Gdansk's Bid To Become First Polish Team To Join KHL Foiled By Financial Difficulties

Kontinental Hockey League President Alexander Medvedev revealed that Gdansk’s bid to become Poland’s first KHL hockey team next season "has foundered for financial reasons," according to R-SPORT. The failure is "a blow to Medvedev’s dream of expanding the Russia-based KHL westwards across Europe" all the way to Britain to create a true rival to the North American NHL. The announcement comes five days after KHL inspectors "approved the team's arena to host games." New KHL teams are "required to prove they have suitable facilities and the money to assemble a competitive team." Medvedev added that some of the other four candidates to join next season "are experiencing problems." He also said that two Russian teams, one in Vladivostok and the other the former KHL team Lada Tolyatti, "have not provided necessary assurances to the league" (R-SPORT, 3/19).