EHM The Blue Line

With the emergence of the KHL it has developed another option for Swedish players to get more money. It has not been devastating for swedish hockey, I think. A good thing about it has been the extra playing-time and responsibilities for younger players.
An Euro-league(SWE,FIN,GER,SWI,CZE,SVK) will likely happen within three years, I guess

I think it will take much longer, about 7-10 years. There's lots of questions in need of an answer.

Jypfan92 wrote:

Tasku wrote:

Jypfan92 wrote: I don't agree that. They would have increased their budget and also player budget and I think that social security payments are bigger in professional league, Mestis is mostly amateur league and players do other jobs besides hockey. Traveling is also a little expensive for pro-team as for amateur team. And also that 1 mill. league license, I don't think Sport has enough funds.

But at the same time they would've most likely seen an increase in gate receipts and sponsorship deals. Afterall Vaasa has almost 60 000 residents, whereas, for example Rauma only has 40 000 people, and they're still able to bring in enough people to the games to afford SM-liiga size player budget.

It won't happen overnight, but in a few seasons they might be a contender to the other SM-liiga teams, financially and by player material.

That's how I see it...

But their hall was full in most of games at 08-09. And the hall wouldn't be full, if they lost almost every game and are in the bottom in the league. Most incomes comes from fanshop and their sale doesn't increase very much, even if they had get the Ässät's place in league.

Teams like SaiPa and HPK gather barely 3000 viewers in their games. Point is, there would be higher demand for League tickets -> Higher price, now theyre only 10€ I don't know that much about Sm-League prices, but surely they are higher?

Well the tickets to Espoon Blues home games are 13-> (Standing tickets are 13€ and sitting places are 25 if I remember correctly)

But I presume that Sport would be back of the pack for several years, and therefore I don't believe that fans would go to watch games if the tickets are as expensive as other teams' tickets.

Manimal wrote:With the emergence of the KHL it has developed another option for Swedish players to get more money. It has not been devastating for swedish hockey, I think. A good thing about it has been the extra playing-time and responsibilities for younger players.
An Euro-league(SWE,FIN,GER,SWI,CZE,SVK) will likely happen within three years, I guess

I really hope not, it's better the way it's now

In Czech Republic and Slovakia is it not the case that more kids are playing football and less taking up ice hockey. Slovakia onvce again having a club in the UEFA champions league perhaps showing that football is growing there. Perhaps then there will be less media exposure and finance in some of these treaditionally strong leagues that may put pressure on them to consider their future.

I see the IIHF are talking about having the ice hockey champions league next season. Really this is probably last chance sallon for the IIHF who seem to do very little for the sport these days. If they continue to fail then I could see clubs breaking away and forming perhaps some sort of league. I would imagine though initially regionally leagues e.g. Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe leagues would be more viable than a league covering all of Europe.

A9L3E wrote:But I presume that Sport would be back of the pack for several years, and therefore I don't believe that fans would go to watch games if the tickets are as expensive as other teams' tickets.

My point is Kalpa did it, and Sport has the most hardcore fanbase out of Mestis teams.

I'm sitting here and watching the derby between Djurgården and AIK. The game was now stopped because of chaos in the audience, now it's continued.

Here how it has been so far:
First period:

Djurgården scored 1-0 afitter only 57 seconds. The AIK "fans" starts the fight eachother, what I saw it was some skinheads and some foreigners who was fighting.

Second period:

AIK equaled the game. The AIK fans lights a torch.
The game stopped to see what to do as a law forbidden such torches in enclosed areas with seats with cotton and lot of people with fleece jackets, like the Globe arena in a game like this. The game continues.

Then suddenly someone in the Djurgården fans started to yell to the people who sat in the seated area. The police and guards try to stop what is most likely to happen. But no success, the Djurgården fans somehow manages to get past the security barrier and the police and guards. They storm the seated sector of the arena, then the AIK fans breaks through their security wall and a big fight explodes in the seated sector. And some throughs more torches. The game stopps again for security reason.

