let's make a list with all the NHLers that will play in the western european leagues in case of a NHL lockout.
it's just for confirmed signings, no rumors please. if i missed some confirmed players, please let me know.
Austria
Villach: Jason Krog (Anaheim Mighty Ducks)
France
Epinal: Steve Gainey (Dallas Stars)
Mulhouse: Steve Montador (Calgary Flames), Steven Reinprecht (Calgary Flames)
Germany:
Frankfurt: Stephane Robidas (Chicago Blackhawks)
Ingolstadt: Marco Sturm (San Jose Sharks), Andy McDonald (Anaheim Mighty Ducks)
Iserlohn: Mike York (Edmonton Oilers)
Kassel: Nick Schultz (Minnesota Wild)
Mannheim: Jochen Hecht (Buffalo Sabres), Sven Butenschön (New York Islanders), Cristobal Huet (Montreal Canadiens)
Switzerland:
Ambri-Piotta: Kim Johnsson (Philadelphia Flyers)
GCK Lions (NLB): Andy Sutton (Atlanta Thrashers)
HC Davos: Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins), Niklas Hagman (Florida Panthers), Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Kloten: Olli Jokinen (Florida Panthers)
Langenthal (NLB): Eric Boguinecki (St.Louis Blues)
Sven Butenschön and Jochen Hecht will play for Mannheim in case of a lockout.
Source:
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NHL-Spieler Hecht und Butenschön werden bei Streik Adler
Heidelberg. Die Adler Mannheim könnten in der kommenden Saison der Deutschen Eishockey-Liga (DEL) prominente Verstärkung erhalten. Für den Fall eines wahrscheinlichen Streiks der Eishockeyprofis in der nordamerikanischen Profiliga NHL werden die deutschen Eishockey-Spieler Jochen Hecht (Buffalo Sabres) und Sven Butenschön (New York Islanders) vom 15. September an für den Rekordmeister spielen. Das gab Mannheims Sportmanager Marcus Kuhl am Montag bei einer Pressekonferenz in Heidelberg bekannt. dpa
Was Niko Kapanen's contract totally void when he signed with the Stars?
It was voided, but according to www.hockeyfans.ch (who usualy has reliables sources) he's still in contact with Zug to play there if the lockout happens.
It's mystery. Davos had some financial trouble in a recent past, and many players had to agree to a pay cut to keep the team together. They even started last season with only two foreign players instead of the three they were allowed to dress, the only time such a thing happend for as long as I can remember.
I wouldn't have been surprised to see such players signing for Bern, ZSC, Lugano, Zug or Geneva, but certainly not for Davos.
It's mystery. Davos had some financial trouble in a recent past, and many players had to agree to a pay cut to keep the team together. They even started last season with only two foreign players instead of the three they were allowed to dress, the only time such a thing happend for as long as I can remember.
how's the relation between davos and spengler? it is the chocolate-industry, right?
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I wouldn't have been surprised to see such players signing for Bern, ZSC, Lugano, Zug or Geneva, but certainly not for Davos.
i wonder which players we could expect to sign in switzerland. i'd expect a lot from ZSC.
I was hoping Nash would sign with the DEL CHAMPS FRANKFURT LIONS But seriously any reason you think these guys are going to Switzerland instead of the DEL? I would think the DEL would be a more comparable league to the NHL instead of the Swiss Elite League. Come on guys , come to the DEL!!!!!!!
I was hoping Nash would sign with the DEL CHAMPS FRANKFURT LIONS But seriously any reason you think these guys are going to Switzerland instead of the DEL? I would think the DEL would be a more comparable league to the NHL instead of the Swiss Elite League. Come on guys , come to the DEL!!!!!!!
the NLA is a better league than the DEL. when frankfurt won the DEL-trophy i knew that somethings wrong in germans. :lol
nah...the NLA is better than the DEL, that's for sure. they have better foreigner because most teams have more money.
when a NHL player decides to play in the NLA instead of germany, it's all about the money.
look at marco sturm. he got a few offers by NLA teams and now it's possible that he won't come home to germany.
how's the relation between davos and spengler? it is the chocolate-industry, right?
HC Davos and the Spengler have separate managements and budget. It's hard to really know how the two are linked (in fact it's hard to know anything in Switzerland when money is involved )
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Originally Posted by zecke26
i wonder which players we could expect to sign in switzerland. i'd expect a lot from ZSC.
Most teams have been unwilling to gamble on a lockout and went the safe way by signing players who will stay the entire season (Lugano was linked with Dany Heatley, Roberto Luongo, Mickael Nylander and Oli Jokinen, but finally choose Benoit Gratton). Only Zug and Geneva still have open spots for foreign players (one in Zug and three or four in Geneva). Zug is linked with Niko Kapanen, and Geneva's coach Chris McSorley had contacts with many players, but the team's ownership may force him to go with non-NHL players.
Aebischer and Gerber may play for Fribourg and Lugano respectively.
HC Davos and the Spengler have separate managements and budget. It's hard to really know how the two are linked (in fact it's hard to know anything in Switzerland when money is involved )
Wrong. It both belongs to the HC Davos AG now. And because it's an AG (corporation in English) now, you will certainly find details about the budget if you try.
As for why Davos makes these signings and other not, it's also a bit of a risky thing in case of no lockout. Davos would suddenly have only one foreigner. Further, they can use it as a marketing instrument for the Spengler Cup. And lastly, they might have some bonus because of the location (I could imagine that biggest part of Thorntons cost is not the salary, but the insurance. He does not need a big salary, it's a wash comparing what he gets in the NHL anyway).
Wrong. It both belongs to the HC Davos AG now. And because it's an AG (corporation in English) now, you will certainly find details about the budget if you try.
But I still wonder how Davos, whose players were taking pay cuts one year ago, can afford such players now. If anyone told me two months ago that Thornton would sign with a swiss team, I wouldn't have excepted Davos to be that team.
Wrong. It both belongs to the HC Davos AG now. And because it's an AG (corporation in English) now, you will certainly find details about the budget if you try.
that's really interesting. i always knew somehow that spengler is involved there.
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As for why Davos makes these signings and other not, it's also a bit of a risky thing in case of no lockout. Davos would suddenly have only one foreigner. Further, they can use it as a marketing instrument for the Spengler Cup. And lastly, they might have some bonus because of the location (I could imagine that biggest part of Thorntons cost is not the salary, but the insurance. He does not need a big salary, it's a wash comparing what he gets in the NHL anyway).
it's for sure a marketing strategy. and i believe that all three players still cost them several millions. thornton can't expect to get what he earns in the NHL, but it'll still be a lot compared to standard contracts in europe.
i think the risk is lower now as it seems that there will be a lockout for several month. but if the lockout would end in january, davos would lose three key-players for the rest of the season and the POs which would hurt a lot.
how good is davos in general? a solid team somewhere in the middle?
But seriously any reason you think these guys are going to Switzerland instead of the DEL? I would think the DEL would be a more comparable league to the NHL instead of the Swiss Elite League. Come on guys , come to the DEL!!!!!!!
