Sergachev backtracks on criticism of KHL, says he'd like to play there some day

Mikhail Sergachev caused a bit of a stir in his home country of Russia last month after rating the KHL a three out of 10, while saying the NHL is 10 out of 10. The KHL is, of course, the most popular league in Russia and second in terms of talent to the NHL everywhere else in the world. Sergachev is currently in Russia with the Stanley Cup, and he did an interview where he backtracked on his earlier comments.

"I wasn't grading the KHL game a 'C,' I was grading the organization," explained Sergachev.

"Maybe I should have given it a 4 or 5. In the future I would like to play in the KHL. For Neftekhimik when the time comes."

Neftekhimik is based in Nizhnekamsk, where Sergachev grew up. Despite his comments, he said he's not focused on playing in the KHL right now.

"I don't think about the Gagarin Cup now, I play in the NHL for Tampa and think only about the Stanley Cup," he said.

Sergachev's initial assessment didn't sit well with many in his home country. Reporters were quick to point out that Sergachev never actually played in the KHL, opting instead to play for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League for a season before being drafted by the Montreal Canadiens. After four games with the Habs, he would return to Windsor for another season before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, with Jonathan Drouin going the other way. Others also pointed out that if the KHL was really that far below the NHL, players like Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Ilya Sorokin, Alexander Romanov and Igor Shesterkin never would have played there despite being eligible to go to the NHL.

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