IIHF WC.

[ColdWizard]

Evil NHL continues to maneuver in attempts to poach young Russian talent.

Yesterday the KHL and the NHL signed a Memorandum of Understanding. It is not a transfer agreement and, according to Gary Bettman, there may not be an agreement for some time. Moreover, there may not be an agreement at all.

The KHL and the NHL started closely working together last year, when KHL President Medvedev met with Gary Bettman in Washington. Both leagues set up working groups that met a few times in Canada to discuss their differences to try to find out the solution. Both men of power also met in Vancouver during the Olympics as well. Afterwards, KHL President Medvedev made a statement that this fall NHL teams will hold two exhibition games in Russia.

When I spoke with Bettman a few weeks ago, I asked him whether the agreement to have exhibition games in Russia meant that both sides were close to signing the transfer agreement. But Bettman told me "that's not true. There are no discussions about the transfer agreement going on. We're not focusing on the transfer agreement. We have done without one for a number of years. And we'll continue, I suppose, at least for the foreseeable future, maintain it that way. On the other hand we're having some discussions to see if we can do some exhibition games."

As for the NHL going to Russia to play exhibition games, according to Bettman it means "there is an opportunity to bring our game to the great fans of our game in Russia. It doesn't mean anything more than that."

And now the two sides signed this Memorandum of Understanding. According to the information released on the matter, NHL will recognize standard player contracts of the KHL. The document also mentions that both sides will exchange information about player contracts of both leagues, as well as information about free agent status of players. Furthermore, both leagues have worked out a procedure to resolve possible problem situations that concern player transfers between the leagues.

KHL President Medvedev stated that "today we took an important step towards establishing a constructive partnership and mutual cooperation between the two leagues. We expect that in the future all questions regarding interaction between the KHL and NHL will be concluded in a solely civilized manner within the framework of the agreement reached today."

While this Memorandum should provide a roadmap for at least some problematic situations, a lot of questions concerning player contracts will remain, especially those of younger players who have KHL contracts but want to enter the draft. KHL's rules concerning restricted free agents are the shackles bounding young players to their teams until they are 28. Of course there are some "gentleman's agreements" when players have an oral agreement that they can leave their KHL clubs for North America. But KHL clubs still hold those cards. And the Memorandum of Understanding doesn't seem to touch on that.

Will this "Russian factor" play against Russian prospects at this year's draft? Most certainly.

[Kitschum]

Asher, I'm not trying to diminish your feelings. Maybe some NHL teams have great fans and I'm just biased or inattentive. To be sure, I have been paying less attention since 'my' adopted team was knocked out and that's the story every year, all of that's possible, and TV is an inferior way to watch hockey anyway. I'd love to go see an NHL game in person some time, but I haven't yet.

But this isn't about you. I'm interested in what Pekka values in his situation, as somebody not living near any NHL team. Does fan culture even matter or would he advice every young hockey fan in his own country to follow the money because what is available at home is just not good enough?

Anyway, here's a clip of Swedish hockey fans which might be just as selective as yours:

[Asher]

They're not even wearing cohesive uniforms. Bad fans.

[Kitschum]

Fine, here's some color:

[Asher]

Oh my God, they do the Nazi salute...

It's like a ****ing epic line dance. Singing, dancing, jumping, clapping...WTFEurope?

It's a ****ing hockey game.

[Kitschum]

Singing and dancing

Edit: To be clear, there's no Nazi saluting. They're stretching both hands out at an angle not the right one forward.

[notyoueither]

It is often reported that European crowds are more boisterous than North Americans for professional hockey.

College hockey crowds are also reported to be more boisterous than those in the NHL, on average.

It is different cultures. North Americans will not mindlessly cheer a bad product or bad effort at the professional level. Europeans, and college crowds in the US, will.

[Pekka]

Ummmm, yes, where I come from young kids dream of NHL, playing in the NHL, winning THE cup. That's the way I grew up, that's the way kids before me grew up and that's the way kids still grow up. Stanley Cup in here is the only cup there is, for players. When we played street hockey and on open ice when we were not even old enough to do anything else, we dreamed of NHL. All of us tried to be a pro, like I always wanted to be Jari Kurri, someone else wanted to be Gretzky, we all imitated those guys. And NO, none of us actually had satellite to see those games. But it doesn't matter. There was virtually no hockey on TV those days anyway. We just played and somehow knew what was up anyway. We knew who the NHL stars were, and we wanted to be just like them. They were the biggest heroes.

NOBODY idolized local league players the same way, even though they were the only ones we could actually see. The biggest news back in the days was that someone in the local league actually got into the NHL. Back then it was headline news. Then after a while so many got there that it isn't big news anymore, unless drafted in the first round.

So yes. In here, at least, little kids idolize and idolized NHL. Why? Because we are not nationalist fascist commienazis. What matters is who is the best. The best hockey is played in the NHL. It's not even a debate. Just like it's not even a debate when US might win a soccer game or two, and then claim it's on the same level as European players or teams. Sure, there might be few stars there every now and then, but soccer is Europe. And South America.

AND YES, if the best hockey was played in SA, I'd watch it. I don't care if the arenas are in Canada or the US. I don't watch what happens outside the arena. I watch what happens inside the rink.

Yeah, telling a girl in here that you won world championship would be cool, but it's not even close to being a stanley cup winner. And yes, people in here know what stanley cup is. And respect it more. Ask any hockey player if they'd rather win stanley cup or world championship, and if they don't say stanley cup, you're doing your poll in Ethiopia.

and for the record, even as kids, everyone of us knew it's a Canadian game. And if you want to succeed, you need to beat Canadians or be at the same level. The whole mentality to hockey came from there and is the approach that works. Everything else is inferior by default. Of course anyone is free to prove this to be not the case.... unfortunately no one has done it yet.

[Kitschum]

I guess Finland is different yet again. I can only shake my head at you.

[Kitschum]

It is often reported that European crowds are more boisterous than North Americans for professional hockey.

College hockey crowds are also reported to be more boisterous than those in the NHL, on average.

It is different cultures. North Americans will not mindlessly cheer a bad product or bad effort at the professional level. Europeans, and college crowds in the US, will.

Yes, and that was really my point that got sidetracked a bit by HM the Prince's hurt feelings/trolling.

I was definitely not saying that European hockey fans are more interested, that they "care" more or know more or that it is objectively better. Vive la difference.

I was just trying to shame Pekka into preferring hockey culture more in tune with his own kind which I assumed was like my kind. Now it might be that I was making ass-umptions, and then I can just write him off as a loss, but you North Americans were never going to come over to my side anyway and I'm not even sure I'd want that.