Agent Shumi Babayev told he doesn’t like the proposal to lower the Legionnaires’ cap in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as it could lower the level of the championship.
Previously, the Russian Hockey Federation (FHR) proposed to reduce the limit of Legionnaires in the KHL to three players. Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin backed the initiative and said the limit would be reduced in 2023. Now league clubs can apply for the five foreign match.
– I have already said that I am categorically against this limit, because it will certainly deteriorate the quality of our championship, reduce competition. This will create conditions where there will be an incorrect increase in player salaries.
We will now increase the number of teams and matches. Young hockey players have to look to someone. If there are only three legionnaires left, nothing good will happen. At the same time, it must be high-quality foreign actors. If we reduce it, then to three foreign players, but make two additional places in the application for foreigners who meet certain high level criteria. Namely, the number of games in the NHL, for the national team, at the Olympics and at the world championships. According to these criteria, the two remaining players will have to be selected.
So we will reduce the limit, but we will force the clubs to take better players. Although I think for the most part we have good legionnaires now. Percentage for 60% of the total. But the remaining 40% must be finalized by certain measures and regulations. However, I consider the reduction, as well as the increase in the limit from two to three for young players, to be absolutely wrong,” Babaev told .
Source : MatchTV
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