VHL/NHL
It is apparent that the members of the VHL community do not like to talk about the NHL very much. There’s a thread tucked away in the off-topic discussion section of the boards, but VHL players never much openly talk about the NHL. This is weird.
“I mean, we all know it exists,” Kolher @Kendrick told VHL.com. “The best hockey players in the world reside in that league. But we are the most successful international league, and the TV schmucks haven’t picked up on that yet here. They could be making boat-loads of money from broadcasting us around the world. Instead, it’s just ticket revenue and box-scores.”
For players like Shankly and Fook Yu, they had no exposure to the NHL growing up. The VHL was booming and everywhere, but you’d only be able to find NHL coverage buried in the back of newspapers.
“Well, I had heard of the NHL because of players like Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, Alex Ovechkin, and of course, Stumpy – Steve Thomas. But other than the Olympics, I’d only seen these guys’ names on the scoresheets in the papers. The VHL was way more accessible.”
Makes sense for an English kid. Steve Thomas is the only English hockey player in the NHL that this reporter can remember. However, there have been handfuls of great English players to enter and dominant the VHL, many hang in the Hall of Fame. So of course Shankly and other non-North-Americans would be more attracted to the VHL. But why is there this social code to not really talk about the two leagues?
“Honestly, for me, it’s really a Fook Yu to the NHL,” says Fook Yu @tfong. “We never got any covered of the NHL and that league never even flashes a look at us. I love the VHL, but it’s hard having back-to-back games where you have to fly from New York and then back to Davos the same night. It would be nice to shorten the distances, but I love the international attention and success we’ve had.”
So given the VHL’s success, why is it that the NHL ignores the VHL? The answer was made clear the last few weeks.
“The NHL is a selfish organization,” states Franchise Cornerstone @boubabi. “I can see not openly endorsing other leagues, yea sure fine, but those scum have banned their players from playing in the Olympics? Really? That’s the most selfish and degrading thing they could have done. I can’t believe the players themselves aren’t more up in arms.”
It is odd that the NHL would not let the best hockey players in the world – individuals who have worked extremely hard to get to where they are – not play for their country. The VHL not only allows this but also hosts their own World Cup. Maybe it’s time the NHL actually noticed what the VHL is doing and learned something from it. Maybe the world would put more pressure on the NHL and TV media to cover the VHL, if we as a community were more outspoken about it. So stop ignoring the NHL and make them notice us, VHL.
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