THE KINGS ARE CROWNED: 2012 turned out to be a year of firsts for the Kings but a year of repeated history for labour unrest in the NHL
NHL: 2012 Year In Review
by PlayNowSports in europe, hockey, nhl

BY JEFF ANGUS

2012 was a year of turmoil for the NHL, and in turn the sport of hockey as well. The Los Angeles Kings peaked at the right time, dominating their Western Conference foes from Vancouver, St. Louis, and Phoenix en route to capturing their first Stanley Cup in team history (a six game defeat of the New Jersey Devils). Sidney Crosby made his second triumphant return from a concussion, and his Pittsburgh teammate Evgeni Malkin once again showed why he is arguably the best hockey player on the […]

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TOGETHER AGAIN: If the the entire NHL season is lost, Malkin wants Crosby to join him in Magnitogorsk
European Hockey: Friday’s Five for 21 December
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

It is Friday, and that means it is time for Friday’s Five, our weekly series covering five of the most interesting stories from the world of European Hockey. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season – there is plenty to be happy about in the sports world right now, even as the NHL continues to dig its own grave.

5. Sidney Crosby still has not made a decision as to where he is going to play this season (assuming the NHL doesn’t return). His Pittsburgh teammate, Evgeni […]

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COMMITTED: LA Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier has committed to playing net for Canada in the upcoming Spengler Cup
European Hockey: Friday’s Five for 14 December
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

It is Friday, and that means it is time for Friday’s Five, our weekly series covering five of the most interesting stories from the world of European Hockey.

5. The exodus home. Many NHL players are returning home to North America in hopes that a lockout resolution is close. They will likely return to Europe after the holidays if the NHL and NHLPA haven’t reached an agreement, but the balance of power will be shifting dramatically for many of the European hockey teams that were relying on […]

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CHART TOPPER: Linus Omark's play in Europe sends him to the top of this Friday's Five
European Hockey: Friday’s Five For 7 December
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

It is Friday, and that means it is time for Friday’s Five, a weekly series covering five of the most interesting stories from the world of European Hockey.

5. Colorado center Ryan O’Reilly, currently without a contract, has inked a two-year deal with Magnitogorsk of the KHL. O’Reilly is a restricted free agent, which means that Colorado retains his rights on the open market, but what does a two year deal mean? Does it indicate that O’Reilly sees the lockout extending into 2013-14? In Magnitogorsk he will […]

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RUSSIAN THROUGH LIFE: Playing at home in Russia during the lockout has made the NHL a second-though for many Russian stars like Ilya Kovalchuk
European Hockey: Friday’s Five for 30 November
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

It is Friday and it is time for Friday’s Five covering five of the most interesting stories from the world of European Hockey. This week, we discuss Evgeni Malkin, an interesting promotional video from the KHL, a promising prospect to keep an eye on from Finland, Cory Schneider, and more.

5. Evgeni Malkin, to no one’s surprise, is enjoying playing in Russia. He even went as far as to say he does not miss the NHL. A lot of the players over in Russia tend to say […]

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STARING DOWN THE RUSSIAN BEAR: Nicolas Backstrom has been playing tremendous hockey in the KHL this season alongside Caps teammate Ovechkin
European Hockey – Friday’s Five for 23 November
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

With the NHL cancelling the All-Star Game in Columbus and even more regular season games today, I figured we needed some non doom and gloom hockey talk. Consider this the first edition of a weekly recap of the important news and notes from the European hockey leagues. This week, I’ll take a look at some interesting matchups on the schedule, why Tuukka Rask is eaving his team in the Czech Republic, how a dynamic young Russians is faring in the KHL, and much more.

5. Nicklas Backstrom’s […]

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FLYING HIGH: Claude Giroux has had no problem applying his trade in Germany, where he has been a dominant force since arriving
Hockey: European Hockey Rundown
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

Last month, as we headed deeper into the NHL lockout,  I previewed the top hockey leagues in Europe – the KHL in Russia, the SM-liiga in Finland, the DEL in Germany, the NLA in Switzerland, and the Elitserien in Sweden. I figured it was time for an update. Not all of the leagues received the same level of talent infusion from the NHL. Most of the top North American stars have flocked to Switzerland, while the Russians have returned home to play in the KHL. Some players […]

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JAMIE BENN AND OTHER CANADIANS HAVE SHIPPED THEIR GAME TO GERMANY...FOR NOW.
DEL: Germany Elite League Preview
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

Jeff Angus (@anguscertified) has been on quite the tour around Europe providing incredible insight. He is back for one more today!

Germany is the last stop on our European hockey preview. I hope that my posts have given you some insights into the teams that play in the top leagues across Europe. It may not be NHL hockey, but the quality is quite high, and it still involves skilled athletes chasing a piece of rubber around on frozen water.

Previous European League Previews:

SEL (Sweden)

SM-Liiga (Finland)

NLA […]

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SLOWLY BUT SURELY THE SWEDES ARE HEADING HOME
SEL: Swedish Elite League Preview
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

BY JEFF ANGUS

After the KHL, the Swedish Elite League (Elitserien, or SEL) is the most well-known European league to North American hockey fans.

It is the most attended professional hockey league in Europe, and features much more parity than comparable leagues in Russia and the Czech Republic. 12 teams compete each season for the Le Mat Trophy, awarded at the end of the postseason each spring.

The Sedin twins, Henrik Zetterberg, Loui Eriksson, and Henrik Lundqvist all got their starts in the SEL. There is […]

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TO THE FINNISH: The Finnish are famous for their hockey passion and particular playing style.
SM-Liiga: Finnish SM-Liiga
by PlayNow Sports in europe, hockey

The PlayNow Sports European Vacation stops in Finland today to highlight the SM-Liiga.

The SM-liiga is the top league in Finland, and like other European leagues they are bringing in some significant talent from North America.

There are 14 teams in the league, and most of them are situated in the southern part of Finland (as is everything else). The regular season is 60 games long, and the top six teams qualify for the postseason, and they compete for the Kanada-malja (their Stanley Cup).

Assat
Assat, the Finnish word […]

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