Post by icing101 on Jun 28, 2004 0:39:04 GMT -5
NOTE: Interesting article by Ruslan Salikhov, publisher of the Russian Hockey Digest, examining the Russian perspective regarding NHL drafting of Russian prospects.
By Ruslan Salikhov, Russian Hockey Digest
This weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina the annual NHL draft took place where all the young talented players from all over the world were split and divided among 30 NHL franchises. 291 guys who are over 18 years old found out over the weekend where they might start their NHL careers. 22 of them (7.5%) are current players of different Russian hockey clubs.
The NHL draft of this year already became historical for Russian hockey - for the first time ever two Russian hockey players topped the draft. Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin were chosen first and second overall by Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins respectively. Of course there was 2001 draft when Ilya Kovalchuk was number one and Alexander Svitov was number three overall but this year it was quite a bit different. Evgeny Malkin was considered a notch better prospect than the rest of the group while Alexander Ovechkin was considered two notches above and some scouts even could compare Ovechkin's talent to one of Mario Lemeux.
Here is the complete list of the Russian players drafted in 2004 NHL draft.
First round
1. Alexander Ovechkin LW (Moscow Dynamo)- Washington Capitals
2. Evgeny Malkin C (Magnitogorsk Metallurg) - Pittsburgh Penguins
15. Alexander Radulov RW (HC Tver) - Nashville Predators
Second round
42. Roman Voloshenko LW (Soviet Wings of Moscow) - Minnesota Wild
50. Enver Lisin RW (Saratov Kristall) - Phoenix Coyotes
58. Kirill Lyamin D (Moscow CSKA) - Ottawa Senators
62. Mikhail Yunkov C (Moscow Soviet Wings) - Washington Capitals
Third round
72. Denis Parshin LW (Moscow CSKA-2) - Colorado Avalanche
82. Sergei Ogorodnikov C (HC Tver) - NY Islanders
83. Viktor Alexandrov RW (Novokuznetsk Metallurg) - St. Louis Blues
84. Aleksei Yemelin D (Samara CSK VVS) - Montreal Canadiens
96. Andrei Plekhanov D (Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik) - Columbus Blue Jackets
Fourth round
122. Alexander Nikulin C (Moscow CSKA-2) - Ottawa Senators
Fifth round
136. Nikita Nikitin D (Omsk-2) - St. Louis Blues
150. Mikhail Grabovsky (Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik) - Montreal Canadiens
155. Alexander Mikhailishin D (Moscow Spartak-2) - NJ Devils
157. Dmitry Vorobiev D (Lada Togliatti) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Sixth round
None
Seventh round
206. Anton Khudobin G (Magnitogorsk Metallurg-2)- Minnesota Wild
220. Maxim Semenov D (Lada Togliatti) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Eighth round
243. Denis Kulyash D (Moscow CSKA) - Nashville Predators
257. Gennady Stolyarov RW (HC Tver) - Detroit Red Wings
Ninth round
282. Valery Klimov D (Moscow Spartak-2) - NJ Devils
So where does Russia's hockey go from here now? It is clear that Russian hockey is not in the same position it had been in 1990's and it should do something to protect its interests. Sure, NHL is the best hockey league in the world due to very many reasons but it gets very low interest in Russia itself and most of the players who leave Russia for NHL become sort of phantoms for most of the Russian hockey fans.
NHL has been expanding in the last two decades and its appetite for the best talent has grown in geometrical progression. After Russian players were allowed to go to NHL without any limits Russia's hockey had all its talent taken away from it almost overnight. The only reason it survived and did not die in the middle of the 1990's is because Russians still loved hockey and the boys still wanted to play the game.
Already in 2001 when the last agreement (which recently expired) was signed the Russian side was not happy. Losing Kovalchuk, Frolov, Volchenkov for $220,000 as first round picks and Datsyuk for $140,000 just because he was not chosen in later rounds in the NHL draft did not make sense for Russian clubs who had the contracts with these players. Considering the situation improved financially in Russian hockey this stays true but at higher degree.
What should the Russian Hockey Federation do? Should they sign the similar agreement to what just expired and lose both Ovechkin and Malkin for $440,000 or should they work out a completely different agreement?
What Russians should really do is turn professional. It is the time now. Hire the best lawyers who will help Russians study their situation according to World and European legislation. What happens if Russia is not a part of IIHF-NHL agreement and a player signs a contract with NHL club while his Russian contract is still on? What is the real value of Ovechkin if the transfers were done in exactly the same way they are done in European football? How much Russian clubs were getting for all their young talent combined annually and how much they really should have?
