By the end of May, the top clubs are trying to complete the transfer campaign and form the backbone of the team for next season. This year it became even more difficult to form a team, due to the difficult political situation, the refusal of most foreigners to go to the KHL. SKA has now become one of those that has completely abandoned foreign players. At the end of the season, goalkeeper Lars Johansson, defenders Mikko Lehtonen, Matt Robinson (retired), Oscar Fantenberg and forwards Leo Komarov and Joonas Kempainen will play in St. He left Petersburg. The loss of legionnaires was not fatal for the army.

To date, Roman Rotenberg, vice-president of the club and head coach of the main team, has signed seven new players. For five in the KHL, St. There was a serious fight, in which the St. Petersburg team won. The main signing is a two-year contract with Damir Zhafyarov. Nearly all top clubs have made claims for the 28-year-old striker who has entered the free agency. The player’s manager, Shumi Babaev, stammered about his client’s desire to try his hand at the NHL. However, as a year ago, the striker remained in Russia. According to media reports, the player will earn 155 million in two seasons in SKA. Currently an acceptable amount for a hockey player of this level. True, Zhafyarov never successfully played in the playoffs, for the first time he got into the top club, which was supposed to be the leader (he did not succeed in CSKA, but he was 21 at that time). Damir will replace Andrey Kuzmenko, who left for the NHL, and possibly Nikita Gusev, who left for America, but his chances of leaving are much less. If Gusev stays, it looks like no one in the league will have as many offensive masters as in the Northern capital.

It can be suggested that Zhafyarov will be judged in the top three with Nikolai Prokhorkin (another new player for whom there is also a serious struggle in the market) and Marat Khairullin. The latter moved to the SKA as a result of bartering from Neftekhimik for a lot of money (the press wrote about 90 million rubles as compensation). Anton Burdasov is thought to be his replacement (he has a good shot). Also, Marat plays well in defense. On paper, this first link looks extremely interesting. But the army team still has reserves in the attack. It was possible to save Zakhar Bardakov, who revealed himself at the end of the season. The current contract is with Mikhail Vorobyov, who can close the position of the second center. Artem Fedorov, a good player, is also moving to the club, but whether there is a place for him in the squad is a question mark. The biggest advantage of the army is its youth. Marat Khusnutdinov, Matvey Michkov, Fedor Svechkov, Nikita Chibrikov should play in the KHL. However, there are doubts that anyone can get enough playing time.

The army team guarded Alexander Volkov, extended Valentin Zykov, Artem Shvets-Rogovoy, Emil Galimov, Danila Moiseev, Vladislav Tsitsyura, Evgeny Ketov. In the offensive, the SKA will again enter into fierce competition, and this is despite the departure of Burdasov, Marchenko and foreigners. There are no gaps in defense either. Igor Ozhiganov remained, Mikhail Pashnin and Andrey Pedan came. And already at the end of May, the defense was completed.

Falkovsky – Ozhiganov;

Pashnin-Rukavishnikov;

Pedan-Kamalov; There are also Koromyslov, Solyannikov, Kirsanov, Sedov, Pylenkov.

There are questions only about the goalkeepers, but this position is a problem for almost all clubs in the league. A pair of Samonov – Nikolaev does not seem to be going after the Gagarin Cup. Still, looking at the army’s rivals, all is not so bad. Both played in the KHL, Samonov had a great 2020/21 season and even went to the World Championships where he looked great. If Alexander returns his best game, SKA will not face any great difficulties. And again a plus for the army team – the system is full of young and talented goalkeepers (Sergey Ivanov, Kirill Gerasimyuk, Valery Brinkman) waiting for their chance in the KHL.

SKA’s transfer campaign is no worse than that of Ak Bars, which brought together stars led by Oleg Znark. Roman Rotenberg, who is preparing to spend his first official and full-fledged season as the team’s head coach, may have a pretty good roster today. Thanks to excellent finances, good conditions and the high status of the club, players willingly moved to St. He’s going to St. Petersburg. The other thing is that the army team doesn’t seem ready to give up their seven or eight link system and will continue to keep many players in reserve. This could play a negative role for SDG as in previous years. But here and now the army team has everything to fight for the Gagarin Cup. Roman Rotenberg-manager did a good job. It is not yet clear how Roman Rotenberg-coach will prove himself.

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