Nizhny Novgorod's "Chaika" will continue to play at the KRK "Nagorny"

      The youth hockey team "Chaika" will continue to play at the KRK "Nagorny" in the new season. This arena is considered by the club as the main venue for home matches, said the general director of "Torpedo," Evgeny Zabuga, at a press conference on the results of the 2025/2026 season.

      "At the moment, we are considering the continuation of 'Chaika's' games at 'Nagorny' as the basic option. In our opinion, this was a fairly successful experience this season. We understood that 'Chaika' does not lose its audience. I know that a significant number of spectators came from Avtozavod," he noted.

      Zabuga emphasized that the atmosphere of big professional sports is important for young hockey players. Moreover, after the main team's move to a new arena at "Strelka," modern infrastructure will remain at "Nagorny."

      "It should be noted that after the first team's move to the new arena at Strelka, we are leaving behind a very decent facility: we have a good sports block with a locker room, infrastructure for training on land, and a good gym. We simply cannot leave this infrastructure behind; we must utilize it," Zabuga emphasized.

      The palace will also retain its status as a backup arena. The management takes into account the previous negative experiences of other cities. The general director recalled the situation in Omsk, where the arena was declared emergency, and there was no alternative venue in the city, forcing the team to leave the region.

      "We plan to continue the story with 'Nagorny.' The palace deserves to keep professional hockey," Zabuga stated.

      Recall that HC "Torpedo" will receive the "Volga Arena" at Strelka in the summer of 2026 and will start the next season at the new venue. It was previously assumed that the youth team would also move to the new arena with the main team, and "Nagorny" would become the home ground for "Torpedo-Gorky," competing in the Supreme Hockey League. However, last week it became known that the farm club would not participate in the next season of the VHL.

      At the same time, reconstruction of "Nagorny" and the Konovalенко Sports Palace is also planned in the coming years. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.