Khabibulin to skip world cup

[ShadowFFVI]

MOSCOW -- Russia has suffered a major blow to its buildup for the World Cup: No. 1 goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin said he would miss the event, which begins across North America in early September.

Khabibulin, who backstopped the Tampa Bay Lightning to their first Stanley Cup with some spectacular goaltending earlier this month, was unhappy with Russia's preparations.

"We have no chance of winning based on the current situation surrounding the preparations of our national team," Khabibulin was quoted as saying by Sport-Express newspaper. "I have already had a similar experience before the 1996 World Cup when there was total chaos in our organization.

"This time we have more of the same and frankly I don't see any point in my participation in this tournament," he added.

Russia, trying for its first title at this event since 1981, will also be without goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who helped the San Jose Sharks reach the Western Conference finals. He is having knee surgery next month.

Russia's preparations for the prestigious eight-team tournament have been off track since they started.

Last month, Russia named former Dynamo Moscow coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov to lead the team in place of 73-year-old Viktor Tikhonov, who was sacked after Russia's dismal showing at the world championship in the Czech Republic.

Bilyaletdinov had been sacked by Dynamo a month earlier after a string of poor results in the Russian Elite League, and his appointment as national team coach brought heavy criticism from the media and fans.

The Russians were also late naming their squad after asking World Cup organizers to extend deadline by a week.

Several of their leading NHL players said they were considering skipping the tournament, which brings together the world's top eight teams -- Canada, the United States, Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland and Germany.

[Johan Eriksson]

Too bad for the tournament if Russia has it's B-Squad as starters for it, but I can understand the players. The Russian hockey federation seems chaotic to use small words, and I don't like the fact that politicians seems to be interfering either. It would have been fun to watch a great Russian team, though...

[pkayna]

Nikoli Khabibulin
<<<-------------me

[Blindside]

Wow... Great news!!!

[Maakala]

Wow who's gonna play goal for Russia? It's kind of sad seeing a great hockey country like Russia going almost down the toilet.

[Johan Eriksson]

Does that mean that Sokolov or the other World Championships goalie will be in net for Russia?

[lari]

I can't really blame Khabby. The Russian team management has been a mess. They really should do themselves a favour and hire foreign coaching staff. There's too much friction. The players hated the old Soviet system, but there's no way around the fact that the leading hockey staff in Russia, the people pulling the strings, is still from that era. For instance, Tikhonov is still in the picture. The players don't want to play for a team lead by the same people that were in power in the 80s.

[Travis]

Russia is a mess with international hockey. I almost feel bad for them.
















NOT.

[TheNextOne]

reading that article where the Russians wanted him to be the MVP, and now reading this makes me laugh.

It's pretty sad when one of the greatest hockey nations in the world has a program in shambles. They could ice such an awesome lineup but wont due to petty politics

[TheNextOne]

also, it appears Markov, Zhamnov, Fedorov, Kovalchuk and a few others will pull out along with Nabakov and Khabibulin.

The russian team might be loaded with 3rd and 4th liners in the end.