The new rule says that the fans have three "strikes" to not light torches. When the first "strike" is actual the referees have a "conference" where they talk about what to do if it's safe to continue or not. Second strike, the referees take out the teams and coaches of the ice and try to calm the audience down so they can continue, and if it is safe to continue. Third strike, the referees takes out the teams of the ice and the game is completely stopped and will not continue.

So now the game is on the second strike and it has continued so now I hope nothing bad happens again.

Has anyone of you seen the brawl right at the opening of Avangard-Vityaz game? It's kind of old news by now, but I think it's worth mentioning. Don't know if I should post the video here, as it's simply disgusting to watch. The absolute opposite of hockey.

Círyatan wrote:Has anyone of you seen the brawl right at the opening of Avangard-Vityaz game? It's kind of old news by now, but I think it's worth mentioning. Don't know if I should post the video here, as it's simply disgusting to watch. The absolute opposite of hockey.

Vityaz Chekhov is full of jerks, players, coaches etc. Who is their head coach? I can't stand anybody using that kind of tactics!! And their team is full of former NHL/AHL polices: Josh Gratton, Darcy Verot...

Jypfan92 wrote:

Círyatan wrote:Has anyone of you seen the brawl right at the opening of Avangard-Vityaz game? It's kind of old news by now, but I think it's worth mentioning. Don't know if I should post the video here, as it's simply disgusting to watch. The absolute opposite of hockey.

Vityaz Chekhov is full of jerks, players, coaches etc. Who is their head coach? I can't stand anybody using that kind of tactics!! And their team is full of former NHL/AHL polices: Josh Gratton, Darcy Verot...

Their head coach Andrei Nazarov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Nazarov

Finnish hockeylegend Arto Javanainen, 51, is dead. He died in his home after long-term illness.

He played 668 games (Ässät, TPS) in Sm-league, scoring 462+330=792 points, 2nd most in league history (Janne Ojanen scored 799 and retired last year). He played also 14 games in Penguins, scoring 4+1. He retired in 1995.

Dominik Hasek turns 46 with 7-0 win against Amur. Dominator has won 14 games of last 16 with 6 shutouts

Jypfan92 wrote:Dominik Hasek turns 46 with 7-0 win against Amur. Dominator has won 14 games of last 16 with 6 shutouts

Before we sing his praises The Dominator isn't having a great time at Spartak! Although in his defence greatly, Spartak from the couple of games i have watched play an unusual style of hockey.. 1 GK (Hasek) and 5 Forwards! All it seems to be in shot after shot on Hasek and Spartak losing most games because of it!

Sure he isn't too bothered, he's earning some nice Rubles and giving Spartak some media attention before he retires!

Spartak reminds me old Buffalo. No stars but in the net. Average team with superb goalie, like the Sabres in 1999... When it comes to playoffs, Hasek is able to keep Spartak alive till the finals.

Espoo Blues acquired Tyler Arnason from Biel. Arnason played 9 games in Biel, scoring 5+5=10 points.

Trade deadline will be passed tonight.

Winter Classic was played yesterday in Helsinki Olympiastadion, when Jokerit played against their rivalries HIFK. There were over 36 444 persons in stadion, which is new European record. It was also first game at Olympiastadion for about 70 years.

HIFK won the game 4-3.

There's some pictures of the game:
http://www.jatkoaika.com/smliiga.php?si ... t&id=11315
http://www.jatkoaika.com/smliiga.php?si ... t&id=11310

Jypfan92 wrote:Winter Classic was played yesterday in Helsinki Olympiastadion, when Jokerit played against their rivalries HIFK. There were over 36 444 persons in stadion, which is new European record. It was also first game at Olympiastadion for about 70 years.

HIFK won the game 4-3.

There's some pictures of the game:
http://www.jatkoaika.com/smliiga.php?si ... t&id=11315
http://www.jatkoaika.com/smliiga.php?si ... t&id=11310

Here is a good goal compilation video.

You can see the two finnish superstars Pulkkinen and Granlund in action (they're playing in different teams). I think both of them got two goals.

foxlockbox wrote:Here is a good goal compilation video.

You can see the two finnish superstars Pulkkinen and Granlund in action (they're playing in different teams). I think both of them got two goals.

