Dynamo Minsk plan to naturalize Groulx, Lalande, and Linglet

Dynamo Minsk general director Alexey Torbin said the club had filed an application to the Belarusian Hockey Federation (FHRB) asking permission to naturalize the club’s three Canadians: defenceman Danny Groulx, goaltender Kevin Lalande, and forward Charles Linglet. None of them ever played for Team Canada and, therefore, they can all become eligible for Belarus.

«I do not think there’s anything sensational about it. It’s a common practice around the world today. Why is it a problem? I don’t think I should remind you that, for example, Demagin, Mezin, and Antonov aren’t Belarusians by birth as well.

«The said North Americans may stay here for more than one year. Lalande, for example, has a two-year contract. That means he will spend at least as much time in Belarus as it is needed to pass the ‘quarantine’ required for an uncapped player to become eligible for Belarus.

«Using the sports law we are just expanding the list of candidates for the national team. If they perform well for Dynamo during a long period of time, become loved by the public, and express such an intention in the end, why can’t they play for our national team?» Torbin said as quoted by Pressball.