So I thought of this idea, what if Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine joined forces as a hockey region to compete at major tournaments including the World Cup.
However the team must only be made up of players that are representing their country at the international stage. NHL/AHL, Europe doesn't matter, the best players will be chosen.
Some names to think about, Sandis Ozolinsh, Karlis Skrastins, Ruslan Fedotenko, Sergei Zholtok, Konstantin Koltsov, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Arturs Irbe, Ruslan Salei, just to name a few.
Discuss, feel free to nominate players...
Habsfan 32
09-15-2004, 11:11 PM
Evgeni Nobakov was born in Kazakhstan so would he qualify? :shakehead
Evgeni Nobakov was born in Kazakhstan so would he qualify? :shakehead
Unfortunatly he plays for Russia, so he doesn't qualify...
Fan.At
09-16-2004, 06:57 AM
Viktors Ignatjevs? Would he be good enough to be on that team?
He will play for Linz in Austrian the upcoming season...
Fredrik
09-16-2004, 11:49 AM
They are getting old but the Koreshkov brothers must be considered. Vitali Yeremeev should be good enough to be the backup goalie.
They are getting old but the Koreshkov brothers must be considered. Vitali Yeremeev should be good enough to be the backup goalie.
However i'd take Irbe and Simchuk over Yeremeev any day...
go kim johnsson 514
09-19-2004, 10:46 PM
Unfortunatly he plays for Russia, so he doesn't qualify...
Nabokov does NOT play for Russia, he qualified for Russia for the World Cup of Hockey, but that was not an IIHF event. If Nabokov was to play in the Olympics/World Championships, he would be playing for Kazakhstan.
stv11
09-20-2004, 06:20 AM
Didn't the IIHF rule that Nabokov was now eligible to play for Russia ?
Nabokov does NOT play for Russia, he qualified for Russia for the World Cup of Hockey, but that was not an IIHF event. If Nabokov was to play in the Olympics/World Championships, he would be playing for Kazakhstan.
I heard that the IIHF allowed Evgeny to play for Russia...
Vyacheslav
09-20-2004, 07:33 PM
I thought the IIFH ruled that Nabokov could play for Russia too.
Oh well, Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country anyway ;)
Fredrik
09-21-2004, 06:55 AM
Oh well, Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country anyway ;)
Don't tell them... ;)
They were changed to a European country at the same time as Asia got an automatic spot to the World Champs. This spot was used by Japan every year but Kazakhstan could have beaten them and had to be removed. The Asian spot was there to get more sponsors and therefore Japan was preferred to Kazakhstan.
stv11
09-21-2004, 07:21 AM
Don't tell them... ;)
They were changed to a European country at the same time as Asia got an automatic spot to the World Champs. This spot was used by Japan every year but Kazakhstan could have beaten them and had to be removed. The Asian spot was there to get more sponsors and therefore Japan was preferred to Kazakhstan.
The automatic spot was not awarded to Asia, but to the "Far east", thus avoiding Kazakhstan claiming it. It ranks right with TV-friendly rule changes in the list of things that make René Fasel look like an idiot when he accuses the NHL of being more about money that sport.
Robertsson 4-ever
10-03-2004, 08:29 AM
A quite good base for the defense could be get in the NHL with Sandis Ozolinsh, Ruslan Salei and Karlis Skrastins. Darius Kasparitis was born in Lithuania but he plays for Russia.
Arturs Irbe could at least be there for a backup role.
It'll be a little thin up front though. Sergei Zholtok and Dainius Zubrus could center the two top lines, but after them it's thin. Young Konstantin Koltsov, Pittsburgh, could however turn out to be very good. Alexei Ponikarovsky is also a man for a second or third line role.
Other wise players must be get from lower NA leagues or Europe.