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Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:21 am EDT

Video: KHL, Chris Simon come out fighting in Russian debut

By Greg Wyshynski

As we mentioned yesterday, the Kontinental Hockey League made its long-awaited regular season debut yesterday despite the blockbuster announcement that the Nashville Predators have suspended Alexander Radulov indefinitely. Reports out of Russia claim that upon hearing the news, Radulov stopped counting his money for approximately 13 seconds to giggle uncontrollably before bathing himself in quality vodka.

Here's one aspect of the KHL that's been completely lost amid all the Cold War posturing and player espionage and Ray Emery career rehabilitation: New hockey league equals more hockey fights. Drop Your Gloves has dedicated a page to following KHL pugilism, as has HockeyFights.com. (Bookmark alert!) This is very, very good news for those of us who love our old-time hockey. Even if we need subtitles to enjoy it.

On the first day of regular season action, we had at least two brawls in the KHL that made their way to YouTube. And to the surprise of exactly no one, former New York Islanders goon Chris Simon was involved in one of them for his new team Vityaz Chekhov, battling Mikhail Fedoseyev:

Congratulations are in order for Simon, who appears to have been involved in an act of aggression that didn't see him treat another player's head like a piñata or attempt to slice someone's leg with this skate. Kudos, sir. Rehabilitation complete.

The other fight currently available on YouTube from yesterday's KHL action featured former Columbus Blue Jackets farmhand Darcy Verot against Alexei Krovopuskov. This one is short and nasty.

Verot v. Russian dude:

Here's Russia Today's English-language news segment on the KHL's first day of action:

Now, this is where things get interesting for the NHL. The League has the most Web-savvy fans in professional sports. If there is English-language news and video available throughout the KHL season on YouTube or other sites, hockey fans are going to find it and absorb it.

Does this mean the NHL should be afraid of losing market share to an upstart Russian League. Of course not, and no more than the NBA is worried around losing fans to Josh Childress's Greek League. Especially when, as you see in the highlights, the KHL might be better off playing with empty nets instead of Russian goaltenders.

But ultimately, could North American fan access ever generate enough interest in the KHL to get a package of games on American television? Steven Ovadia wonders the same thing, although the notion that the NHL Network might eventually show games from a competing league is a puckhead pipe dream. For the same reason that the World Championships weren't shown during the Stanley Cup playoffs -- why risk giving fans a basis for comparison?

Again, the NHL is no danger. But now you have the KHL. Soon you may have a Scandinavian KHL-style league, if Hakan Loob is correct. The hockey world is expanding faster than it ever has, and the NHL needs to be ahead of this trend.

Related: Hockey Fans, Goons and Pugilism, Gary Bettman, Commissioner for Life, Puck Videos

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20 Comments

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  1. Tacks
    1. Posted by Tacks Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

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    Someone please photoshop Simon with a tattered shredded jersey and green skin.
  2. J.P.
    2. Posted by J.P. Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    "Short and nasty" sums up Verot (also a former Cap) pretty well - he racked up 511 PIMs in 43 games in the RSL last year (though it should be noted that fights in the RSL earned the combatants misconducts as well as majors - I assume the rule's the same in the K).
  3. Hyphen
    3. Posted by Hyphen Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

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    One big thing happened in those vids that doesnt happen but should in NHL fighting. Notice how both Russian fighters and Verot immediately tossed off their helmets before the fight while Simon did not. I have to give mad props to the KHL if this is part of the fighting that will take place in that league. Helmets break hands and fingers so its good to see players and the league thinking about safety before the fights.
  4. Tardell Scorpion
    4. Posted by Tardell Scorpion Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    why is Simon punching a dude after he hits the ice? especially when the ref was about to intervene? dude gets his rocks off doing anything BUT playing hockey.
  5. Doogie
    5. Posted by Doogie Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    Looks like the Verot fight was immediately followed by the Simon fight. You can see Simon on the right around the 48-second mark, and the raised-hands by #7 (Verot) follows into the Simon video.
    Also, Simon is a total chickens--- for not ditching the visor when he dropped the gloves. Verot and his punching bag did it; they do it in the junior CHL, Simon can man up and do it here.
  6. jc
    6. Posted by jc Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    Good riddance to Chris Simon. I thought he was kind of a role player back when he had the long, stringy native American hair—but he turned out to be a goon through and through.
  7. # huit
    7. Posted by # huit Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

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    khl need to be shown on tv, now!!
    and that scandinavian league will never happen
  8. A Yahoo! User
    8. Posted by A Yahoo! User Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:28 pm EDT

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    Watched the Avangard Omsk- AKA Bars game today. Nice feed of the game. Check Beyondtheblueshirts.com and it gives the Avangard schedule plus when the games will be televised here. One thing never changes, John Grahame lost. Doesn't matter which country he is in, he knows how to blow a lead. Lost to Wade Dubielwicz 4-2.
  9. A Yahoo! User
    9. Posted by A Yahoo! User Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:31 pm EDT

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    The Avangard Omsk - AKA Bars game was shown on the internet here today. Go to Beyondtheblueshirts.com and they have the Omsk schedule listed down on the left and which games will be televised. The Feed was not bad. A few pauses but overall is was good. John Grahame lost to Wade Dubielwicz 4-2.
  10. carl_vs_mastershake
    10. Posted by carl_vs_mastershake Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Let me know when Simon fights Emery.
  11. RoShaCla
    11. Posted by RoShaCla Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:45 pm EDT

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    I know alot of people say that fighters should take their helmets off so they don't break hands etc., but what if they fall awkwardly on their head? Which is more of a safety concern: breaking someones hand or getting a serious concussion when someone knocks you off balance and your head hits the ice? There is really no winning there. Visors should nevere be allowed in fights though; thats just stupid.
  12. Evan M
    12. Posted by Evan M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    In that first video at around 8 seconds the referee goes hard at the players, then pusses out and doesn't break them up. Hahahaha!!!
  13. ivabiggun55
    13. Posted by ivabiggun55 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    Chris Simon. WOW! What a talent. What did he sign for? A small amount of money and all the vodka he can inhale? Darcy Verot another talentless waste of sperm!!
  14. dgilby
    14. Posted by dgilby Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    Radulov is a big hairy pu$$y.
  15. Jon A
    15. Posted by Jon A Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    I can't stand Simon. He and Bertuzzi should be cell mates in a federal pen. They are a couple of thugs who unfortunately pass off as hockey players.
  16. psmoker43
    16. Posted by psmoker43 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:20 pm EDT

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    We miss you in WB/S, Darcy. Nice tussle.
  17. 44
    17. Posted by 44 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:43 pm EDT

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    Simon is just a big waste of life. Nothing but a GOON on skates. I'm glad he's out of the NHL. Simons Hockey talent must have rolled down his mothers leg....
  18. Rihards D
    18. Posted by Rihards D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:43 pm EDT

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    He's a madman, Vityaz is currently a team with most PM, my favorites Dinamo Riga is second roughest team in KHL.
    http://dinamoriga.blogspot.com/2008/09/dinamo-riga-penalty-minute-problems.html
  19. marc l
    19. Posted by marc l Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:06 pm EDT

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    Weel if you have to know..........Simon was a fighter in the first place when he entered the NHL so I guess he has to show he still has it in the KHL.....so if you don't like him don't watch but I know I will.............see you later Chris
  20. marc l
    20. Posted by marc l Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:06 pm EDT

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    Well if you have to know..........Simon was a fighter in the first place when he entered the NHL so I guess he has to show he still has it in the KHL.....so if you don't like him don't watch but I know I will.............see you later Chris

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