Opinions & Interviews

According to Glen Hanlon, the first training sessions will focus on the physical form of the players. Assessing the state of his players, the coach said it was rather different. Some of them concentrated on workouts in the gym, others made the emphasis of the training on the ice. A group of players, among whom are, for example, forwards Alexei Ugarov and Andrei Stepanov finished their season in the KHL clubs some time ago and did not hit the ice for a while, the coach explained. Speaking about the Belarusian Extraleague, Glen Hanlon praised the physical readiness of HC Gomel players.

The head coach of the Belarusian national ice hockey team believes that one of the most important goals at the first stage of the preparations for the world sport forum is to see all the players that will be called up in the training camp.

Partaking in the first training session of the final 2013/14 training camp were 11 players (four defensemen and seven forwards). The first stage of the preparations for the 2014 IIHF World Championship will be held at Minsk Arena until 8 April. 5 April is a day-off. The full roster will be formed after the teams complete their performance in various championship playoffs.

The Belarusian team will hold seven matches ahead of the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Six friendlies will take place as part of the European Ice Hockey Challenge in April and one game will be held against Denmark in May.

The schedule of Belarus’ national ice hockey team friendlies is as follows:

9, 11 April. Norway vs Belarus (2 games on the road);

17, 18 April. Belarus vs Switzerland (2 home games);

24, 26 April. Denmark vs Belarus (2 games on the road);

3 May. Belarus vs Denmark (at home).