When former two-time Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy winner Pavel Bure was forced to hang up his skates at the age of 31 due to injury, hockey fans were served a great injustice.
Well, fans left wanting more from the five-time 50-goal scorer may find themselves satiated in the near future. Bure is leading an effort to bring an old-timers’ league to fruition for the fall of 2015.
Bure is targeting former players with IIHF experience to participate in the World Legends Hockey League, which would include teams from Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden for its inaugural season.
There’s potential to catch the likes of Bure, Sergei Fedorov, Dominik Hasek, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Teemu Selanne compete in an international tournament. Go on, take our money.
There are no current plans to include squads from Canada or the United States, but organizers are looking to feature an all-star game with a Russian team versus a collection of players from the other participating nations and some North American skaters, as well, as part of an introduction to the league.
Prospective players must be at least 45 years of age and have represented their countries in international play. A qualifying round is slated for November, with a league final scheduled for play in January of 2016.
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