Jason Lewis: Nikolai Prokhorkin and the Curious Case of the KHL

UNO

I like the KHL. Let them take all of the risk of paying for the player if injured while the young ones play against men. Then when they're ready watch them jump ship to the NHL when it matters.

Great read, and I did read about him on HF on the LA prospects page. It will definitely be interesting to see what he wants to do. Personally, I'd love to see him cross the drink and play for Man, then ultimately make the big club.

Also, what do you guys think about the rumor of LA taking a flyer on Mueller?

That was an awesome read. It doesn't make me want a Russian on my team unless his name is Datsuyk. But it was a good write-up.

The KHL is the league where guys who would otherwise be forced to be top-6 guys in the AHL or 3rd-4th line callups with little hope for advancement go to get some money and some fame. For Russian and now Czech/Slovak/Latvian and soon to be some Finnish players, it is a league where you can revel in success and find your niche without needing to learn an entirely new language, move to a new continent and even then you will always be in competition to lose your spot to younger players who know that world better than you. It's a paradise for the skilled that can't be skilled in the NHL.



Prokhorkin

Good article mate

Also, what do you guys think about the rumor of LA taking a flyer on Mueller?
- Ersberg

From what I have heard NJ is the leader there.

Another great article... I've read several articles about this situation but your article has probably the best info on what really may be going on.

Agreed.. this is an extremely well-written article...

I'm confident Prokhorkin doesn't want to waste his time spending a few years languishing in the AHL, especially after this last year in the KHL. If he isn't afforded a shot at making the Kings roster this year, I wouldn't blame him for staying in the KHL..
Look at poor Zykov who will most likely spend another year in Baie-Comeau, and possibly a couple more years in the AHL... making 1/10 or less than he would make in the KHL

Also, what do you guys think about the rumor of LA taking a flyer on Mueller?
- Ersberg

Meh, 2 cups in 3 years with basically the same forward group with the exception of Gabbo, bottom 6 is pretty set IMO

If his goal is to play in the NHL, he's going about it the wrong way, IMO. Zykov might be a few years out but he'll be much more prepared for the NHL than Prokhorkin. If the latter plays another three years in the KHL he might do well there, but that's time he could have been spending against tougher competition in North America. Even if he was a bust in North America he could still go back to the KHL. If he's trying to skirt the AHL and get a contract with just the Kings, it won't happen.

Just ask Bud Holliday how that worked out for him. Who's Bud Holliday? Exactly.

If his goal is to play in the NHL, he's going about it the wrong way, IMO. Zykov might be a few years out but he'll be much more prepared for the NHL than Prokhorkin. If the latter plays another three years in the KHL he might do well there, but that's time he could have been spending against tougher competition in North America. Even if he was a bust in North America he could still go back to the KHL. If he's trying to skirt the AHL and get a contract with just the Kings, it won't happen.

Just ask Bud Holliday how that worked out for him. Who's Bud Holliday? Exactly.
- Gretz2Kurri

I don't know Bud Holliday but I do know of Bud Holloway

A lot of Blues fans had given up on Jori Lehtera ever coming back to NA after a similarly short AHL tenure. The team kept the lines of communication open without being hard liners about things, and Tarasenko had success playing with Lehtera in his KHL time. So there was a personal reason and a business reason to explore a new challenge. How well Lehtera's game translates to the NHL remains to be seen, but for a team wanting to upgrade the center position, he's got a great chance to wind up on the 2nd or 3rd line with someone who can also score alongside him.

The KHL is likely to blow hot and cold, depending on Russia's stature in the world. Right now, it seems to be blowing pretty cold, and getting colder with the political climate trickling into the economic climate. But a player can negotiate outs in the contract, as Sobotka apparently did--so if things aren't looking promising, there is always the chance they could jump ship mid-contract back to the NHL. Perhaps that's what will happen with this player. So maybe a 3 year extension is meaningless if he can opt-out at the end of a season along the way. And, gosh, he's only 20. If he was in college in America, he'd likely be thinking of turning pro at 21 or 22.

I don't know Bud Holliday but I do know of Bud Holloway
- Jason_Lewis

NEVER FORGET.
http://henkeclarson.com/2...lland-wayne-bud-holliday/

So maybe a 3 year extension is meaningless if he can opt-out at the end of a season along the way. And, gosh, he's only 20. If he was in college in America, he'd likely be thinking of turning pro at 21 or 22.
- Firebrand

This is an incredibly intelligent observation.

People tend to forget that the college route often holds players until the ages of 22-23. Kevin Gravel is 22, Nic Dowd is 24. These are players that people in the Kings organization are still very high on. Many of the draft picks selected in the higher rounds who opt for college are still looking at 4-5 years before they are in the AHL.

Just because Prokhorkin isn't out of the KHL by 20 or 21 doesn't mean he is done.

I think the biggest fear organizations have, and it is again a disconnect of culture and political climate, is that the player will somehow never come over the older they get and/or pick up bad habits in their play. Maxim Kitsyn is a good example of a player who was very highly thought of until he went to the KHL and came back a shell of the former player. This doesn't happen across the board though, and many players go back and forth or have extended stays and do fine.

NEVER FORGET.
http://henkeclarson.com/2...lland-wayne-bud-holliday/
- Blackstrom2

LOL, I guess a few letters makes all the difference.

I would guess that any North American soccer player of any quality with aspirations of being a professional would kill to hoist the UEFA Champions League trophy.

I wonder also if the secondary money (endorsement opportunities, etc.) is as good in Russia as it is in North America, particularly for non-Russians. Is there any data available on this?

I would guess that any North American soccer player of any quality with aspirations of being a professional would kill to hoist the UEFA Champions League trophy.

I wonder also if the secondary money (endorsement opportunities, etc.) is as good in Russia as it is in North America, particularly for non-Russians. Is there any data available on this?
- Sandus

The "secondary" money for KHL players ends up being the taxes that they don't have to pay.

Also, unless you're a top 20 player in the NHL, are there really that many endorsement offers being passed around?

Nice write up, definitely an interesting situation to keep an eye on. I wonder if he's contacted Voynov and/or Gonchar to get some further guidance on the NHL vs KHL

I would guess that any North American soccer player of any quality with aspirations of being a professional would kill to hoist the UEFA Champions League trophy.

I wonder also if the secondary money (endorsement opportunities, etc.) is as good in Russia as it is in North America, particularly for non-Russians. Is there any data available on this?
- Sandus

Not to mention other non-hockey intangibles - top notch hotels, travel and stay in a lot of great cities, world wide recognition, the challenge itself.

Who's Bud Holliday?
- Gretz2Kurri

didn't he die in a plane crash with richie valens?

If his goal is to play in the NHL, he's going about it the wrong way, IMO. Zykov might be a few years out but he'll be much more prepared for the NHL than Prokhorkin. If the latter plays another three years in the KHL he might do well there, but that's time he could have been spending against tougher competition in North America. Even if he was a bust in North America he could still go back to the KHL. If he's trying to skirt the AHL and get a contract with just the Kings, it won't happen.

Just ask Bud Holliday how that worked out for him. Who's Bud Holliday? Exactly.
- Gretz2Kurri

I don't get the Holloway reference at all (it's Holloway, not Holliday). He was quite happy playing in the SHL in Sweden, winning 2 championships, 153 points in 160 games, made some serious dough, signed with SC Bern in Switzerland for 14-15, making some more dough. Here, he was buried in AHL and wanted out before DL decided to trade him. That's how that worked out. Why is that an issue?