What do you think about NHL losing so many stars to European Leagues?

Question

Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka have left for European Leagues. Over the past few years, they have lost Alexis Yashin, Alexi Morozov, and Ed Belfur among others.

Do you think this is due to a lack of interest in the NHL or is this a major sign of weakness as U.S. pro hockey league is no longer the standard of the best in the world?

Answer 1

Nah, those are mostly players that aren't wanted in the NHL anymore, troublemakers like Emery, and players who want way more than they are worth like Jagr.

Straka just wanted to play for his own team back home.

Considering the number of star players that leave Europe for the NHL, a handful going back is nothing.

Answer 2

they really havent lost any stars. only older players that cant find employment in the NHL

Answer 3

The few NHL stars who leave the league for Europe or Russia are actually a benefit to hockey overall.  The presence of these high profile players raises the status of hockey in the countries where they're playing.  More interest in hockey over there means more kids growing up to become hockey players.

Answer 4

Jaromir Jagr is 36, and Straka, 35. Yashin was nothing short of a bust, Morozov never found too much success after jumping the pond, and Ed Belfour, again, was rather old when he left.

I'm not to worried about the state of the NHL.

Answer 5

They were unwanted players, or wanted more money than they were worth.

-Yashin was bought out and no one wanted to sign him in the NHL with his greed

-Jagr couldnt get what he wanted to make here

-Straka is all but done for his career, no one wanted to take a chance on him

- Belfour wasnt wanted

- Chris Simon, should I even say?

- Do Brathwaite and John Grahame even count? LOL

Answer 6

The players you mentioned are mostly older eerrrrrrrr veteran players who have gone overseas. The NHL is still the cream of the crop. Being extremely competetive its harder for older players to remain competetive..not all but some. Think of it like this 'Would you rather be a has been on a NHL roster or a good veteran player on a watered down ( read weaker ) roster overseas?' Oh ya and the money isnt bad either...

Answer 7

The foreign leagues are hurting for actually talented veterans who are considered washed up in the NHL.  Alexei Yashin was a greedy douche bag who never produced what he was worth, Ed Belfour was way too full himself even after getting crushed by the Red Wings, and Jaromir Jagr is obsolete.  Martin Straka is getting old, and who gives/gave a d**n about Morozov?

Oh, and nobody forgot about Ray Emery.  The questions said "what do you think about the NHL losing so many STARS to the European leagues".  Key word is stars.  I wouldn't want him as a back up, let alone a starter.

Answer 8

good riddance!

It seems like everything is like that now, just look at the value of the American dollar.

Answer 9

Look at the list you have given....a bunch of heartless Europeans for the most part.  And Ed Belfour is well past his best before date.

I never liked Jagr and I am glad he never played for any team I care about.  Yashin?  HA!  The Sens knew what he was all about long before the Isle's obviously did.  Straka?  Oh yeah, he will be missed, ha!  Who the frig is Morozov?

Any player that loves hockey and wants to be in the best league with the best players.....with all the history in the NHL.....will play in the NHL.  The ones that don't have the same feelings about playing in the best league in the world, to h**l with them.  Federov know's who his daddy is...so does Hossa.  So did Hasek.  Let these heartless wimps play hockey out of the lime-light and let them learn the hard way what it's like to not be in the best hockey league on the planet.

Don't let the door hit them on the way out!

Answer 10

We're losing stars?  I thought we were losing aging players.

Answer 11

yeah, money's the number one reason. tho, with the possible exception of jagr, most of these guys were cooked in the nhl. nobody wanted them anymore.

Answer 12

more money + leaving the US to go play overseas (where most of the players you named were born) = see ya....simple math really I don't blame them.  It's their job they will wanna be closer to home so they could maybe play better because they're not "homesick".

Answer 13

well jagr i think we could have kept in the NHL if the rangers offered him. he wanted to stay in NY and only went to russia since rangers didnt go for him. marty straka left to his hometown since he is now late in his career.

personally i dont think the KHL is much of a threat to the NHL. emery went to the KHL, but no team in the NHL really wanted him i dont think. im sure if a team in the NHL offered him he would take it.

and sure we also lost radulov, york and stumpel, but that's no like amazing plyaers like losing ovechkin or something.  if the KHL starts taking guys like ovechkin and malkin then we're in a bit of trouble. but as of now the best players will still want to come to north america to play in the NHL i bleieve.

Answer 14

Straka,  Yashin and Morozov are not what I would "stars"

Eddie Belfour (what is he sixty) is ready for his AARP card.

I say if keeps soft Europeans and their wussy brand of Hockey  out of the NHL I say good.

Answer 15

Most players going to Europe are originally from Europe. They play here and try it, sometimes they don't like it and want to head back home, so they do.

Sometimes it's money. Some players get horrible contracts here and are offered crazy contracts by the Russian Super League like Jagr, for example, and they just can not refuse.

In Jagr's case, he said that he wanted to go back home in 3 years anyway, and he would've stayed in the NHL if a team would've offered him a 3 year contract, but the teams were only willing to offer him 1 year, so he left.

I don't think it's a lack of interest in the NHL or a sign of weakness, but I think the family and their perception of their future in the NHL plays a big part in the departure of players for Europe.

If a player feels like he's going to be under used by his NHL team but that he will get more ice time by going back to Europe, I don't know why he shouldn't leave.

Answer 16

man they leave cause they feel more at home with other europeans wplaying with them.  plus if euros leave more canadians will dominate the league

Answer 17

Stars? I'd say the Euro leagues are turning out to be a nice retirement alternative for aging players.

Jagr and Straka are at the end of their careers. Jager wanted to play in New York but the Rangers would only offer him a one year contract, and Jagr wanted to stay longer. The Rangers couldn't offer him two more years because with old players, if they get injured or retire before the end of their contract, their salary still counts against the team's cap, whether they play or not. Teams just can't afford to that kind of chance on geezers.

Yashin  never earned the money he was paid and was a disappointment in both Ottawa and the Islanders. Morozov I wouldn't know if you showed me his picture. and Belfour who is 43 and probably four years past the point at which he should have retires, was not offered a job in the NHL and had to seek employment elsewhere.

Answer 18

Most of the players that have gone over are either a bit long in the tooth or have not been producing up to expectations. Their careers are nearing the end, so I don't see it as a big loss. Any player worth his salt wants to play in the NHL. The only reason a player in his prime would play for them is money (=greed), and we don't need those type anyway.

Answer 19

It's money!!

Answer 20

It's just ONE European league, it's the new KHL. It's supposed to rival the NHL on the global stage. Time will tell if this KHL will be just another WHA.

Oh, and you forgot about Emery.