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KHL to dump two more teams to improve league's quality |
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KHL's new development strategy includes dumping some bodies in order to acquire some fresh ones.
Prior to 2017/2018 Regular season, KHL's board of governors decided that it was time for ''Metallurg'' Novokuznetsk to leave the league. It was also then revealed that by the end of the year league would announce two more teams that couldn't exceed expectations and would be at the bottom of the new rating system (includes things like ticket sales, TV ratings, regular season standings etc.) would then leave the league.
In early March a Russian reporter had made it known that Dinamo Riga and Slovan Bratislava would be the odd guys out. After reaching out to both teams rumors were then quickly put to bed. It wouldn't make much sense to get rid of two European teams when the new expansion plan clearly states that league has to be more focused on clubs outside Russia.
It went as far as a Slovan Bratislava source informing me that there had been no talks about their team leaving, and that league has handed them a guarantee that they would remain in the KHL.
While Dinamo Riga chairman Juris Savickis addressed the rumors on a panel on a broadcast prior to final Dinamo game of the season and confirmed that team has begun process to prepare for next season.
With fourteen days left to the board of governors next meeting that will be held on March 28th, multiple reports out of Russia have indicated that Togliatti Lada and Chanty-Mansijsk Yugra will be announced as teams leaving. A Russian outlet ''Sport-Express'' had received a confirmation from the league that those two are indeed the teams.
After reaching out to multiple KHL executives confirmation of deduction was given, however, league refused to mention which teams would be gone It was also noted that KHL won't add any clubs prior to 2018/2019 season, but likely in time for 2019/2020.
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