Alexey Shevchenko
NUMBERS
Moscow “Spartak” returns to the number of participants in the Super League.
It turns out that 18 +1 = 18. That's the way the numbers in the Russian Hockey Federation add up. All the Super League clubs suddenly spoke in unison for the return of the “people's” team, which survived the financial collapse in the middle of the year. And the executive committee of the FHR approved this humanism. The same authority recently swore that 18 teams would play in the 2007/08 season. And now he is quietly expanding the league. And there are already rumors that at the same time they can forgive the departing Amur and Wings of the Soviets, as well as accept the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo into the Super League. It turns out 21. If you add according to the normal rules.
VETERAN
Forward Dmitry Kvartalnov moved to Severstal.
At the beginning of this season, the most experienced of the playing Russian hockey players (he turned 40 in March) was thinking: should he play for “Wings of the Soviets” or not? Is it worth going to training every day (albeit on an individual program) or is it better to relax? In short, a man rushed about. But then he somehow got involved in the work and now even changed the club. The forward moves to Cherepovets, which, incidentally, greatly compromises the breeders there. With all due respect to the veteran, who made his debut in the USSR Championship 1982 - 1983, he is too far from the previous conditions.
FOREIGNER
Goalkeeper Peter Skudra replaced CSKA on Novokuznetsk Metallurg.
Disagreements between Skudra and Bykov arose on the basis of disrespect for the Latvian legionnaire to the Russian anthem, which is performed before each match of the national championship. During this, Skudra was warming up, crawling on the ice and putting on his helmet underlined early. The coach of the national team could not endure this.
FIGARO
Forward “Wings of the Soviets” Oleg Gubin moved immediately into two teams.
Forward revealed this season, defending the colors of an outsider super league, and received a dozen tempting offers. And when it became clear that the club from Setun would remain poor, a real hunt was launched for Gubin. It was as difficult for him to make a choice as a sweet tooth - to decide in a candy store. As a result, the guy signed two contracts: with Dynamo and Severstal. The FHR Arbitration Committee may now disqualify him for a year.
TEAM
From the “Wings of the Soviets” all the leading hockey players left.
Marat Safin, who bought the hockey team the year before last, is now losing sight of the public. For the club he owns eke out a miserable existence. It got to the point that the window was replenished by Alexei Komarov from the amateur league. The staff has not received a salary since September. Players transfer some money, but it’s known for certain that “Wings” is the only Super League club where they do not pay bonus money. They did not pay for them for the previous two seasons. By the way, the team is still facing the danger of losing the season.
HEARING
Vladimir Krikunov will not finalize in Dynamo to the playoffs.
The clouds over the head coach are gathering, despite the fact that club president Mikhail Golovkov stands behind him and claims that it is better not to find a coach. But the reality is that most players quietly hate the mentor, he himself does not treat them very well - about the same way as Krikunov himself - the fans. It remains to see Golovkova's sight.