During an interview with Nova Scotia newspaper The Chronicle Herald, Canadian player David Ling, who's playing for Amur Khabarovsk, was asked about the difference in the level between NHL and KHL.
Ling: "[The KHL] is in between the AHL and NHL. Many good players, though. Just a different game."
He also stressed the difficulties of playing on a team whose nearest competitor is more than 3,000 kilometers away.
Ling: "The travel is crazy where I am. The closest team is a six-hour flight. It feels like we are always on the road, even when at home, because we’re battling jet lag. It’s hardest being away from family. They are most important to me. It’s lonely here. I am either at the rink or at my apartment."
David Ling is currently playing his third season in Russia as he spent 2005-06 with Spartak Moscow and the following season with Dynamo Moscow. He's back in Russia this summer after an year in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies and a season split between Switzerland and Finland. This year he scored four goals and 16 points in 25 matches.
