While we see a lot of player polls throughout the NHL season, rarely do we see any from stars with other leagues. That has changed after ESPN decided to ask some KHL players attending the league's recent All-Star Game about their thoughts on a few issues including misconceptions about the league, who they feel will be the next big player to hit North America from the KHL, etc. Some of the answers are quite interesting.
What's a common western misconception about the KHL?
Chay Genoway, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (Canadian):There's always been so many rumors about all kinds of stuff. I think the misconception is how far away everything is to NHL standards. The way we travel, the way we eat and stay in hotels ... it's a pretty amazing bunch of cities all over the league. So I think that's probably a misconception here. We get treated well here, for sure.
Stephane Da Costa, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (French):I've heard many things. Like, the KHL is not that good; the AHL is better. I don't believe that. It's a really good league, it's just a different league with different kinds of players. I've heard that all the players are boozing every night, which is not true. I'm sure they actually drink more in the NHL. Russians party all the time, they drink all the time? Again, not true. They're just professional. Maybe a long time ago, but now the younger guys are so professional. And if anything, they're spending their times playing video games -- playing like six, seven hours a day. That's actually what's not healthy.
Nigel Dawes, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (Canadian):That we get paid in plastic bags at the rink, or straight cash in the dressing room. I'm not saying that it never happened, but before the KHL came in, I'm sure there were a lot of stories that westerners heard [about European leagues]. And some of them are probably true, but a lot of them are kind of far-fetched and exaggerated. It's like back home, you get a direct deposit in your bank account; there is nothing too exciting about it. I mean, before I came to the league, I heard stories about how you get paid before practice in cash and you have to run home because they're going to try to take it back. But those things are long gone. It's a great league, and it's pretty smooth.
And not only that, it keeps improving. The KHL is only 12 years old. There's things we've worked out. They've done a really good job, even in the nine years I've been here, of improving on things every year, whether it's the All-Star Game, payroll, salaries, travel, hotels, sponsorships or TV deals.
Who is the best player in the world right now?
Alexander Semin, HC Vityaz (Russian): Alex Ovechkin
Dawes: To be honest, I don't watch much NHL because of the time change; I'll catch highlights that show up on social media, so I'll see a lot of the highlight-reel goals. I mean, Connor McDavid is a pretty safe answer.
Kirill Kaprizov, CSKA Moscow (Russian): I can't pin down one person. [Nikita] Kucherov, McDavid, Crosby -- a lot of guys. There's that many talented players, and they are each talented in different ways, with different qualities.
Which KHL player will be the next big star in North America?
Every player polled said Kirill Kaprizov, except Kaprizov himself who said he wasn't sure. If you're unfamiliar with Kaprizov, the 22-year-old fifth round pick of the Minnesota Wild has been ripping it up in the KHL, recording 51 points in 57 games last season. He also has 45 points (23 goals, 22 assists) is 44 games this season.
Who is the most talented player you've gone up against in your career?
Ilya Sorokin, CSKA Moscow (Russian): McDavid. I went up against him in the final in the World Junior Championships. His speed, his mental game -- the way he sees the game -- and his shot were all very impressive. And he's gotten even better since.
Semin There's not one person to me; everyone is equal to me when I come on the ice. But ... Ovi.
Da Costa: Against? Crosby, I would say. I've never played against McDavid. So Crosby, [Jaromir] Jagr, Ovechkin.
You can view the full results and other questions by clicking here.
