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Top Belarusian hockey clubs sign player exchange deal

Belarusian hockey clubs Dinamo Minsk and Yunost Minsk have struck a deal on player exchange, BelaPAN reports.

Dinamo Minsk are preparing for their third season in the Continental Hockey League, which consists of top Russian clubs and teams from Latvia and Kazakhstan.

Yunost Minsk have been crowned Belarus' champions this past April and will play in the domestic league in the new season despite repeatedly announcing their plans to join the Continental Hockey League.

Under the agreement, Dinamo may send up to six players to Yunost but can recall them at any moment, the former club's press office said.

Dinamo also has a player exchange agreement with Shakhtsyor Salihorsk and plans to sign a similar deal with another Belarusian club.

Alyaksey Torbin, Dinamo's acting director general, said that the club should not "stay away from hockey processes within the country, from the domestic league." "We view cooperation with hockey club Yunost Minsk as promising and mutually beneficial," he was quoted as saying.

Syarhey Salanets, director general of Yunost, said that the agreement was aimed at serving the interests of Belarusian hockey and preparing more players for the national squad.