Ach van de andere kant komen er ook veel leuke spelers naar Europa toe en dat is voor hen denk ik ook best een leuke uitdaging.
Zoals bijvoorbeeld Eric Cole die in Duitsland gaat spelen. Dat is gewoon een goede speler maar jammer genoeg wel een vieze en die komt er zeker in Europa er mee weg omdat de IIHF denkt dat mannen ijshockey gespeeld wordt door vrouwen.
Verder was ik vandaag bij Borussia Monchen Gladbach en daarnaast komt een ijshockey-Arena voor het WK2006. Hopelijk krijgt Gladbach dan ook een DEL team want dan is er weer een team meer bij in de buurt.
Artikeltje:
quote:
Canucks' Morrison settles in Sweden
Canadian Press
10/20/2004
Brendan Morrison apologizes at the other end of the phone because he can barely be heard over the playful screams of his nearly one-year-old daughter, McKenna.
The Morrison family is right at home after over a month in Linkoping, a Swedish town of 135,000 about two hours southwest of Stockholm.
``It's been a real positive experience,'' the Vancouver Canucks centre said Wednesday. ``The adjustment off the ice hasn't been that difficult. The lifestyle here is a little simpler, a little more laid-back than being in Vancouver.''
More laid-back than Vancouver?
``It's got a small-town feel, but we've got everything we need and my family has been able to adjust quickly - and that was one of my biggest concerns,'' said Morrison, who also brought along wife Erin and 2-year-old son Brayden for the adventure.
It isn't surprising that Morrison was one of the first NHLers to sign in Europe because of the lockout. He was already talking about it back in May when he played for Canada at the world hockey championships in Prague.
He wasn't afraid to move his family overseas because of what he's learned from his parents, who have lived in Hungary the past six years. His father works for a Calgary-based gas company in Budapest.
``Over the years they've been overseas they've told us how much they've enjoyed it,'' Morrison said. ``It was a new experience for them, they didn't know anyone when they came over and it's turned out to be such a positive experience for them. They've seen parts of the world that they probably would have never seen before.''
It's not the first time the native of Pitt Meadows, B.C., has played club hockey in Europe. He played six games with Pardubice in the Czech Republic in October 1999 during a contract dispute with the New Jersey Devils.
But this time he may be in Europe for the long haul because of the NHL lockout.
``I was optimistic all along that something would get done. I guess I was naive,'' said Morrison, the Canucks' NHLPA team representative.
``But I think the breaking point will be January, just like it was in the past. That's kind of the date where things have to be settled to have a season worthwhile.
``That's what I'm anticipating, being here until January, although I know full well I could be here the full year.''
Morrison is among 212 NHLers who had signed with European clubs as of Wednesday.
Defenceman Brian Campbell of the Buffalo Sabres and Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Brian Boucher were the latest to head over. Campbell joined Jokerit in Helsinki and Boucher signed with the Swedish champion HV71.
They've been criticized in some circles for taking jobs away from other players and Morrison was cognizant of that from the get-go.
``Along with my family adapting off the ice, that was probably my biggest concern,'' Morrison said. ``How would I be accepted and viewed amongst the team. We signed early, right at the beginning of August, and that gave the team time to let some young guys know. They had some 19-year-old and 20-year-old players that were right on the cusp of making it but they knew very early that they would go back to junior - it didn't come as a complete surprise.
``Still, you are concerned that you're coming over and taking somebody's spot. But everything has been positive. The guys have been great and have made us feel real welcome.''
He's also made a great first impression, putting up 11 points (4-7) in his first 10 games while playing on an all-NHL line with Kristian Huselius of the Florida Panthers and Mike Knuble of the Philadelphia Flyers.
``When a team like this takes a risk and signs a foreigner, you want to be able to perform. So it's been nice that our line has been able to deliver,'' said Morrison, adding that Huselius went down with a knee injury two games ago.
Playing with Knuble, an old college teammate who is represented by the same agent as Morrison, has been a blast.
``It's been a while, I guess 10 years since we last played together at school,'' said Morrison, who skated with Knuble at Michigan in the mid-1990s.
On Saturday, Morrison will face Canucks teammates for the first time this season when he travels north to play Modo, featuring the Sedin twins and Peter Forsberg.
``He's the main attraction over here, it's amazing,'' Morrison said of the Colorado Avalanche star. ``He's in the paper every day. It's like `What did Peter do today when he was at home?' He's covered pretty thoroughly here.
``People are really excited that he's back home.''
Morrison has a lot of time for Swedish hockey fans in general.
``I catch myself sometimes during the game staring up at the fans at home,'' he said. ``If we have a good shift, there's a particular section of fans on the end - they start singing and chanting and they'll go for 10 minutes. You're just sitting there and you're amazed at how passionate they are.''
The team plays in a new 8,500-seat arena that will host the women's world hockey championship next April.
``The fans are right on top of you,'' Morrison said. ``It's been a neat experience.''
"We moeten ons bewust zijn van de superioriteit van onze beschaving, met zijn normen en waarden, welvaart voor de mensen, respect voor mensenrechten en godsdienstvrijheid. Dat respect bestaat zeker niet in de Islamitische wereld".