Well-known hockey coach Vladimir Krikunov, St. Petersburg SKA coach Roman Rotenberg’s statement that if the Russian players leave, the National Hockey League (NHL) will “collapse”. Quotes by Krikunov metaratings.ru.
“Of course, the league wouldn’t have completely disappeared if all the Russians were removed from the NHL – it’s a commercial construct. Everyone is watching whether Ovechkin will catch up with Gretzky. They’re trying to fence off our guys so they can play quietly. If we didn’t have our men, there would be less interest, which means less income. Business comes first,” said Krikunov.
Recall that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decided to exclude Russian hockey players from participation in international tournaments even with neutral status, and Russia took away the right to host a home youth world championship in 2023. In early July, the IIHF Disciplinary Committee rejected the Russian Ice Hockey Federation’s (RHF) appeals for admission to international competitions.
It is worth noting that recently the leadership of the NHL decided to leave the World Cup in 2024.
Former ex-hockey player of the Russian national team Maxim Sushinsky declarationThat the NHL won’t collapse if the Russians go.
Source: Gazeta
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