Ukraine: Ukraine National team

[Sokil]

http://hcdonbass.com/news/donbass_1...eg_piganovich_primut_ukrainskoe_grazhdanstvo/

Maxim Yakutsenya and Oleg Piganovich have formally applied for Ukrainian citizenship

 

[Sokil]

Kolesnikov said that Poni couldn't play for the Russian NT (not that he'd ever make it) for minimum 4 years correct?

http://isport.ua/hockey/khl/news/265963.html

Ponikarovsky does not exclude that he will play for Russia
Former Ukrainian who took Russian citizenship, may play for the national team of our northern neighbor.

"If we receive a proposal, of course, I will consider it. Everything depends on the situation. If I can - I'll play [for Russia].

At the Olympics, unfortunately, the Ukrainian team isn't going, losing in the qualifying round. At the international level, I played in Salt Lake City [for Ukraine] in 2002. An unforgettable experience that will stay with me forever.

I do not look far into the future...I don't see it happening...But of course, if they offered, I would love to go and play [for Russia], "- said Alexei Ponikarovsky.

 

[ozo]

Yep, just shows how patriotic he really is...

 

[Sokil]

he was also willing to play for Team Canada back last olympics or whatever. Though in that situation, he actually could switch nationalities under IIHF rules since he played in Canada for over 4 years.

He's an idiot, who coached him on his press-speak? Is he trying to appeal to the Russian fans? He knows damned well that a) he can't switch to Russia for Sochi and b) they wouldn't even want him if he could

 

[ozo]

He's an idiot, who coached him on his press-speak? Is he trying to appeal to the Russian fans? He knows damned well that a) he can't switch to Russia for Sochi and b) they wouldn't even want him if he could

Exactly. Looks like a tool in eyes of Ukrainian fans as well. Just a mindless mercenary.

 

[smitty10]

I think he's trying to appeal to Russian fans. He knows he won't ever be invited to play for Russia or Canada and that if he wants to play Internationally he'll be with the Ukrainian team. He'll be 38 by the time he's eligible for Russia.

 

[ozo]

I don't agree, he could be just delusional enough to think he could actually make team Russia.

 

[Sokil]

I think he's trying to appeal to Russian fans. He knows he won't ever be invited to play for Russia or Canada and that if he wants to play Internationally he'll be with the Ukrainian team. He'll be 38 by the time he's eligible for Russia.

might just be playing up to the SKA fans, since he's Russian now, it would be disrespectful to say he wouldn't want to play for the Russian Olympic team

on the other hand, he could have just said it would be an honor to be nominated but ______. Instead, it sounds like he's unaware of the rules, which leans to the 'delusional' point of view.

Yep, just shows how patriotic he really is...

This is the same guy who, when at an autograph signing in Toronto, I asked him to sign something in Ukrainian (he was stumped and asked if he could do Russian instead); and on a radio interview the following year referred to himself as Russian. I'm not surprised, but pretty disappointed.

 

[Sokil]

http://isport.ua/hockey/ukraine/news/266488.html

Kasianchuk is opting out of playing for Ukraine / retiring from the national team, however you want to spin it

he's 100% committed to Dynamo from here on out

 

[smitty10]

http://isport.ua/hockey/ukraine/news/266488.html

Kasianchuk is opting out of playing for Ukraine / retiring from the national team, however you want to spin it

he's 100% committed to Dynamo from here on out

Wow. That sucks for the NT. He's committed to Dynamo for this year and after he gets cut next season he'll come crying to Donbass wanting a KHL contract.

 

[Sokil]

Shaun Heska was in the media the other day and told reporters that he's Ukrainian (they asked about his surname). He's doing alright with Ak Bars right now...would be cool to see him naturalized. Donbas should go after him if he does well.

 

[Sokil]

http://bighockey.ua/news/yablonski-prositsya-do-zbirnoyi-ukrayini.html

Yablonski want's to get Ukrainian citizenship and join Team Uke. He told it to Nazarov (who is coach of team Ukraine, fyi)

uhhh....?

 

[Sokil]

http://isport.ua/hockey/ukraine/news/269434.html

Kasianchuk & Ponikarovsky declined the November national team invitations

Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine will not be invited to participate in the next phase of Euro Challenge forwards Alexei Ponikarovsky (SKA) and Constantine Kasyanchuk (Dynamo Moscow time).

Recall that after moving to St. Petersburg Alexei Ponikarovsky received Russian citizenship and has not yet decided for the national team which country it to perform in the future.

But the winner of the Gagarin Cup - 2013 Kasyanchuk Constantine decided to focus on performances for his club in the League and asked not to call him to the national team of Ukraine.

