"It wasn't a bad summer for the fledgling Kontinental Hockey League.



Robert Esche turned down a pair of NHL offers and went back to Russia. Jiri Hudler bolted from the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings. Sergei Zubov decided to play out the twilight of his Hall of Fame career back home.



"It's a reflection that the hockey has become well organized, there's a high quality, and the players realize the potential," KHL president Alexander Medvedev told ESPN.com in an interview Tuesday.



The KHL, in its second season, is still going through its share of growing pains, but it is also still standing. Some people wondered whether that would be the case about a year ago, given the world economic crisis and its toll on Russia.



"They started up the KHL in one of the worst financial years ever with the [economic] crisis going on," Esche, who plays for SKA St. Petersburg, told ESPN.com this week. "And Medvedev managed to make it work. You have to tip your hat to him.'"

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/s ... id=4582318

its interesting that the league didnt go under like many predicted, but actually grew this past season.

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I could see a bunch of Russian players fleeing overseas if they can't find jobs here in America, but for now that'll probably be it.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

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"Go out and run 'em."
- Lindy Ruff, 23 Feb. 2007

4 years maybe. i think the KHL is going to be ok. russia always has some major league of hockey. whether its the KHL, or a rebirth of the super league, the NHL will always have a rougue league in russian ready to "poach" its players.

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Didn't the Rags play a KHL team last year? And beat them?

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Good for them.

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