Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: European-Hockey

KHL Hoping for Italian Expansion

by Alanah McGinley on 06/23/11 at 07:37 PM ET
Comments (9)

via KHL press release:

On June 22nd, a press conference featuring Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) President Alexander Medvedev, Hockey Club Milano Rossoblu President Ico Migliore and Italian national ice hockey federation (FISG) President Giancarlo Bolognini took place in Milan.

During the press conference a general outline of the partnership between the KHL and the hockey club from Milan – a city whose teams have won the Italian national championship 27 times – was presented.  Ico Migliore and Giancarlo Bolognini then shared their thoughts on development of Italian hockey due to HC Milano Rossoblu possibly joining the KHL in the future.

Additionally, Alexander Medvedev introduced different aspects of the League’s activities to the local media representatives in attendance, as well as shared the criteria necessary for new teams to join the KHL and presented an overview of the League’s vision for expansion.

“Here ice hockey is tradition too and the sport - a mixture of speed, guile and imagination – resembles the Italian character. The expansion of the League is irreversible, the result of a geopolitical project, and it will bring in fans from all over Europe,” said Medvedev.  “I am very happy that the Federation is here today and I hope that this initiative can help the movement grow up from its roots. So, see you again in April, when we’ll launch the project.”

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: italy, khl

Fredrik Modin Retires

by Alanah McGinley on 05/19/11 at 05:32 PM ET
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From the IIHF

Triple Gold Club member No. 18 has won his last gold medal. Fredrik Modin, 36, has decided to retire. Constant back problems have contributed to the Swede’s decision.

Despite a splendid career which has included an IIHF World Championship gold medal (1998), a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2004) and Olympic gold (2006), Fredrik Modin is one of the least conspicuous members of the Triple Gold Club, currently at 24 members.

But the numbers tell the true story. Apart from collecting the three biggest team prizes in hockey, Modin played 898 NHL games, scoring 232 goals while adding 230 assists. He also represented Sweden in the IIHF World U20 Championships (silver in 1994), the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and in three other IIHF World Championships, where he added the 2001 bronze to his 1998 gold.

continued…

Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: fredrik+modin

Video- Worldly Goal Of The Year

by Paul on 05/13/11 at 07:45 PM ET
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Mikael Granlund of Finland and prospect of the Minnesota Wild, goes top-shelf at the World Championships.

Somewhere Mike Legg is smiling…

Continue Reading »

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: mikael+granlund

Radulov Interested In Returning To Nashville

by Paul on 05/12/11 at 11:50 AM ET
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from David Boclair of the Nashville City Paper,

Alexander Radulov wants to play for the Nashville Predators next season.

That is the latest word — maybe — according to General Manager David Poile, based on a conversation Wednesday morning between Radulov andPaul Fenton, the Predators’ assistant general manager.

Radulov has played the last three seasons in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League and has served as a flashpoint in strained relations between the NHL and Russia’s hockey federation because he signed his KHL deal while still under contract with Nashville.

“[He says] he can get out of his contract,” Poile said. “I don’t know what he wants to do. … We [told] him … we can trade his rights, but he said, ‘No, no. I want to play in Nashville.’

“So that’s where we’re at.”

continued

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

Ulf Samuelsson to Coach Sweden’s MODO

by Alanah McGinley on 05/02/11 at 01:36 PM ET
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From the Canadian Press via TSN:

Coyotes GM Don Maloney announced Monday that assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson is leaving the NHL club to become head coach of MODO in the Swedish Elite League.

“On behalf of the entire Phoenix Coyotes organization, we congratulate Ulf on becoming the head coach of MODO,” Maloney said in a statement. “We thank Ulf for all his hard work and dedication to the Coyotes over the past five seasons and we wish him the best of luck with MODO.”

more

Filed in: NHL Teams, Phoenix Coyotes, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: modo, ulf+samuelsson

Hartley Heading to Zurich

by Alanah McGinley on 04/11/11 at 02:59 PM ET
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From Craig Custance at the Sporting News:

Hartley said he plans to honor his commitment to the Zurich Lions in Switzerland. He signed a two-year deal with them in March.

“I’m going to be in Zurich next year for sure,” Hartley told Sporting News. “I’ve always wanted to do this.”

Hartley, who guided the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 2001 and also is the only coach in Atlanta Thrashers franchise history to get that team in the playoffs, said he’s excited to return to coaching after working in television and radio the last couple years.

Hartley will stay in North America long enough to run his annual hockey camp in York, Pennsylvania - now in its 15th year. Then it’s off to Switzerland. He plans on making the move to Switzerland on July 24

read on

Filed in: NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: bob+hartley, zurich+lions

Brother Combos From Finland

by Paul on 04/02/11 at 11:13 AM ET
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from Risto Pakarinen of IIHF.com,

Over the years, there have been numerous great Finnish hockey brothers, both in the Finnish national team, and, more recently, in the NHL. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, there were the Mononen brothers, Erkki and Lauri from Joensuu, and from across the river, the Kapanens, Hannu and Jari.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Sami and Jali Wahlsten were two of the core players in the Jokerit team that was something of a dynasty in Finland.

In the last ten years, there have been Hannu’s sons, Sami and Kimmo Kapanen, the Kiprusoffs, Marko and Miikka, the Koivus, Saku and Mikko, and the Ruutus, Jarkko, Tuomo, and Mikko.

So if the Granlunds want to become the best brother punch in Finnish hockey, they have their work carved out for them. But they might still be just that, the best brothers ever.

continued

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Ice Hockey In Belfast

by Paul on 03/23/11 at 07:03 PM ET
Comments (1)

from Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated,

On Hockey Night in Belfast, the team with the social conscience and the well-designed face-off plays works a backdoor for a tap-in goal, scores on a shorthanded two-on-one and so utterly treats its bitter rival like a chew toy that after the fifth goal Nottingham goaltender Craig Kowalski makes an executive decision to pull himself, bolting from his crease like a man who suddenly has realized he has to pick up his daughter from soccer practice. Two fights erupt in an ill-tempered third period, fistic footnotes that enchant the crowd of 4,612 even more than right wing Simon Lambert’s three goals.

This is something on which all Belfast—be they Protestant-Unionist-Loyalist or Catholic-Nationalist-Republican—can agree: Nothing is quite so universally appreciated as a socially acceptable punch on the nose.

continued

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Canadian Players Look To The KHL

by Paul on 02/05/11 at 12:45 PM ET
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from Katelyn Peer of CBC,

Playing in the Kontinental Hockey League isn’t exactly every Canadian kid’s dream when they are growing up.

But more and more Canadian hockey players find themselves making the long trip to the former Soviet Union, continuing their living by playing the sport they love.

And guess what? Some, even when they have the opportunity to come back to the National Hockey League, make the decision to stay.

In Astana, Kazakhstan, the local KHL team, Barys Astana has three Canadians.

continued

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

Yashin Talks Nabokov, KHL

by Paul on 02/04/11 at 05:25 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

“What actually happened is that the Islanders called me before they took him on waivers,” said Yashin, who left the Islanders on good terms with owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow. “I spoke with Garth and I expressed my opinion about how good Evgeni is as a person and as a goalie. What happened after, why he chose not to come to Islanders, I can’t really say anything because it wasn’t my decision.”

Yashin is an unrestricted free agent after the season. Would he consider a return to the NHL?

“Every year is a different situation, a new situation, you never know what’s going to happen,” said Yashin. “My contract is expiring. I will look around at what the best situation is for me next year.”

more

Filed in: Non-NHL Hockey, European Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: alexei+yashin, khl

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