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The Russian invasion of Ukraine also significantly affected the international hockey scene. Selections from Russia and Belarus have been banned from IIHF tournaments and events and players from different countries have been banned from representing them if they are active in the KHL. The war has also affected the migration of players within the European leagues, which in some cases has led to a change in their qualities.
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) began taking significant losses as early as the first days of the war conflict in February. Finnish club Jokerit Helsinki refused to play in the playoffs and ended the season early. In April he confirmed that he will not be returning to the competition. The management of the Latvian team Dinamo Riga, who did not want to continue in the KHL, took the same position.
Later, other players also started leaving various clubs. Most asked to cancel their contracts before the knockout stage began, Canadian forward Jake Virtanen also just packed up and just walked away.
The last batch of hockey players ended their career in the KHL only after the contract expired. By the start of the new seasons, a total of 149 players from Europe, Canada and the United States had left the league. The expansion of the free market has contributed in some competitions to the improvement of the teams, the leveling of the competition, the increase of budgets and is also expected to have an impact on the better development of the league players or a greater interest in the part of the fans .
Sweden won the battle for the legionaries
The Swedish Hockey League (SHL) was the most successful in the battle for over a hundred high-quality free hockey players. He attracted up to 26 players to his teams, the other three returned to the second league.
Club HV71 has received the most reinforcements, among the five players there are championship holders, former junior medalists and an Olympic winner of the last tournament. “This is the best and most consistent SHL in many years”, quoted the portal Uusimaa managing director Kent Norberg.
Niklas Persson, Linköping’s general manager, attracted a couple of Swedish representatives to the squad, as well as former Jokerit Helsinki forward Markus Hännikäinen. He admitted that most of the quality players probably wouldn’t have made it to the league if Russia hadn’t started a war.
“It is clear that some players who came to SHL would certainly have played in KHL. Of course, we are happy that they have come home. The fact that they have chosen our league makes us happy, given the competition. In particular, the Swiss league is attractive for those who don’t play in North America. As far as salaries are concerned, we can’t keep up with Switzerland. “
In Finland, they have increased budgets by millions
For the return of lost children and the arrival of big names, the highest Finnish competition that Liiga has prepared financially. His clubs are according to the information YLE compared to last season, they have increased budgets by 5.4 million euros.
He acquired 22 names from the sale of former KHL players, five more ended up in Finland in the second league. According to Jussi Tapola, the coach of the last Finnish champion, the new reinforcements will arouse the interest of fans in the league. The leveling of the competition between the individual teams can bring several surprises in the result.
“It is fantastic that we brought them to Tappara and to other teams as well. They are European champions regardless of where they play. This makes the championship more stimulating and interesting for the public.”
Rival manager Ilves Jouko Myrrä adds that the arrival of experienced players will raise the level and morale of the team, among other things. “Their value is also beneficial to our daily functioning. When a great player arrives who has seen a piece of the world, his professionalism is transferred to the other players. Thanks to this, we will be able to play even better games.” Ilves believes the helmsman.
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Chart – In which leagues have the KHL outcasts found a new home?
Source: ŠPORT.sk
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The Swiss were helped by the increase in quotas
The Swiss National League (NL) has become the third most popular destination for those leaving KHL. In the last two years, the maximum competition has increased from 12 to 14 teams, as part of the expansion, starting from the 2022/23 season an increase in the number of foreigners from four to six in a club has also been approved. This created 32 new seats for the Legionaries, most of which were immediately occupied by 19 players who left the KHL after the invasion of Russia.
In 2018, former SC Bern CEO Marc Lüthi called for more foreigners in the league with the legendary statement: “If we offer players from Slovakia or Denmark 150,000 gross francs, they will also arrive on foot.” A few years ago, he wanted to use cheaper labor to increase the pressure to lower the salaries of third and fourth tier players and thus save costs.
