Foreign goaltenders banned from Belarus League

After the flop of national team campaign at last World Championship, Federation President Evgeny Vorsin promised radical changes in Belarusian hockey: he keeps his word: the last Executive Committee at Belarusian Federation was very hot: besides to introduce a salary cap of 75.000 dollars for month and restrict to four the number of imports allowed in next League, the most controversial decision was to forbid the use of foreign goaltenders, aiming to develop local talents. The decision becomes effective from the 2012-13 season, despite three top club - Silver medalist Neman Grodno, Gomel and Shakhtar Soligorsk - had announced in last weeks the sign of import goalies: Gomel extended the contract of Finnish Pasi Häkkinen, while the new arrivals are: Slovenian Andrej Hocevar at Neman and Swedish Daniel Sperrle at Soligorsk.

Belarusian one is the first professional hockey league in Europe to decided such a limitation. KHL has a rule to limit at 67% the games a foreign goalie can play during the season. The reactions among the teams were generally negative, but there are also some voices in favour.
Neman Grodno Chairman Vasili Rudko commented: "We proposed to apply the ban from next season, but we have not heard. For some reason, I don't know. Who was interested in this? You can't do that when contracts have been already signed with the players.  And it's wrong to say that it is just an our problem. Changes for next season were discussed even before the playoffs. Then it was made the decision about the import limit, but  didn't hear a single word about goalies, the idea emerged only now.

If we had a lot of skilled goalkeepers, why not? But at the moment the situation is different. We had to make changes gradually.
All that was done until now, almost always has a positive result, although not momentary. But now it's hard to tell which will be the effect of the forbidden decision. I agree: we need to rely on Belarus goalies. But it would be better if the young goaltenders to learn from his more experienced colleagues from Russia or the rest of Europe. They could share with our players their experiences. More, you can create the basis of a specialized goalies' school. We will received a compensation because we are penalized by this decision, but the amount is still unknown.

I'm very sorry for Andrej Hocevar, he is a professional goalkeeper and he really wanted to play with us. Of course, he was very upset with the news. After all he had other offers and rejected to accept the our. Moreover, we already solved his family matter. He wanted to come to Grodno with his wife, who soon will have a baby. We found a flat for them, but all gone wrong".

Shakhtar General Director Leonid Fatikov is more polemic: "This is a complete nonsense! So why the Federation doesn't forbid also to sign an import left-winger!!. The ban is a controversial idea and totally unnecessary: look at Russia for example: there they set a limit in foreign goalies' playing time. This is a civilized and acceptable rule. During the season from time to time you can align a kid: in the play-offs it's a different situation with more pressure, so you can use your experienced goalie. We obviously weren't warned about the possible changes in rules. And at a meeting of the Executive Committee all the poor clubs who cannot afford the luxury of an import goalie, caught on the idea - that's all. So now we all are equal in poverty!  Who made the decision to ban? The Federation. So the same Federation has to pay for the harm caused.

I talked with the agent of Daniel Sperrle. He said: "This is Belarus!" And also suggested that our federation will be pressured by the IIHF. In which European country is prohibited for foreigners to work? It feels like we invented hockey. We must look at those who has hundred years of experience in this sport and follow their example".

Two goalies are less critical about the new rule: MHL's Dinamo-Shinnik Denis Kovalyov: "On one side is good for the Belarusian goalies because they will get a lot of playing time, but on the other hand the level of the championship will fall. Maybe I'm wrong".

22-years old Maksim Schepko spent last season as Pasi Hakkinen back-up in Gomel and now face the possibility of become the number one goalie: "It's a complicated question, wait and see what will happen. Maybe it's for the better, but maybe not ...Last season surely I learned something from Pasi, but frankly it's psychologically hard to be behind a foreign experienced goalie. I'm now ready to take the first position, I will play more focused then before because I'll try to justify this responsibility!"

 

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