All these questions must be answered and the Russian Hockey Federation must work really hard to protect Russian hockey for the future. It is a really good time - Ovechkins and Malkins do not come every year......
By Ruslan Salikhov, Russian Hockey Digest
This weekend in Raleigh, North Carolina the annual NHL draft took place where all the young talented players from all over the world were split and divided among 30 NHL franchises. 291 guys who are over 18 years old found out over the weekend where they might start their NHL careers. 22 of them (7.5%) are current players of different Russian hockey clubs.
The NHL draft of this year already became historical for Russian hockey - for the first time ever two Russian hockey players topped the draft. Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin were chosen first and second overall by Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins respectively. Of course there was 2001 draft when Ilya Kovalchuk was number one and Alexander Svitov was number three overall but this year it was quite a bit different. Evgeny Malkin was considered a notch better prospect than the rest of the group while Alexander Ovechkin was considered two notches above and some scouts even could compare Ovechkin's talent to one of Mario Lemeux.
Here is the complete list of the Russian players drafted in 2004 NHL draft.
First round
1. Alexander Ovechkin LW (Moscow Dynamo)- Washington Capitals
2. Evgeny Malkin C (Magnitogorsk Metallurg) - Pittsburgh Penguins
15. Alexander Radulov RW (HC Tver) - Nashville Predators
Second round
42. Roman Voloshenko LW (Soviet Wings of Moscow) - Minnesota Wild
50. Enver Lisin RW (Saratov Kristall) - Phoenix Coyotes
58. Kirill Lyamin D (Moscow CSKA) - Ottawa Senators
62. Mikhail Yunkov C (Moscow Soviet Wings) - Washington Capitals
Third round
72. Denis Parshin LW (Moscow CSKA-2) - Colorado Avalanche
82. Sergei Ogorodnikov C (HC Tver) - NY Islanders
83. Viktor Alexandrov RW (Novokuznetsk Metallurg) - St. Louis Blues
84. Aleksei Yemelin D (Samara CSK VVS) - Montreal Canadiens
96. Andrei Plekhanov D (Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik) - Columbus Blue Jackets
Fourth round
122. Alexander Nikulin C (Moscow CSKA-2) - Ottawa Senators
Fifth round
136. Nikita Nikitin D (Omsk-2) - St. Louis Blues
150. Mikhail Grabovsky (Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik) - Montreal Canadiens
155. Alexander Mikhailishin D (Moscow Spartak-2) - NJ Devils
157. Dmitry Vorobiev D (Lada Togliatti) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Sixth round
None
Seventh round
206. Anton Khudobin G (Magnitogorsk Metallurg-2)- Minnesota Wild
220. Maxim Semenov D (Lada Togliatti) - Toronto Maple Leafs
Eighth round
243. Denis Kulyash D (Moscow CSKA) - Nashville Predators
257. Gennady Stolyarov RW (HC Tver) - Detroit Red Wings
Ninth round
282. Valery Klimov D (Moscow Spartak-2) - NJ Devils
So where does Russia's hockey go from here now? It is clear that Russian hockey is not in the same position it had been in 1990's and it should do something to protect its interests. Sure, NHL is the best hockey league in the world due to very many reasons but it gets very low interest in Russia itself and most of the players who leave Russia for NHL become sort of phantoms for most of the Russian hockey fans.
NHL has been expanding in the last two decades and its appetite for the best talent has grown in geometrical progression. After Russian players were allowed to go to NHL without any limits Russia's hockey had all its talent taken away from it almost overnight. The only reason it survived and did not die in the middle of the 1990's is because Russians still loved hockey and the boys still wanted to play the game.
Already in 2001 when the last agreement (which recently expired) was signed the Russian side was not happy. Losing Kovalchuk, Frolov, Volchenkov for $220,000 as first round picks and Datsyuk for $140,000 just because he was not chosen in later rounds in the NHL draft did not make sense for Russian clubs who had the contracts with these players. Considering the situation improved financially in Russian hockey this stays true but at higher degree.
What should the Russian Hockey Federation do? Should they sign the similar agreement to what just expired and lose both Ovechkin and Malkin for $440,000 or should they work out a completely different agreement?
What Russians should really do is turn professional. It is the time now. Hire the best lawyers who will help Russians study their situation according to World and European legislation. What happens if Russia is not a part of IIHF-NHL agreement and a player signs a contract with NHL club while his Russian contract is still on? What is the real value of Ovechkin if the transfers were done in exactly the same way they are done in European football? How much Russian clubs were getting for all their young talent combined annually and how much they really should have?
All these questions must be answered and the Russian Hockey Federation must work really hard to protect Russian hockey for the future. It is a really good time - Ovechkins and Malkins do not come every year......
