Go Donbass
Registered User
Well first game between Belyi Bars and Donbass should be a good one, and prove who's the better overall team in the early going. Both are 3-0 and rolling over their competition.
Xsport is the Ukrainian broadcaster
where can I find the TV guide/listings for this channel?
Somewhat interestingly Xsport's UHL content is geoblocked at least in Poland.
Looks like Donbass will continue to dominate the league. They took both games against Byeli Bars recently. Although both games were very close, and Byeli Bars did have the lead in the second game well into the third period. Donbass last game against Dynamo Kharkiv finished 6-5. Lviv and Brovary are clearly the league doormats this year, although Lviv was looking pretty good against Kremenchuk. They seemed to have a lot more team speed, than the first time I saw them play, and they looked really good on the power play scoring 2 goals.
I must say I do like this new league format, with a lot more younger developing players. If they can keep this thing afloat, it should be very good for Ukrainian hockey in the future. Last thing, Byeli Bars arena must have got new lighting, cuz watching their last game at home was a completely different experience from last year.
Donbass struggling is surprising, but I imagine they will prevail in the end anyway. They have resources to atract way better foreigners than the Z graders rest of the league is picking up.Pretty interesting start to the new season. Early on it looked like Donbass would dominate again as usual, however, they have already lost games to the new Dnipro team (who have yet to lose), and most recently this past weekend to Kremenchuk. Keep in mind, Donbass didn't lose their first game last year, until the last game of the season. So at this point Donbass actually sit in third place behind Dnipro and Kremenchuk. Byli Bars are seriously struggling this year, and Kharkiv and Vovky look like they will be also rans this year. Hopefully this trend at the top will continue, as it will make watching the games a whole lot more interesting.
Donbass struggling is surprising, but I imagine they will prevail in the end anyway. They have resources to atract way better foreigners than the Z graders rest of the league is picking up.
Those that predicted back in the late 90's that Ukrainian hockey would struggle as the years go by were correct. Khristich, Ponikarovsky and Fedotenko would be the last of the NHLers and now the national team has players in lower leagues and Junior A...a shame really but it is hard to see it changing.
Romania is now ahead of them at the Senior Mens level.
Is there anything being done to change their fortunes?
The owner of Donbass is basically keeping the whole Ukraine hockey alive.
The war/trouble/political issues need to stop and really calm down before we will see anything better happen for Ukraine hockey.
Unless somebody in Kiev comes along with money to put a team in a foreign league, Donbass are the only team with money (and a spot still in the KHL) but it is not possible given the situation
Does they really have a spot in KHL still?
Or was your point that they would have played there if war had not started.
I found it!I was trying to find the documentary about the HC Donbass situation/owner. I'm sure it was done by RT News but on Google i'm not having much luck, it was in English too.
If I can find it again I will obviously post it here.
Ukrainians had their fair share of prospects play in the CHL: Merezhko, Peresunko, Felix Morozov. Their U18 [luckily] won D1B in 17/18 led by the latter two. Myklukha just moved to QMJHL, he is likely a 1st rounder in 2021, but he has accepted Slovakian citizenship. Artur Cholach is playing for New Jersey Jr. Titans, I can see him being drafted to the CHL if he wants to go that route.How is the junior development system in Ukraine with all the turmoil? Are there are kids that maybe come over to the CHL (OHL/WHL/QMJHL)? Also...not too familiar with Dmytro Timashov (TORONTO) and his path to the NHL - I know is Ukrainian by birth, but has played internationally for Sweden. It's been quite some time that Ukraine was in the major pool of teams - they were in the top pool as recently as 2004.
Of if not in Ukraine, are there are any prospects of having Ukrainians developing elsewhere, but still playing for Ukraine?