Russian hockey is sinking far behind the top countries at a good pace.
Arseni Gritsjuk (left) and Timur Biljalov, who lost to the Lions in the Beijing Olympics, have less rosy times ahead. AOP
Russia has been isolated from all international hockey for at least two years, possibly even much longer.
No Russian national team or club may participate in tournaments or matches in civilized states that have condemned the despot. Vladimir Putin brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.
Russian national teams can only play their involuntary lawyer, the dictator Alexander Lukashenko With Kazakhstan in the stranglehold of Belarus and Putin.
– From Russia’s point of view, the situation is probably not good. National team games are the highest quality hockey where players can develop. Only high-quality international games also develop national teams, Former head coach of the Lions Erkka Westerlund says Iltalehti.
The Russians belittle
Because of the war, only those whose message follows the policies and lies dictated by the Kremlin will actually have a voice and publicity in Russia.
For this reason, Russia is spreading positive views about isolating Russia from international hockey.
Pushing the red plane out of the Euro Hockey Tour is a good thing in Russia, because in the future KHL will not have to take a break during national team tournaments.
The spring World Championships in Russia are described as Class B games, as Russia is not allowed to participate.
– The insulation is a big notch for Russian hockey, but of course it is also small for international hockey, Westerlund said.
A different perspective
A view that deviates from the general line has been expressed by the supplier of Sport24 Dmitry Jerikalov.
– Replacing Russia with Switzerland on the Euro Hockey Tour will weaken Russia. The Swiss have taken significant steps forward in 10 to 15 years, and now they are developing more as they play with the best.
Jerikalov suggests that Switzerland will play on the ECSC with Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic in the future.
– In addition, in recent years, our coaches have used the EHT wisely to drive young people into the national team. Now they have been deprived of this opportunity.
Jerikalov paints a bleak picture of the future of the Russian disc.
– Russia is assembling teams of friendly countries around it, namely Kazakhstan, Belarus … maybe the Chinese Red Star Kunlun. Everything will be as before, but only at a much, much lower level. A year or two and the Russian team will collapse to the level of these “friends”, Jerikalov writes.
The story continues after the picture.
Erkka Westerlund believes that funding for KHL clubs will be hampered by the war started by Putin. Petteri Paalasmaa / AOP
How’s KHL?
No one knows what the future holds for KHL. At least it doesn’t look bright.
Foreign players will not return to Russia, and that will lower the game level of the league.
At KHL, players’ salaries are paid in rubles, and the ruble has collapsed. Even the best Russian players can leave KHL abroad.
– It is very possible, Westerlund said.
War swallows the funds of the state, regions, companies. Sanctions imposed by the EU, the US and the UK have hit the oligarchs’ money and assets hard. The funding base of KHL clubs can therefore be very deceptive.
– The war will certainly affect the funding of clubs. The crisis in Ukraine, which began in 2014, exacerbated the situation, Westerlund recalled.
For example, the Novosibirsk regional administration has already announced that it will reduce Siberia’s annual subsidy by about 15 percent, or 800,000 euros.
– The national team is the top of all Russian hockey. You can pretend that KHL is more important than the national team, but the main people in the country think completely differently. Without international tournaments, funding for regional and state-owned clubs will soon become pointless. Clubs will no longer be able to fulfill their role in training future Olympic winners because Russia may no longer be involved in the Olympics, Jerikalov recalls.
“Little Sorrow”
Westerlund, who turns 65 next week, served as a top coach for 33 years. The clubs in the Finnish Championship were JyP HT, Lukko, HIFK and Jokerit. At KHL, he coached the Jokers and Salavat Yulayev Ufa. At the national team level, Westerlund piloted the U18, U20 and A national teams.
– The future of Russian hockey is a small sorrow in this whole world, Westerlund reminded.
Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has lasted 29 days.