I must have been sick the day that they taught geography lessons. Russia is Russia and Europe is Europe is it not? Russia is not considered European in any geographical, cultural or economic sense. Seems to me that logic should apply when classifying hockey players as well. I mean, the philosophy, the training, the skills that these players are know for...all different.

Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 05/30/08 at 04:45 PM ET

Part of Russia is actually in Europe - most is in Asia, but I think the dividing line is the Ural Mountains.

Odessa is in the European part of Russia.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/30/08 at 04:48 PM ET

Ok, you got me on the geography. I forgot about the Ural Mountains. Still, I’ve never thought of any Russian born player as being European. I’ve always thought of them as being Russian. Good thing I didn’t rip the author.

Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 05/30/08 at 06:47 PM ET

You’re welcome.  Is that the result of a fine U of M education? 

The vast majority of the Russian nation is on the Asian continent, and a lot of the Russian identity is Asian in origin (as much as you can say anything so broad about such a demographically varied country).  At times in their history it has been a source of much tension - Peter the Great (Peter I, I think?) was enthralled with European culture, and continually frustrated with what he saw as the backwards, more Asian ways of his subjects.  It was a major motivator in moving the capital to St. Petersburg, which has a very European feel to the architecture.  He was determined to drag his country into the modern world kicking and screaming - no matter how many deaths resulted, unfortunately.  It has been said that St. Petersburg is built on bones.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/30/08 at 07:11 PM ET

UMFanm,
You do know that Russia is not a continent, right?  (As Baroque said, it is slpit between Europe and Asia.)

Posted by NHLJeff from Boston, MA on 05/30/08 at 07:36 PM ET

Quite the geography thread, guys.

I was mostly inspired to put up the story because I had no idea about Gottselig being the answer to that trivia question. In fact, I don’t believe I’d ever heard there was a European-born captain who’d won a Stanley Cup, regardless of arguments of where he was raised and trained.

Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 05/30/08 at 07:51 PM ET

Is that the result of a fine U of M education?

LOL..no. Its the result of a fine UNC undergrad & an expensive Duke graduate.

You do know that Russia is not a continent, right?

Yes I know that Russia is not a continent. The point I guess I was questioning was based upon a conversation I remember in college with a russian from St. Petersburg who thought of himself as being Russian and not European.

Posted by UMFan from Colorado on 05/30/08 at 09:23 PM ET