Evgeny Artyukhin, former forward for the Russian national team, responded to the news that “Siberia” has missed out on the opportunity to compete in the playoffs of the KHL Championship.
Artyukhin expressed his view that “Amur”, “Neftekhimik”, and “Siberia” had been asked which of the three teams had a chance to secure a spot in the playoffs. He emphasized that the clear favorites would be Khabarovsk and Nizhnekamsk. Additionally, he commented that the dismissal of the coach in Novosibirsk would not alter the situation. He also mentioned that the initial lineup assembled for the season was not suitable for the task of reaching the playoffs, as the players’ level did not meet the requirements for a top-eight position. Artyukhin suggested that the coach of “Siberia” needed to implement a fast, attacking style of play, similar to that of “Torpedo”. He also stated that demands for an attacking game, coupled with players who do not fit that style, made it challenging to achieve success. Furthermore, he noted that the team gave away Nikolai Prokhorkin at the deadline and did not significantly strengthen the team, which led to the lack of possibility for “Siberia” to reach the playoffs. Artyukhin’s remarks were quoted by “RB Sport.”
“Siberia” currently holds the tenth position in the Eastern Conference table, with 62 points in 64 games.