I've heard people try to compare the KHL to the NHL and it sounds a little like the KHL is to the NHL what the Japanese League is to MLB with people calling it 4A. Just like there are marginal MLB players that can thrive in Japan, there are some fringe NHL guys that are stars in the KHL. Cam Barker led the league in points among defensemen. Then again, there are guys like Ichiro that come to MLB and have really good careers as well as a few serviceable players. The Hawks don't need Kempny to be a star. He might be able to give the same level of production as Oduya- I would think that would be his ceiling. Like anyone else, he'll have to adjust to the smaller ice which is a bigger deal for defensemen. Panarin came from the KHL, so there's definitely potential to be gotten from there.