Entire Russian U18 roster replaced due to Meldonium scandal

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Not just in terms of scouting these specific players. This is going to cast a cloud over every Russian prospect for some time. Because honestly, if Russian hockey authorities were doping their entire U-18 team, what makes you think they weren't doing the same to the U-17s, U-16s, etc?

Seems like a great way to stop young Russian hockey talent from crossing the pond to play in North American leagues.

[DJones]

Shame for those kids.

From what I've read they don't even know if this drug helps a lot and it's mostly a political thing against Russia.

Kind of like banning creatine here.

[OkotoksDavid]

Originally Posted by DJones

Shame for those kids.

From what I've read they don't even know if this drug helps a lot and it's mostly a political thing against Russia.

Kind of like banning creatine here.

I've heard the Russiaphobe conspiracy theories, too. They have known about the ban for 6 months - lots of time to stop taking this drug. Besides, who gives their 17 year old a drug that they believe improves their performance (otherwise they wouldn't take it in the first place.). These are not Vitamin C tablets.

If they ban creatine here, then you stop using it. What about that is hard to understand?

David.

[sureLoss]

huh

Igor Eronko @IgorEronko
#U18TeamRussia stopped using meldonium in November,2 months before it'd be banned,but it's still unclear how much time needed to get cleared

[DJones]

Originally Posted by OkotoksDavid

I've heard the Russiaphobe conspiracy theories, too. They have known about the ban for 6 months - lots of time to stop taking this drug. Besides, who gives their 17 year old a drug that they believe improves their performance (otherwise they wouldn't take it in the first place.). These are not Vitamin C tablets.

If they ban creatine here, then you stop using it. What about that is hard to understand?

David.

Oh I completely agree they are idiots for not stopping in January but can't say I care at all. Edit; just saw that last post. That would make it even more disappointing.

Helping your heart repair itself and whatever the "stress elevation" even means don't sound like game changers. The lack of evidence points to it maybe having a placebo effect more than anything.

[OkotoksDavid]

Originally Posted by DJones

Oh I completely agree they are idiots for not stopping in January but can't say I care at all. Edit; just say that last post. That would make it even more disappointing.

Helping your heart repair itself and whatever the "stress elevation" even means don't sound like game changers. The lack of evidence points to it maybe having a placebo effect more than anything.

That may well be, and I feel sorry for the kids, some of whom will be badly impacted by this. It sounds as if the coaching staff was handing it out as a regular maintenance thing. I have a kid playing hockey, and I'd be ticked if she was getting any medication/drug that I wasn't aware of.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by DJones

Oh I completely agree they are idiots for not stopping in January but can't say I care at all. Edit; just say that last post. That would make it even more disappointing.

Helping your heart repair itself and whatever the "stress elevation" even means don't sound like game changers. The lack of evidence points to it maybe having a placebo effect more than anything.

They stopped in November apparently.

[DJones]

6 months seems a ridiculously long time for a drug to remain in your system.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

They stopped in November apparently.

Not so sure I believe that. Otherwise, why fire the coaching staff?

[sureLoss]

Slava Malamud @SlavaMalamud
Russian Sports Minister says U18 players have been taking Meldonium regularly for 2 years. 2 years! Dating back to when many of them were 14

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

Not so sure I believe that. Otherwise, why fire the coaching staff?

Heads need to roll. That's how these things tend to work. Actual responsibility has very little to do with it.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by DJones

6 months seems a ridiculously long time for a drug to remain in your system.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sp...-idUSKCN0WN1FS

The drug that has produced more than 100 positive sports doping tests since being outlawed on Jan. 1 can take "several months" to completely leave the body, the manufacturer of meldonium told Reuters on Monday.

Evidently much longer than the Russians thought it did.

[sureLoss]

NHL GMs definitely think this will hurt the draft status:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...medium=twitter

With rising Russian stars such as projected top-20 pick German Rubtsov, Artur Kayumov, Dmitri Alexeyev and Mikhail Maltsev now not there, some GMs won’t have had a chance to watch them at all this season.

“They’re a hard group to see,” St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. “So the tournaments are big.”

“It definitely hurts [their draft ranking] from my standpoint,” Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray said. “I’ve only seen Rubstov once and others zero times. My scouts have seen them, but a late, positive viewing goes a long way. It’s human nature.”

That was the case last year. The Russian team finished out of the medals – as has become the norm at this event – but winger Denis Guryanov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov had strong tournaments and were picked in the first round of the 2015 NHL draft by Dallas and Washington.