Why Play Hockey in Russia?

Last year, after an ugly fight punctuated a farce of a game between the United States Under-17 team and Russia on Russian soil, I questioned why we still play international hockey events in Russia. Almost a year later, I find myself asking the same question, under much more tragic circumstances. Making the tragedy even worse is the feeling that it could have maybe been prevented if Cherepanov had received proper medical care.

The Kontinental Hockey League got a lot of press this summer as a sexy new alternative to playing professional hockey in North America. But the biggest problem with playing hockey in Russia is that you have to play hockey in Russia.

Duane Rollins wrote an interesting piece criticizing hockey people here North America for politicizing Cherepanov's death, and using it to push their agenda against the KHL. Make no mistake; that's not what this is. Personally, I've enjoyed the idea of an elite European league that keeps some of the borderline NHL-level talent and aging veterans out of the NHL, opening up more opportunities for younger American players--even if it has come at a little bit of an expense to college hockey. I find the NHL way more interesting now, chocked full of players I've watched through the years, than I did in the 90's when your last name had to end in '-ov' to get an NHL contract.

The fact is, while Russia has become flush with money thanks in part to the oil industry, they are still lagging behind the leaders of the world in many areas and amenities that we take for granted in the United States. Food is almost always an issue for international teams that travel to Russia. And after seeing one of Russia's future stars die at an ice rink with uncharge defibrilators and no ambulance in the country's most high-profile sports league, it has to raise some question about the safety of players who travel to Russia for international play.

Options in the hockey world may be limited for international play, but there are plenty of options out there that don't require sending players into a grim, and potentially dangerous situation. There's very little to be gained from traveling to Russia for international hockey events, and in some cases, much to be lost.