Sergej Zinovjev won the World Championship

With just days to go until the start of the Spengler Cup, the Dynamo Moscow team has secured the invaluable services of Sergej Zinovjev.  In May 2008, the center-forward won the World Championship playing for the Russian National team. 

Zinovjev joins the Dynamo Moscow transferring from the Russian Ice Hockey team from the town of Kazan, the Ak Bars Kazan.  The Russian World Champion will already be present with the team for the Spengler Cup.  Aside from a short stint playing in the NHL for the Boston Bruins, Zinovjev has been under contract to the Ak Bars Kazan, currently 2nd place in their division, since 2002.  Together with forwards Aleksej Morozov and Danis Zaripov, he formed the "Axis of Success" for the Ak Bars.

Weeks of arguments

Zinovjev's transfer was accompanied by weeks of arguments.  After having only fair results in the early part of the season, the Ak Bars coach Biljaletdinov broke up the "Axis of Success" and shifted Zinovjev to playing for the second period.  After a while, the coach stopped using Zinovjev and benched him.  The world champion center-forward's request to be released for transfer was denied, further intensifying the conflict between player, coach and club management.

The best center-forward in the league

Zinovjev finally appealed to the Russian League KHL which as of this season has been modelled along the lines of the NHL.  The KHL declared Zinovjev a "free agent", thus effectively dissolving his contract with Ak Bars Kazan without requiring compensation for the club.  This decision was not accepted in Kazan and they announced they would challenge the KHL decision and take steps against the KHL and Zinovjev.  Zinovjev had by this time also become unpopular with the Ak Bars fans.  "Since leaving Kazan, I have had to worry about the safety and welfare of my family," Zinovjev explained to the Russian sports newspaper, Sovjetskij Ekspress.  With Zinovjev's joining the Moscow team, the quarrelsome controversy has finally been put to rest.  Despite missing playing time during the national championship season, National Coach Bykov continued to believe in the value of having Zinovjev on the team.  Following the 4 to 1 victory against Finnland, Bykov had nothing but praise for Zinovjev, "He played very strongly.  Zinovjev still deserves to be considered one of the best center-forwards in the league."