, they gave players. Now,
they'd like them back... and a few more.
As usual, the international governing body, which is responsible for
the mediation of such conflicts, the International Ice Hockey
Federation, appears completely impotent. The IIHF has referred the
KHL's signing of Radulov to an arbitrator. Radulov was originally
suspended from international play. The IIHF then reversed that ban.
We knew spending a $1.30 per litre or 4 bucks per gallon of gas was
helping Islamic terrorism, but a hockey cold war?
Jaromir Jagr joined Avangard Omsk, albeit willingly and legally, this
summer. Jagr is the first NHL superstar to sign in the KHL. He then
helped his new team pluck Calgary Flames assistant coach Wayne Fleming
away from the NHL to coach Omsk.
If Jagr's signing was the first step in a one-on-one battle with the
NHL, the Radulov signing was a retaliatory slash to the back of the
legs. Perhaps a well deserved slash. The next big step will be to sign
a North American born superstar. It will be a loud "Game On." Pundits
and officials will decry the competition as bad for the NHL. They will
be correct, but months or years behind the curve.
The battle begins now. Or, NHL contraction and talent shortages loom
large.
The folly of it all is the failure of Gary Bettman to capitalize on
the European market. Twenty years ago, NBA commish David Stern decided
to grow the game around the world. Basketball has taken off, creating
a competitive balance. Bettman didn't have to grow the game; he merely
had to capitalize on existing popularity. The NHL instead focused on
Florida and Nashville. If only the NHL had colonized Europe, instead
of playing a couple regular season games - as if Swedish fans need the
same introduction that the English audience needed last year.
WHAT THE HELL WAS THE NHL WAITING FOR?! Even the goobers with the WHA
new enough to put Europe in their plans.
Now, the fish (Europe) that got away threatens to be a great white
shark, and I think we're gonna need a bigger boat.
Daniel Kingerski is the host of The Fourth Period Radio Show and the Pittsburgh Correspondent for The Fourth Period Magazine and a Columnist for TheFourthPeriod.com.
Late
last week, Bill Daly said the NHL may expand to Europe in the next 10
years. Ten years?! 2018 will be too late. Perhaps the NHL will be able
to colonize the Italian or French professional leagues by then, but in
10 years the major European hockey landscape will be dominated by the
KHL. 