With Blue Jackets prospect Nikita Filatov skipping the country to return to native Russia to play in the KHL, does it serve as an example of a growing problem in the NHL?
It could be that Filatov is an isolated incident, and merely a player incapable of understanding he needs further development and growth to compete at the NHL level, but with draft rankings already coming out for the summer will it hurt Russian prospects? Most likely.
American and Canadian players have no back up option really, I suppose they too could skip off to the failing KHL but there seems to be a difference in the image of hockey between North America and Russia.
I learned of all this thanks to the ever genius Ken Campbell of The Hockey News , but there were some things he skipped over that I feel are important. C ...
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Article written by Ken Armer
Russians Worth the Risk?: NHL Draft Time Could Prove Answer
Posted: 18th November 2009 by Ken Armer in NHLComments Off on Russians Worth the Risk?: NHL Draft Time Could Prove Answer