Rustam Minnikhanov meets with the coaching staff and hockey players of Ak Bars Hockey Club

On February 14, at the team’s training centre of the club in Kazan, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov met with the coaching staff, players and staff of Ak Bars Hockey Club. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport of the republic Vladimir Leonov, President of Ak Bars Ice Hockey Club, Director General of Tatneft Oil Company Nail Maganov, Director of Tatneft - Ak Bars sports-business enterprise Shamil Khusnutdinov, General Manager of Ak Bars Hockey Club Rafik Yakubov took part in the meeting.

During the meeting with sportsmen, Minnikhanov emphasized that Ak Bars players showed good hockey and teamwork during the season.

According to him, everything necessary is provided for the team in Ak Bars Hockey Club to show decent hockey in the playoffs. “You will represent not only your club but the whole Tatarstan. We as fans have high hopes for you. We will ask the Almighty God to let your injuries pass and everything to turn out well. There is a certain confidence that we have seriously prepared and are capable of fighting for the highest places,” – Minnikhanov emphasized.

In his turn, Maganov reminded that hockey is sport number one in Tatarstan and in Kazan, and Ak Bars hockey team knows the taste of victories. Two Gagarin Cups had won earlier are the confirmation of this.

In his response, chief coach of Ak Bars hockey team Zinetula Bilyaletdinov thanked Tatarstan authorities for the attention given to the club. He noted that Ak Bars hockey players managed to show a stable game in this season.