Varitsky: Avangard injuries won't rule out Lokomotiv rivals
Ex-GM Igor Varitsky says Avangard's injured players will be fit by spring and able to strengthen before the deadline, keeping Lokomotiv's playoff path from being a formality.
Igor Varitsky, the former general manager of Shanghai and Vityaz, says it is too early to rule out challengers to Lokomotiv this Fonbet KHL season, despite an injury list at Avangard that has thinned their squad going into the campaign.
Lokomotiv have won the last two Gagarin Cups, in 2025 under Igor Nikitin and in 2026 under Bob Hartley. Dmitri Kvartalnov took over as head coach in Yaroslavl over the summer.
"It would be unfounded to say right now that nobody can challenge Lokomotiv. Avangard currently have a lot of injured players, but they'll make the play-offs by default. By spring everyone will be fit again, and before the deadline there'll be time to strengthen the squad if the cap allows it — and it always does. Lokomotiv are capable of playing in a third straight final regardless," Varitsky said.
Asked whether Kvartalnov's lack of a title as head coach could become a problem given his tendency to grow tense at the sharpest moments of the play-offs, Varitsky pointed to his experience in a cup final with CSKA.
"Everything comes with the years. I'd very much like Dmitri Vyacheslavovich to win the Cup — he's a highly respected, distinguished coach. He's come through a hard school," Varitsky said.
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