Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: European-Hockey

Not Just Another American Playing Hockey In Germany

by Paul on 02/18/12 at 04:40 PM ET
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from Jere Longman of the New York Times,

A hockey jersey hung in each player’s locker. It bore Germany’s national colors, black trimmed in red and gold. The front was emblazoned with an eagle above the word Deutschland. This would be Evan Kaufmann’s first time wearing the jersey. He removed it from the hanger and turned it around to see his family name spelled in capital letters.

He would recall feeling a tingle of excitement. He felt something else, too, emotions that crisscrossed like the laces of his skates. He was proud to wear the jersey but also solemn about what history had done to the name on the back. His great-grandfather starved to death by the Nazis. His great-grandmother herded to extermination on a train to Auschwitz. His grandfather shuttled between ghettos and concentration camps, surviving somehow, finding a displaced sister after the war, pushing her from a hospital in a wheelbarrow after her lower left leg was amputated because of frostbite.

On Feb. 10, Kaufmann finished dressing and skated onto the ice at a tournament in Belarus. With his initial shift, he became one of the few Jews to represent Germany in elite international sports since World War II, the first in ice hockey since the 1930s and perhaps the most visible to have had family members murdered in the Holocaust, according to sports historians and Jewish officials.

continued

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  Tags: evan+kaufmann

A Friendly Talk With Gary

by Paul on 02/18/12 at 02:03 PM ET
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from Dmitry Chesnokov of Puck Daddy,

KHL President Medvedev is also the head of Russian natural gas giant Gazprom. He was in New York to attend the annual meeting with American shareholders as well as conduct other Gazprom business. But he still found time to have a meeting with the heads of the NHL [please note how he calls Bettman “Gary” without using his last name]. Right after the lunch was over Medvedev spoke exclusively with me…

“Yes, we held a meeting today with Gary [Bettman] and Bill Daly. I would like to point out that the meeting had a very friendly feel to it. It was also very constructive which indicates that both Leagues understand each other’s positions and views. It can only help the development of the game of hockey on both sides of the Atlantic. And even though we haven’t accomplished a lot yet, nevertheless we already have a few regulatory documents that govern the respect of each other’s contracts,” he said

continued

Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, International Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: alexander+medvedev, iihf, khl

Video- Who Knew Alexander Radulov Had Such A Powerful Backhand?

by Paul on 02/01/12 at 06:33 PM ET
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Puck Daddy with the details…

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: alexander+radulov, khl

Could We Soon See The First Australian In the NHL?

by Paul on 12/30/11 at 12:02 AM ET
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from Joe Barton of ninemsn,

Teenage ice hockey star Nathan Walker appears destined to conquer a final frontier for Australians in American sport - the National Hockey League.

Following in the footsteps of Aussie trailblazers Luc Longley (NBA), Joe Quinn (Major League Baseball) and Colin Scotts (National Football League), Walker is in line to become the first Australian to be drafted into the NHL.

The 17-year-old from Sydney is considered the best talent to come out of Australia.

He has drawn attention from American scouts in the past 18 months while making a name for himself in senior ranks of the Czech Republic league, playing for HC Vitkovice Steel in Ostrava.

Recently rated the sixth best Czech-based prospect, he’s now a genuine chance to be picked up by an NHL club in the June draft.

continued and TSN did an interview with him at the Spengler Cup which you can watch below…

Continue Reading »

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, International Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: nathan+walker

Video- Mario Kempe With The Shootout Winner And Celebration

by Paul on 12/23/11 at 11:08 PM ET
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Mario Kempe of Djurgårdens IF with the celebration.

The opposing goalie is hot too, wonder if it because of the goal or celebration?

thanks to HockeyWebCaster for the video…

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: djurgårdens+if, mario+kempe

Metropolit Wants To Return To The NHL

by Paul on 10/23/11 at 09:39 PM ET
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from Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette,

Glen Metropolit does this every day, in the small, postcard-pretty lakeside city of Zug, Switzerland:

“First thing in the morning, I’ve got to check on the guys,” Metropolit said Sunday of his Internet routine. “Got to check out my team. I’m watching the boxscores, trying to check on my old linemate, Darchie, my buddy Hal. I’m glad Gorgie is back.”

Metropolit is speaking of the Canadiens, of course, and of former teammates Mathieu Darche, Hal Gill and Josh Gorges.

The Habs are Metropolit’s team, his sweater for 90 games from 2008-10. Montreal is home for his heart, no matter that he played on six other clubs between 1999-2010 during his 407-game National Hockey League career.

And Metropolit, the leading scorer in the Swiss National A League last season, hopes there might be a 408th NHL game in his future.

The 37-year-old centreman is in a strange place, as breathtaking as the scenery might be. EV Zug, the club with which he signed for a year and an option 14 months ago, has five imports; that’s one more than can be dressed for games.

continued

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  Tags: glen+metropolit

J.P. Dumont Likely to Join Swiss League

by Alanah McGinley on 10/21/11 at 09:38 PM ET
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From TSN:

Veteran forward J.P. Dumont, who had his contract bought out by the Nashville Predators this past June, has an agreement in place to join Bern of the Swiss Hockey League.

However, the deal doesn’t kick in until Tuesday, so he could still be signed by an NHL club between now and then

continued…

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  Tags: j.p.+dumont

Difference Between KHL and NHL Hits

by Alanah McGinley on 10/03/11 at 02:43 PM ET
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From Slava Malamud of Sport-Express via Twitter:

Want to know the big difference between the NHL and #KHL? This is #KHL’s top 10 hits of the week.

Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Lokomotiv Wives Fund

by Alanah McGinley on 09/28/11 at 04:24 PM ET
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Stacy Dallman—wife of Kevin Dallman, formerly with the Kings, Bruins and Blues, and currently playing in the KHL—has been working hard to help raise money for the wives and families of Lokomotiv players who were lost in the recent tragedy.

Stacy has organized a charitable initiative to raise money to help those families and asked if we could help spread the word.  They have already raised some $11,000 and hope to raise much more by the end of the hockey season, with the help of hockey fans around the world.

“The tragedy has pulled together hockey wives from almost all leagues world-wide, and our goal is to collect as many donations as possible to give to the Lokomotiv Wives and families at the end of this hockey season,” says Stacy.

You can find about more about the Lokomotiv Wives Fund on Facebook.  There are options to donate money, or simply share your well-wishes with the families affected. 

Thanks for checking it out.

Filed in: Hockey Related Stories, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: khl, lokomotiv, stacy+dallman

Speculation About the KHL Plane Crash

by Alanah McGinley on 09/12/11 at 05:23 PM ET
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From Russia Today:

The Yak-42 that crashed near Yaroslavl taking 44 lives last week was in proper mechanical condition and the latest repairs were done to all requirements, the transport prosecution has ruled. Pilot error is the most likely cause of the tragic crash.

The last scheduled service of the plane was in August, during which the right engine was replaced and all other defects were reportedly eliminated. All these repairs were certified and correspond to requirements informed the transport prosecution.

The company that provided technical maintenance of the Yakovlev Yak-42 aircraft was inspected by experts from the Russian transport prosecution.

continued…

For more reading, a writer at the Digital Journal provides speculation on other possible causes and notes that passenger Pavel Trakhanov was using his cell phone during takeoff (as noted in this other, Russia Today story). You can read the DJ article here, and it also links to some other info on cell phone use and its dangers during takeoffs/landings.  However, no one official—that we know of—has alleged it is a factor in this particular disaster.

Filed in: Hockey Related Stories, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: khl, lokomotiv, yaroslavl

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