The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

US-Liga NHL in Czech Republic: Russian Ice Hockey? "Missing nobody"

2019-10-05T14:14:18.047Z


It cost 15 euros in Prague to watch a training session. Nevertheless, the hall was full. This will probably only be achieved by the North American professional hockey league NHL when it stops in Europe. Volksfest mood included.



Jakub Voracek is an impressive phenomenon. Almost 1.90 meters tall, broad shoulders, bushy beard. The 30-year-old would certainly make a credible cinematic villain. But his heart is flying in Prague. As the captain of the Czech national ice hockey team opened the lap of honor on Thursday afternoon, they almost all stood up in the big multi-purpose arena, clapping and cheering.

This time Voracek did not play for his country, he wore the jersey of the Philadelphia Flyers. And it was just a training, which also cost around 15 euros admission. However, thousands had come to see the stars of the National Hockey League (NHL), who had invited for the day after the big game: Philadelphia Flyers against Chicago Blackhawks, two of the major clubs in North American ice hockey. 17,463 spectators were there, sold out. Despite ticket prices between 77 and 310 euros. The Flyers won 4: 3, Voracek spoke of an "incredible experience".

David W. Cerny / REUTERS

Jakub Voracek is a superstar in his homeland

That's how the NHL had imagined when she decided to come to Europe this fall. That's what league representatives do over and over again to advertise. Since 2017, there have been performances in Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Germany. Last week, Philadelphia and Chicago completed friendly matches in Lausanne and Berlin. Also there the halls were full.

NHL is "the god among the leagues"

For the start of the season, it was the first time since 2011 back to Prague, because "Czech Republic is one of the largest ice hockey nations in the world," enthused NHL Vice Bill Daly on Friday night. On the day "we've been waiting for years," said Josef Melen, 21, one of thousands of spectators who cost more than training for the domestic league alone. The fans made for long queues at the "NHL Global Fan Tour" - a small adventure park in front of the hall with fan articles, mobile museum and hands-on games.

"We love the teams from our league," said Melen, himself a supporter of Sparta Prague, "but the NHL is more to us, she is the god among the leagues.Each ice hockey fan in the Czech Republic has a favorite team at home and in the NHL. "

They also want to benefit from this in their homeland. It is no coincidence that the Hall of Fame, the hall of fame of the Czech ice hockey team, was expanded by a new hall last year. Each of the NHL's 31 teams has its own showcase, full of devotional pieces from Czech NHL legends. From goalkeeper Dominik Hasek to striker Jaromir Jagr.

Russia's NHL competition fails in the Czech Republic

Invisible, on the other hand, is the KHL, the Russian-dominated multi-discipline league, which started in 2008 with the claim to make the NHL competition the strongest ice hockey league in the world. This started auspiciously thanks to the money of oligarchs or state-owned Gazprom. The KHL not only brought home stars like Ilya Kovalchuk from North America, she also expanded to the West, including to Prague.

David W Cerny / REUTERS

Carter Hart from the Philadelphia Flyers seems to be having fun in Prague

But she did not manage to attract traditional clubs like Sparta or Slavia, but instead started a new team called Lev Prag. After two years Lev gave up again, it lacked money, although the club in its second season attracted more than 7000 spectators on average and made it to the final.

Real tracks have left neither club nor league. "The KHL misses no one," says Lothar Martin, who has watched the Czech ice hockey for more than 30 years for Radio Prague. "With Lev Prag, it has been proven that such an art project can not work unless it has grown organically." Also in Croatia and Slovakia the KHL has failed, in Sweden, Switzerland or Germany she did not even get a foot in the door. Almost all top stars play in North America, including the Russian ones.

A real competition is not the league from Eastern Europe. Although league vice Daly dodged the question of whether the Czech Republic for the NHL is particularly interesting, because the KHL was here not so long ago at home. But he probably already liked that training his league attracts at least as many fans in the hall as the games of another. That's why he announced before the first bully on Friday evening: "We will come back."

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2019-10-05

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.