Recall that the first stage of the national team of Ukraine for Euro Challenge will be held from 6 to 9 November in Budapest. Rivals team Andrei Nazarov will be national teams of Hungary, Poland and Romania.

 

[Sokil]

Donbas acquired Mikhail Anisin, but this is worth noting:

Стоит отметить, что в перспективе новичок ХК "Донбасс" не против выступать и в национальной сборной Украины.

Someone correct me but I believe (thanks to Google) that this means he's "not against the idea of joining the Ukrainian national team"

so chalk another up to the Donbas poaching project

 

[smitty10]

Donbas acquired Mikhail Anisin, but this is worth noting:



Someone correct me but I believe (thanks to Google) that this means he's "not against the idea of joining the Ukrainian national team"

so chalk another up to the Donbas poaching project

Russia is still poaching players from the former Soviet Republics, so I have no problem with Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc. doing the same thing.

 

[Sokil]

I feel better about it when it's a guy with at least some fraction of Ukrainian roots, like Anisin, but youve gotta do what youve gotta do

 

[ozo]

Russia is still poaching players from the former Soviet Republics, so I have no problem with Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc. doing the same thing.

I feel better about it when it's a guy with at least some fraction of Ukrainian roots, like Anisin, but youve gotta do what youve gotta do

Problem or no problem, doesn't it really defeat the purpose of rooting for the national team in the first place? Russia can do whatever they want, but the final choice always is with the player.

 

[Sokil]

It's easy to say that when the player is between a rock and a hard place. The system is rigged to exploit players like this.

If you'e got nowhere else to go to continue/advance your career but in Russia, and Russian scouts are the only ones looking at Ukraine, and Russia has a "we want you but won't let you in unless you get dual citizenship" policy...then it's hard for me to blame the player and the "choice" they made


as far as rooting for the national team goes...i see your point entirely. But am I going to enjoy rooting for a player who has already played pro in Donbass for 2+ years and is flying the Ukrainian colors, or some scrub from Tier-2 Belarusian league who was born in Ukraine?

Ideally the guys who end up being on the national teams are more like a Valentin Utkin, who was from Russia but played on Sokil his entire career and never left t he country, and helped the Ukrainian national team afterwards - and the "2 years and gone" crowd is small

 

[Sokil]

*i hope will be more like, not are more like

 

[Sokil]

http://isport.ua/hockey/khl/news/270227.html

Piganovich is now denying getting Ukrainian citizenship, even though it was posted on the Donbass site that the team would take his case to the government to process everything

I guess he's leaving his options open for Sochi now lol, figures

he says it's pointless to talk about it now since he needs to be here for 2 years to even qualify for the national team, and he's only been here for a few months. If he stays for 2 years, "anything can happen"

 

[Sokil]

http://isport.ua/hockey/khl/news/270313.html

Oh debut Anisina and truthfulness of the information that he will play for the national team of Ukraine : "He played fine, but he can play harder to work with. A two years, Michael will get this right. "

so Nazarov is saying Anisin is a shoo in in 2 years, or that they'll decide in 2 years?

 

[Xokkeu]

I feel better about it when it's a guy with at least some fraction of Ukrainian roots, like Anisin, but youve gotta do what youve gotta do

Well the football team has a Serb and a Brazilian, so ....

 

[Sokil]

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of that, especially since the football team is good in it's own right, it's not like the hockey team which is desperately trying to get back to the division that matters.


more on Anisin from Nazarov:

- It is true that Anisin can play in the national team of Ukraine?
- This is the time. He has to spend two years in Ukraine. If he does and will converge in all respects with the team, why not? Can play. As far as I know, his relatives from Ukraine.

Which in his case, I'm totally cool with law-of-return rule applying

 

[Sokil]

oo goody, more, i guess i scoffed this off when i first read it, posted it here but it's relevant now

http://hockey.sport-express.ru/reviews/33868/

Nazarov talking about how we need to get Anisin and Eremenko on the Ukrainian team back in July

Now, Eremenko would be a 4 year transition assuming Donbass got him right this second, so that's not happening, he thought it was funny too, but interesting the wheels must have been in motion on Anisin for a while now


---

side note, but does a player need to play for Donbass for 2-4 years to qualify? Nabokov was able to transfer to Russia while playing in North America and not in the 'national competition of your country' as per the IIHF guidelines. Playing in the KHL in general would count as playing in the 'national competition of Ukraine', yes or no?

 

[Pajicz]

I'm sure someone has already asked this, but after Donbass joining KHL, would it be realistic to expect Ukraine getting promoted back to the top division in 4-5 years? How big is the effect of having KHL team in Ukraine, in short term and also in long term (development of prospects and younger juniors)?

What do you guys think?