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Pavel Bure’s Legends Hockey League is an Amazing Idea

By Diana Driscoll

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I have never seen Hall of Famer Pavel Bure play. By the time I found my passion for hockey he was already retired. Well, it looks like I might get my chance to see him in action. Bure is trying to start a hockey league for retired players.

According to Adam Gretz of CBS Sports:

"Bure is the chairman of the new World Legends Hockey League, a six-team circuit that will feature national teams from Russia, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Finland that is set to officially begin play in November. The league will have an All-Star event to kick things off in October that will feature a team of Russian players taking on an All-Star team of players from the rest of the world, including the United States and Canada.To be eligible for the league players and referees much be at least 45 years of age and played in IIHF-sanctioned games representing their country.The league has the backing of the IIHF and in a statement announcing plans for the league IIHF president Rene Fasel called it “an excellent idea.”Each team will consist of 27 people: 20 players, two of whom have to be goalies, and a seven-person management team."

I think this is a fantastic idea. It gives us younger hockey fans a chance to see some of the greats play the game. Sure, they aren’t in their prime and it won’t be as fast paced, but you will still get to say you saw these guys lace up their skates and battle it out.

We have seen how popular alumni games get. You know, the ones before the Winter Classic and around the League. It will be like that but better because these games will mean something; they’ll be playing to win.

This league would be a great way to take in the history of the games and the players that have made it so great. These games will have a sentimental value to parents who finally get to share their passion for Bure and other greats with their children.

It isn’t just great for the fans, but the players too. Hockey players retire young. They have a lot of down time and sometimes they don’t retire because they want to, but only because they can’t keep up with the speed of the game or a nagging injury just can’t take the 82-game workload. This league gives these players another chance to play the game they love, but at a more moderate pace.

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Teemu Selänne only retired last year, but you could tell he still wanted to play. Maybe he’ll be interested in the league? He’s too good to be on the sidelines. This league is a perfect outlet for him and players like him who can still hack it, but who have lost a step or two.

Maybe if it takes off, the league will expand to include the North American teams. I wouldn’t mind seeing Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky or any of those guys play again. I’m not saying they will, but it will be nice knowing they may soon have the option.

If all goes according to Bure’s plan this will kick off in November with an All-Star game pitting Russia against the rest of the world. That premise alone should be intriguing enough for fans to tune in.

Fingers crossed this thing gets off the ground and we get another chance to see Hall of Famers and some of hockey’s best play once more.

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