Temporary Reinforcements
A frequent point of contention among hockey observers discussing the Spengler Cup's relevance is the use of temporary reinforcements. Since the tournament is open to both clubs and national teams, a rule exists that allows club teams to hire up to four additional players (three skaters and one goaltender) for the duration of the competition. Prior to the 2010 edition, six reinforcement players (five skaters and a goaltender) were allowed per team. In practice, not all participants choose to take advantage of the rule to the same extent, and it works mostly to the host team's benefit. HC Davos, for whom the event is a significant source of income, tends to upgrade its roster with experienced talent in order to guarantee a competitive performance and maintain high interest from the Swiss audience. Other teams don't have such incentives to reinforce their squad and will often be much less selective.
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