Regulations
A month before the start of the tournament, the general managers of the clubs complained that they could not plan the costs even for the coming days, not to mention something longer-term. No one knew when the championship would begin, how long it would last, how many teams would take part in it. “Spartak” (and, by the way, “Hammer-Prikamye”) were given deferrals to fill out the application until the last. And when guarantees were received that the team would be able to play in the championship (Permians to their credit immediately fell off), and everyone had already printed the calendar, red-white ones backed up and withdrew from the tournament.
As a result, 19 teams played in the Super League, and almost all got into the playoffs - 16. The regular season lost its meaning, as it later became clear that the two worst would not leave the elite division. Amur are not allowed to enter the big leagues because the team has a modern stadium and many fans, Wings of the Soviets because of its rich history.
Then a strange decision was made that Spartak would be given the opportunity to return immediately to the Super League. At the same time, no one canceled the decision to move from the major league to the super league. And the number of teams in the next season should, however, be no more than this one - it is not clear not only why, but how it is possible.
The solution to this incredible equation, we are afraid, will make the championship regulations the main event of the next season.
Strike in "Wings of the Soviets"
At first, everyone was jealous that the millionaire Ralif Safin came to Wings, and then they started laughing. The team from Setuni remained the poorest in the championship of Russia. Helped the sale of players, and they lived on it. When the last re-bid campaign ended, the funds ran out altogether and the hockey players stopped paying. They waited three months and decided to go on strike.
True, in the end, a big scandal did not work out. Although the team almost framed Salavat Yulaev. In Ufa they said that it was not necessary to go to Moscow, there would be no game. Follow the Yulaev’s advice, would they be considered a defeat? 0: 5. The guys from the farm went out onto the ice (moreover, they still played in the first league), but it still didn’t work out beautifully. 1:17 from the Vanguard, 1:14 from the Ak Bars. Now, they say, Safin is selling the team. I wonder how much? Did he invest in it?
Coaching leapfrog in Lokomotiv
Three coaches per season is not the record that Yaroslavl will be proud of. But to predict such a development was not so difficult. Everyone understood (well, maybe, with the exception of furious fans of Soviet hockey) that Vladimir Yurzinov Sr. did not last long. There is the concept of a disheartened hockey player, and in this case, perhaps, we saw a disconcerted coach. From here, by the way, are ridiculous decisions in the summer, when Vladimir Antipov, the team leader, was kicked out for a trivial reason.
It was also clear that Nikolai Borschevsky would come for a short while, in general it was not clear why he agreed to this work. And it all ended with Paul Gardner, who managed to get through only the first round of the playoffs. Interestingly, the contract was not automatically renewed with him, but for some time they studied other candidates.
Still, Lokomotiv is overly demanding management.
Victory “Magnitogorsk”
Magnitogorsk “Metallurg” in the playoffs proved that the leadership, coaches and players managed to solve all the problems that were at the beginning of the championship. The Uralians beat Omsk Avangard beautifully. And they had a great finale against the powerful Ak Bars.
A new champion is always interesting. Monopolies in sports are not good.
Malkin's escape
After the Magnitogorsk club became the champion of Russia, and a new star Nikolai Kulemin appeared in the team, I don’t even want to remember Malkin’s escape to America. But in general it is strange that in modern Russia someone else is running away from someone. Moreover, through a neutral country. I want to believe this was the last such incident in the history of Russia. Courts in America have proven that our contracts are not valid. So you can leave at any time.
Alexey Shevchenko