The head coach of SKA, **Igor Larionov**, addressed the question of whether the military club plans to recruit players from North America.

**”Given SKA’s resources and your authority, will the focus be on July 1st when the NHL market opens?”**
— That sounds appealing, but not every player with a foreign name meets the required standards. The NHL consists of 32 teams, and the level of play has improved. A free agent from the third or fourth line in the NHL nowadays earns a significant salary. To say that we can bring in a player of that caliber, knowing that we have our own guys who can achieve the same for 10 million instead of 100, makes little sense. Why refer to foreign players, assemble a lineup that dazzles while our local talents sit on the bench – what purpose does that serve? It’s clear that there are ambitions, but one can become a champion in other ways. Not just with those hitting the market on July 1st, but also with those who are ready and playing, even if they aren’t being noticed. There are plenty of examples of undrafted players, like Panarin. Most likely, we won’t be actively seeking anyone. The main thing is ambition and desire; we’re not looking to bring someone just for them to come to Russia, collect a paycheck, and leave. It’s crucial to understand the individuals who want to join us and what they can contribute to the team. It’s essential to pay attention to these details.

**”Will the emphasis be on local players?”**
— We need to take a close look; each position requires thorough analysis. You assess what a player can offer, whether they can give even more, or if they’ve already reached their potential. I’m not ready to specify who we will rely on, but there might be two to four players who can be of value… However, these won’t be blockbuster signings. Yes, it would be great to acquire McDavid, but that’s unrealistic. What’s the sense in getting players for high salaries who are only slightly better than what we already have? — These are the words of Larionov as conveyed by Championship correspondent Elena Kuznetsova.