Penza, 4 November 2015. PenzaNews. Three players of the Penza hockey club “Diesel” in the Supreme Hockey League – Alexander Smetanin, Alexander Zhurun and Pavel Plotnikov – have left the team.

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The contracts with the players were terminated by mutual decision.

“We see no perspectives of long-term cooperation with the players who are leaving,” Vadim Bogatskov, executive director of “Diesel,” commented on the decision.

They consider several more players in the Youth Hockey League that will soon get a chance to prove themselves, he added.

According to the notes published on the club’s website, Pavel Plotnikov joined the team when several players were out due to traumas, but did not show his worth during the period. At the same time, Alexander Zhurun himself admitted he failed to achieve the necessary skill level. In Alexander Smetanin’s case, the club management considered the player to be much more experienced than the youth team roster due to his age, but he failed to meet the expectations.

The announcement coincided with the news of defenseman Nikita Krotikov joined “Diesel.” He will be playing as No. 18.