KHL vs Allsvenskan

How would you compare/contrast KHL and Allsvenskan?

The KHL takes the battle here head to head as it's considered by us (and many) to be a top 3 league globally. Allsvenskan is one of the strongest 2nd leagues in all of Europe based on hockey strong hockey in Europe is. The biggest differences lie in that Allsvenskan is based in Sweden and KHL in Russia primarily so off the ice, the culture is quite different. In terms of hockey though, both are strong leagues.

Our agency team has insights on each of these respective leagues. With ex-players who've played in both leagues, we pull our knowledge from this as well.

KHL

The KHL (Kontinental Hockey League) is the top professional ice hockey league in Russia.

Allsvenskan

Founded in 2005, Allsvenskan is the second-highest professional ice hockey league in all of Sweden.

Location: Primarily Russia + Belarus, Kazakstan, & China

Location: Sweden

Skill Level in KHL (Kontinental Hockey League)

The KHL is not only the top league in Russia, but it is widely considered to be one of the best leagues in the world after the NHL. The leagues clubs roster best in class Russian players as well as some of the most elite import players from around the globe.

Skill Level in Allsvenskan

Allsvenskan is a great professional league in it's own right. It sits as the 2nd pro tier in Sweden, but level wise, it's quite on par with many other top professional tiers in Europe.

Player Perspective: KHL (Kontinental Hockey League)

"The travel schedule in season is demanding and long, especially in the heart of winter. Until you're here, I don't think most people realize how long it takes to fly from one side of Russia to the other. The level of hockey is top notch. You hear varied perspectives from players who've spent time there, but my personal time as an import in the KHL was positive all around. Our team treated us well in my full season there."

Player Perspective: Allsvenskan

"Playing in Allsvenskan for those 2 seasons was crucial for my skill development, preparing me for the SHL."

Number of Teams in KHL (Kontinental Hockey League): 23

Number of Teams in Allsvenskan: 14

Caliber of Players and Imports in KHL

The caliber of players in the KHL is set at a high bar. Many consider the KHL the 2nd or 3rd strongest leagues in the world following the National Hockey League. Due to this, the level of players matches this and only the most elite of Russian players ever make it to the K and stick for a duration. In terms of imports who play here, most every import here possesses strong resumes with either a few cups of coffee in the NHL, notable time in the AHL/ECHL where they were a top player there, or strong experience in another one of Europe's top leagues prior to transitioning here.