KHL likely to lose another team before next season
With the departure of former NHLer and team captain Andrei Kostitsyn, KHL's only team from Belarus, HC Dinamo Minsk is setting off an alarm that may signal at least a temporary absence from the KHL.
Kostitsyn played 110 games over two seasons for Dinamo, scoring 31 goals and adding 30 assists. Both the club and the player wanted to continue the arrangement, but, as the club's general director Dmitriy Baskov said, financial problems with the club got in the way. These same issues may lead to Dinamo not being allowed to participate when the next KHL season starts.
In January of 2020, they lost their biggest sponsor. Belaruskali, one of the largest producers of potash in the world, ended their association with the club. This has led to salaries still being owed to players, not to mention the possibility of the team being unable to sign enough players to reach the salary floor for the next KHL season. The team has been struggling to find a new sponsor, but it seems that even Belarus' all-powerful dictator Alexander Lukashenko is unwilling to get directly involved.
Alexey Shevchenko of Sport Express stated that it is unlikely that the club will be allowed to go under completely. But if the situation is not remedied, Dinamo may be forced to miss a season completely or compete in the Belarusian Extraleague. HC Admiral Vladivostok has already withdrawn from league participation for next season due to financial difficulties.
Sources: Sport Express
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MAY 18, 2026
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| Rasmus Dahlin | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Phillip Danault | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Greenway | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kaiden Guhle | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Beck Malenstyn | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ryan McLeod | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Owen Power | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mattias Samuelsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nick Suzuki | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alexandre Texier | - | 1 | 1 | |
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| Zach Benson | - | - | - | |
| Bowen Byram | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Cole Caufield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
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| Josh Doan | - | - | - | |
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