European Hockey

[gomuherdclassof2k10]

Does anyone follow any European Clubs or Leagues? Personally I follow Lulea HF of the SEL and Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.

We can also talk all sorts of Euro Hockey things here too.

[DrJones]

In 2006, I attended a Czech Extraliga game in Prague (HC Sparta Praha vs somewhere completely unpronounceable). Prague has two teams: Sparta has the greater tradition, but plays in an old, smaller rink (about 14,000). The other team, HC Slavia Praha, plays at a relatively new 18,000 seat rink that's been used in previous Hockey World Cups.

The game was great value. Probably AHL-level quality (Jan Hlavac was the only player I'd ever heard of). A good ticket was eight dollars Canadian. A glass of Budvar (the original Budweiser, called Czechvar in the US) was 75 cents. Concession lines were non-existent in-between periods because 90% of the fans went outside to smoke.

[khlrplfan]

I'm a big KHL follower.

[khlrplfan]

Andrei Kostitsyn has signed a 1-yr deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

Also, Malkin and Gonchar are practicing in Magnitogorsk and ready to join Metallurg when lockout becomes official.

[khlrplfan]

18 yr old Anton Slepyshev (94 born) had a 2 goal game in Metallurg Novokuznetsk's 3-0 win over Spartak Moscow on Thursday.

Was NHL Draft eligible this yr but no one took him despite him being considered one of better young players in Russia.

[khlrplfan]

Malkin and Gonchar to Metallurg Magnitogorsk is now official, as is Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky to HC Donbass (Donetsk.) Kulemin to Magnitogorsk, Semin to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and Datsyuk to Ak Bars Kazan are all but confirmed.

Jagr and Plekanec have signed with Kladno of Czech Extraliga, Kubina to Vitkovice.

[khlrplfan]

Lightning goaltending prospect Jaroslav Janus who plays for Slovan Bratislava in KHL got his first shutout Saturday with 23 saves in a 3-0 Slovan win over Vityaz Chekhov.

Janus, 22, has a 1.68 GAA and .935 Save Percentage in 4 games this season.

[khlrplfan]

Dmitry Chesnokov @dchesnokov

Kovalchuk's agent says contract with SKA St. Petersburg will be signed by September 19. SKA also in talks with Tarasenko.