Vancouver Canucks defenceman Nikita Tryamkin is not the first European player in North America and he will not be the last. However, he might have revolutionized European prospect contracts.
Every hockey-playing kid dreams of making the NHL, no matter where they are from. That does not change when those little kids turn out to be talented enough to turn their passion into their job. Every professional hockey player dreams of playing in the world’s best hockey league.
What European kids do not dream of is being a minor-league player somewhere in North America.
The American Hockey League is good, no doubt about it.