However, the current league situation shows that, even with an increase in the number of foreigners, clubs are only looking for cheaper players in individual cases, such as Ajoie’s team when hiring reinforcements from the German, American or Czech league.
However, most chose larger and more expensive fish, following the example of Finland and Sweden, who, after leaving KHL, headed for one of the richest European leagues. In this case, Danish Nicklas Jensen and Slovakian Peter Cehlárik arrived for free, and not at all on foot.
According to the information of the portal Blick they are in the same price range as stars like Markus Granlund and their salaries range from 200,000 to 400,000 francs net. The level of the championship was also raised by the Olympic winners and the Finnish world champions.
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Peter Cehlárik – Zug
Source: facebook.com/officialevz
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The Slovaks also moved abroad to the Czech Republic
A handful of former KHL players, mostly from Dinamo Riga, have found a new home in Slovakia or the Czech Republic. But where did the Slovaks of the major European leagues, who were most active in acquiring released reinforcements, go?
SHL
Last season, two forwards played in the top Swedish competition. Robert Lantosi wore the shirts of Rögle BK and Linköping HC. After the contract expired, they disagreed on the extension of the partnership and he headed to the Czech extra league, where he moved to PK Mladá Boleslav. His place in the first attack for a few games was taken by Finnish Markus Hännikäinen, a former Jokerit Helsinki player. In the last two duels he has fallen into the third formation.
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Robert Lantosi
Source: facebook.com/bkboleslav
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It was the second Marek Hrivikwho left during the Olympics to join the team Leksands IF, like HC Topredo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL, did not make it to the playoffs. He signed a contract with the Swedish club until the end of the 2025/26 season, making him the only Slovak in the SHL.
League
Seven Slovaks played at least one match in the Finnish Liiga in the 2021/22 season. Samuel Knažko moved to the Canadian Junior League WHL during the year. Doorman Jaroslav Janus he was under contract with SaiPo only until the end of January 2022 when he intervened for the injured Niclas Westerholm. After his contract expired, he switched to the Czech Extraliga. The last NHL draft unit also left Finland Juraj Slafkovskýwho is fighting for his place in the Montreal Canadiens.
We won’t even find a defender in Liiga anymore Maria Grmana, who moved to Czech Vítkovice after the season. In HPK Hämeenlinna he has worked as a third defensive pair or as a seventh full-back in recent games, in the Czech extra league he should receive more minutes on the ice. The HPK did not strengthen with the people who left KHL, the biggest signing was Olympic champion Juuso Hietanen, who worked in Switzerland. The hole left by Mário Grman was patched up in the third pair by a young man from the youth team and a Liiga veteran.
The forward also started for the Czech extra league Oliver Oculiarwho worked in SaiPe. After the season, the Finnish club mainly fished in domestic waters. However, the team was not left without a Slovak, they hired him from the Swiss league Kristiana Pospíšilwho started the previous season in the Finnish Lukko Rauma.
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Oliver Oculiar
Source: facebook.com/MountfieldHK
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He maintained his position in the top Finnish competition Pavol Skalicky, which continues for the third consecutive season, this time with the TPS Turku shirt. In addition to the two Slovaks, a forward will be waiting for his chance in SaiPe in the current season Patrick Gabrielwho has so far played eight games in the U20 squad, in which he scored four assists.
NL
In the previous season, four Slovaks played in the Swiss National League. Of the four, only the defender remained Martin Gernat in Lausanne. Kristian Pospíšil he left the Davos team and returned to the Finnish league. He jumped to Switzerland for ten games Libor Hudaček. In December 2021, HC Lugano, which could not guarantee him a permanent place on the roster after the return of the injured legionaries, sold him to Dinamo Minsk. After the contract expired, he moved to Třinec in the Czech Republic.
Striker Roman Carafe continues in Switzerland, moved from the EHC Biel-Bienne to the lower league. Two Slovaks joined Martin Gernát in the top competition Peter Cehlárik a Martin Bakošwhich however has a contract valid only until the end of October 2022.
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