Hockey agent Shumi Babaev shared his thoughts on Metallurg`s prospects for the 2025/26 KHL season.
— Metallurg seems to be assembling a relatively small forward line-up. Could this pose a problem for the team? The recent trend among champions has been towards larger, mobile forwards.
— And who won the Gagarin Cup two seasons ago?
— Metallurg did.
— What kind of roster did they have?
— Metallurg`s team included some larger forwards as well, like Pavel Akolzin and Maxim Karpov.
— It`s not essential for *all* players to be large or physical. You simply need a specific line with that characteristic. I believe that cups are not won by the first or second lines. These lines are quite similar across most teams, whether in the KHL or the NHL. Gagarin Cups are won by the third and fourth lines. These lines should feature powerful, physical players. The roster building process isn`t finished yet. If Metallurg makes additions in these areas, I don`t see any issues preventing the team from contending for the highest honors.
Duncan Priestley