ch_nl Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Swedish media today anounced that Peter Forsberg and Tommy Salo will play for MoDo in the swedish Elitserien next season. Even if there will be no lock-out. Peters father Kent Forsberg (who is not GM, but kind of and Torontos Pierre Hedins father Bengt Hedin, wouldn't comment, but they had a big smile on their faces.) Peter has recently build an exclusive golf course outside Örnsköldsvik and the only trophy Forsberg hasn't won is the Elitserie-trophy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfan88 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Forsbergs a great hockey player. If he's moving into a swedish league, the NHL will miss him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 I think that it might be a trend. Many NHL-caliber players are allready playing in europe. And if Forsberg rather play in Sweden than in America many may follow. NHL has to do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs77 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Frankly I don't really care where Forsberg plays, even less Salo. And the only reason they're doing this now is just yet another negotiating tactic for the CBA... both sides posturing. Same reason the WHA was started up again. I really don't care. As long as players will make more money in the NHL than in European leagues... there won't be a problem. The large majority of the best players follow the money. Long term the NHL should expand to Europe, a case of the product going where hockey fans are, because it's hockey fans that will bring in the real money. Cut the NHL teams in US cities where nobody cares, create a European Conference. Eventually the aim could be to have 15 teams in NA, 15 in Europe... two Conferences who like in baseball only play each other in the playoffs. Focus on division games so there's less travel, create better rivalries, conquer a new continent... which will mean more TV money than what they currently get only in NA. I'm talking long-term here... but if they can't sell hockey to the US, they have to find fans to support the sport somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 So you're saying that where the money is, thats the place where the best hockeyplayers will play? Then NHL should be really scared about the situation. Take a look at the salaries in Russia. Oleg Tverdovsky is making the same in russia and many other european players plays in the russian leauge. Chelsea football club? Anybody? And with a comig lock-out... If the best player wan't to play in Sweden, NHL has done something wrong. And why is Forsberg so much injuried? Why was Gretzky never on the IRL? New sources said earlier today that if there will be a lock-out Paul Karyia and Todd Bertuzzi may play for MoDo as well. It could be a really fun elitserie next year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs77 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Originally posted by ch_nlSo you're saying that where the money is, thats the place where the best hockeyplayers will play? Then NHL should be really scared about the situation. Take a look at the salaries in Russia. Oleg Tverdovsky is making the same in russia and many other european players plays in the russian leauge. Chelsea football club? Anybody? Is anyone making 10M per year in Russia?.. doubt it. Tverdovsky was far from a star player in the NHL... he was a 7th D man for NJ. Guys on the fringe like him, those are the type of players the NHL is going to start to lose as they reign in salaries. Europeans who want to play closer to home and don't have star potential will start to stay there... I've got no problem with that. I don't click on the TV to watch the fringe players. The star players who make the big money will coming to the NHL... and some players actually want to come over to NA and they'll come over too. Forsberg is the exception, frankly he's hurt so often will we even notice he's gone? And sorry but hockey is not as popular as football, so you can't compare the money in both sports. England is not a hockey country last time I checked. But I do agree there is money available for the NHL if they were to expand to Europe. But there would be complications, like travel, not to mention having to deal with so many different goverments... some more easy to deal with than others. And the NHL is not known for it's great vision, so I'm not holding my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted March 2, 2004 Author Share Posted March 2, 2004 No one may make 10 million dollar a year in Russia, but they are making money. More money than then players in Sweden and Finland. And that's something new. We barely have ruissian players in Sweden anymore. Oleg Tverdovsky is not a star, never said that, but I think he his good enough to be in NHL. And realize that NHL is a IHL. The best players in the world in one leauge. Do you think that you would like NHL just as much if there was only american players? Just take a look at our own team... Of course we wan't the european! And the reason why I took Chelsea Football Club as an example is because they have a new owner. Roman Abramovich... A Russian millionaire who bought Chelsea and want's to buy Vancouver Cunucks. And if he will be succesfull, more people of his kind will be in the game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ_Laszlo Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 Didn't Forsberg say something about a year ago that if the NHL doesn't do anything about the ugly play, then he'll be moving back to Sweden - all because of he's sick and tired of getting those injuries all the time. And frankly - I don't blame him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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