why do we not sign players from Europe

[jimmy snels]

Just a discussion point really whilst we go through the off season of doom :lol: . Whilst looking at free agents on elite prospects i noticed a number of quality players available from the swedish and finnish leagues. Yet on the whole as a league we are very reluctant to sign players from Europe. I understand the public liking hard hitters but there is always a space for fast, nimble scorers in any team. Any ideas as to why we don't attract or go after these players?

Do these leagues pay huge sums? I know they're ranked more highly than ours but does it come down to pure wages?

 

[Temme]

Hudson
Walton
Hudson
Tahtinen

are the 4 imports that we signed from Europe this year,
and in previous years we've had a few guys from Europe (Marsh to think of one...).

I guess the national players from those countries though, the style of our hockey doesn't suit the league, all the players comment on how "North American" our style is, and the finnish/european players we have signed always seem to be considerably less physical than any other (Tahtinen, Rama, Kurka etc...)

And we all know Jimmy, there's nothing we love more than a big hit and a dust up :lol:

 

[Foxy]

Umm Hudson Hudson........... twins i must have missed them lol

 

[jimmy snels]

Yeah i get that ad and your right we love a dust up :lol:

My point was more to be with signing home players of these leagues. all our team bar tats was canadian. We've had a couple of fins but rarely sign players who are known scorers from those leagues. With us moving to big ice i wonder if we should look at these leagues for faster skaters? Any ideas on the wage levels in sweden? It's ranked highly and from experience i know its damn expensive to be there.

 

[bb1]

Yeah i get that ad and your right we love a dust up :lol:

My point was more to be with signing home players of these leagues. all our team bar tats was canadian. We've had a couple of fins but rarely sign players who are known scorers from those leagues. With us moving to big ice i wonder if we should look at these leagues for faster skaters? Any ideas on the wage levels in sweden? It's ranked highly and from experience i know its damn expensive to be there.

Swedish Elite league is around fourth in terms of highest paying salaries. Top players can earn over $500,00 a year whilst average SEL around $350,000.

Guys from SEL and DEL may come over here near the end of their careers but top flight players are just too expensive

 

[bb1]

We may see some Allsvenskan (Swedish 2nd tier) over here.

A big D man David Liffiton from this league has just signed with unknown team.
He has played with Mathieu Roy, Dan LaCosta and Scott Matzka.
Someone mentioned him on inferno before. Look a mean stay at home D man who must be very good to play in Swedish. 2nd tier

 

[Gaz G]

Lucas Komareck was one of my favourite players a few years ago.

 

[bb1]

He was a gamer. I will never forget him taking a beating of a Manchester Pheonix player as his shirt was over his head and from a blind wild swing he landed one to the jaw and bingo

 

[Wannabe2]

Lucas Komareck was one of my favourite players a few years ago.

Lucas was a legend, loved him.

 

[Finny]

Most coaches we have are from N. America. They are more familiar with those leagues and have contacts like ex-colleagues and coaches that they can get references from.

When Edinburgh have had European coaches they have often signed a lot of their own countrymen as again it is what they are most familiar and confident with.

 

[Ibbz9]

As Finny said; it is down to contacts. In my opinion, if Edinburgh had a budget and Brit pack like most teams, they would have been far higher up the table in the last 5 seasons. Hartmann, Jarolin, Hdlaviosky and Dobron were as good as most imports in the league. It was their Brits and imports 5-10 that hurt them.

It will be interesting to see what Paul Thomson did should he ever return to coach here.