Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Jim kaɗan kafin ƙarshen kakar wasa ta 1988/89, Babban Manajan Flames Cliff Fletcher ya ba da sanarwar cewa ya cimma yarjejeniya da hukumomin Soviet wanda ya ba Sergei Pryakhin damar yin wasa a Arewacin Amurka. Wannan shi ne karo na farko da aka ba da izinin memba na ƙungiyar 'yan wasan Soviet don yin wasa don ƙungiyar da ba ta Soviet ba. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan haka, 'yan wasan Soviet sun fara ambaliya cikin NHL. Kungiyoyi sun yi hasashen cewa za a sami kwararar 'yan wasan Soviet a cikin shekarun 1990, kamar yadda aka zaɓi Soviets 18 a cikin NHL Entry Draft na 1989. Dukan layin "KLM", babban layin ƙungiyar Soviet, ya shiga NHL a 1989 kamar yadda Vladimir Krutov da Igor Larionov suka buga wa Canucks, yayin da Sergei Makarov ya tafi Calgary. Makarov ya lashe Calder Memorial Trophy a matsayin rookie na shekara a 1990, zaɓin da ya haifar da rikici; yana da shekaru 32 kuma ya buga wasanni 11 a gasar Soviet. Bayan rikici, NHL ta gyara dokokinta: 'yan wasan da suka wuce shekaru 26 ba a sake la'akari da kyautar ba. Rushewar Berlin Wall a 1989 da kuma mutuwar Iron Curtain ya ba da hanya ga mafi yawan 'yan wasan Turai na Gabas su yi wasa a Arewacin Amirka. 'Yan wasan Turai shida ne kawai aka zaɓa a cikin NHL Entry Draft na 1979. Wannan adadin ya karu zuwa 32 a cikin
1989, yayin da aka kaddamar da 'yan Turai 123 a shekarar 2000. Turawa sun kai kashi 22.5% na NHL a cikin 2013<unk>14, jimillar 'yan wasa 232.