Liiga vs VHL

How would you compare/contrast Liiga and VHL?

Liiga is a slightly higher level than the VHL, but the VHL is definitely a higher caliber league than a lot of people give it credit for. The reason it's less comparable is that VHL has much less imports. VHL rosters here are strong with many players having extensive KHL experience on their resumes. Both leagues have strong skill, fast paced hockey, and are hard to play in.

We have partner(s) on our team who have scouted many games in each of these hockey leagues.

Liiga

Liiga is the top ice hockey league in Finland.

VHL

The VHL is Russia's second-tier professional ice hockey league, serving as the primary feeder league to the KHL at the pro level.

Location: Finland

Location: Russia

Skill Level in Liiga

Liiga is the highest professional hockey league in Finland. Founded in 1975, the league has 15 clubs that span from the South near Helsinki all the way up to the Arctic Circle. It's considered by many to be one of the stronger leagues in Europe.

Skill Level in VHL

The VHL serves as a feeder league to the KHL, featuring a few dozen teams and a high level of competition for players aspiring to the KHL. The bulk of players in the VHL are domestic players with a small subset of imports.

Player Perspective: Liiga

"Liiga is the perfect league to play in, especially as an import from North America who enjoys the physical play paired with skill. I'd agree that Liiga's caliber is up there with a number of the top leagues in Europe based on my experience also playing in Germany and Austria. The fans hear love their hockey.

Player Perspective: VHL

"The VHL gave me the experience I needed to transition to the professional game up to the KHL."

Number of Teams in Liiga: 15

Number of Teams in VHL: 29

Caliber of Players and Imports in Liiga

Skill level of Liiga players is extremely high, with only the best Finnish players moving up to the highest league. For imports, teams expect players in Europe with strong resumes and players from North America with high-end ECHL/AHL experience on their resumes. Some even have NHL games played. This shows the strength of the league.

Caliber of Players and Imports in VHL

The VHL rosters are filled with up and coming young Russian prospects as well as experienced veterans. Imports are much less common here, but the ones who play here must have strong resumes either in North American or European leagues prior to playing here in Russia.