Here's the scores:

Jokerit - HIFK 3-4

0-1 Mikael Granlund (Ville Peltonen, Juha-Pekka Haataja) 00:23
0-2 Kimmo Kuhta (Jeff Hamilton, Petteri Wirtanen) 00:43
1-2 Teemu Pulkkinen (Antti Kerälä, Tommi Kivistö) 19:51
1-3 Peltonen (Haataja) 23:13
2-3 Jukka Hentunen (Teemu Eronen, Jan Lasak) 33:36
3-3 Pulkkinen (Janne Lahti, Justin Forrest) 41:23 PP
3-4 Granlund (Peltonen, Haataja) 42:50

JOK: Lasak 30/34
HIFK: Riksman 23/26

"Raipe" Helminen was named Finland U20 head coach and he has choosen his first roster for U20 EHT tournament in Germany:

There's his roster:

(number, surname, first name, birth time and place, team)

Goalies:
1 IILAHTI Jonathan 27.04.1992 Vaasa Blues
30 AITTOKALLIO Sami 06.08.1992 Tampere Ilves

Defensemen:
2 TEPPO Miihkali 28.12.1992 Helsinki HIFK
3 KANKAANPERÄ Samuli 04.03.1992 Jyväskylä JYP
5 LAINE Aleksi 20.02.1992 Helsinki Jokerit
7 HAKANPÄÄ Jani (C) 31.03.1992 Kirkkonummi Blues
9 VÄSTILÄ Markus 30.11.1992 Tampere Ilves
12 HIETANEN Valtteri 23.12.1992 Virrat JYP
48 HOVINEN Miro 29.04.1992 Espoo Jokerit

Forwards:
10 ÅSTEN Micke-Max 10.06.1992 Helsinki HIFK
20 RUUTTU Alexander (A) 09.12.1992 Chicago, USA Jokerit
23 HINTZ Miiko 27.09.1992 Nokia Ilves
24 SUORANTA Simon 21.05.1992 Vaasa Sport
25 VIITANEN Jussi 30.12.1992 Tikkakoski JYP
28 KOSKI Eetu 29.07.1992 Uusikaupunki Jokerit
29 ISO-MUSTAJÄRVI Tomi 07.05.1992 Tampere Ilves
36 MANNINEN Sakari 10.02.1992 Oulu Kärpät
38 MUSTONEN Joel 18.09.1992 Oulunsalo Skellefteå AIK, SWE
39 HALINEN Petteri 08.04.1992 Espoo Blues
41 RUNDGREN Paulus 12.06.1992 Kolari Tappara
50 SALMIVIRTA Mikael (A) 08.02.1992 Helsinki HIFK
66 KARJALAINEN Jere 23.05.1992 Helsinki Jokerit

TBL had discussion about dirty players and hits to the head at NHL-forum. In Sm-liiga, Tappara's Tomi Pekkala hitted Jyp's Kalle Kaijomaa to back by a stick. Pekkala's stick breaks at that hard hit. Kaijomaa didn't hurt. Referee gave only 2 min penalty for roughing, referee said after that match, that it was 2 min penalty cause Kaijomaa didn't hurt badly. I don't think that that's good reason to eject or not to eject player from the game. The point should be what player DO, not did other player getting hurt. That happened 3.2.2011 at Jyp's home game.

Almost one week later (today, 9.2.2011) Pekkala has been suspended for 4 games. He has said that it was just an accident.

There's videoclip of Pekkala's brutal hit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX7ACgOumVI

McQwak wrote:Spartak reminds me old Buffalo. No stars but in the net. Average team with superb goalie, like the Sabres in 1999... When it comes to playoffs, Hasek is able to keep Spartak alive till the finals.

Hahahaha... This didn't happen for the 'meat' fortunately. He was pulled during 4th and final match during 2nd period to a wonderful song from our supporter sektor. The best Czech goaltender in KHL is in net for SKA

But still the finnish Vehanen-Ramo axis of goaltending rules the KHL

foxlockbox wrote:But still the finnish Vehanen-Ramo axis of goaltending rules the KHL

But Ramo is down 0-2 after 2 games in Omsk and Vehanen is a few minutes away from the same fate after 2 in Kazan