Russia doesn't like the NHL...and I don't blame them.

To increase the fanbase and world recognition of the National Hockey League they've been hosting Premiere Games the past 4 seasons. In these game two NHL teams are sent to different cities in Europe (Helsinki, Prague, and Stockholm to name a few) to play in exhibition games.

For the 2011 Premiere Games the NHL hinted at the Washington Capitals (and their captain, Moscow native Alexander Ovechkin) playing the New York Rangers in St. Petersburg. This would have been the first game played in Russia for the program.

Unfortunately, negotiations between the NHL and the Russian KHL have fallen through and I can completely understand why. The Kontinental Hockey League is in a state of disarray. It is not financially stable and teams are consistently on the verge of folding. Why would they want to promote their biggest competitor when they are so vulnerable? They are also demanding more money than the NHL is willing to shell out.

I'm waiting for the day I see stuff like THIS happen in an NHL game, though!