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Kazakhstan's national hockey team may receive a significant boost with the potential addition of key players Valery Orekhov and Nikita Mikhailis. Both athletes recently concluded their Gagarin Cup playoff run with Magnitogorsk Metallurg، opening the door for their participation in the upcoming World Championship in Poland.

End of Club Season

Valery Orekhov and Nikita Mikhailis finished their season after Metallurg lost in the semi-finals of the Gagarin Cup to Ak Bars. The final match saw Metallurg fall 3-4 to their opponents from Tatarstan. Both Orekhov، a defenseman، and Mikhailis، a forward، contributed to their team's scoring in that decisive game، with Orekhov netting two goals and Mikhailis scoring one.

Potential National Team Call-Up

The inclusion of Orekhov and Mikhailis in the national team roster has been a point of anticipation. They were previously included in the extended list for the World Championship in Poland. The coaching staff had expressed hope for their availability، contingent on their club's playoff progress and administrative approvals.

Adding to the potential roster changes، defenseman Artyom Korolyov and forward Kirill Panyukov had previously declined their call-ups. This situation could create a clearer path for Orekhov and Mikhailis to join the squad.

World Championship Aspirations

Kazakhstan is competing in the World Championship with the goal of returning to the top division. They are grouped with Ukraine، France، Poland، Lithuania، and Japan. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Poland from May 2nd to May 8th.

The Kazakh national team has started the tournament strongly، securing two victories in their initial matches. They defeated Lithuania 4-1 and Japan with a decisive 6-0 scoreline. Their next challenge will be against host nation Poland on Tuesday، May 5th، at 22:30 Astana time.