Since Soviet times, it has developed so that the majority of Russian hockey players, if they play in Europe, do so in Switzerland. Recently, the trend has begun to change: young Russians go to Finland to grow, and experienced hockey players receive offers from exotic places such as Nice or Edinburgh. We decided to find out in what European clubs hockey players from Russia are performing this season.
, “Wisp” (Switzerland), 8 (3+5) points in 6 matches
Kovalev announced completion sports career two years ago. This year he decided to return to sports, becoming the playing sports director of the Swiss Visp, which plays in the second strongest division. It was “Wisp” that was his last team in his career.
43-year-old Kovalev does not play often, and appears in only a third of the team’s matches. If he is on the ice, then be sure that he will not leave without scoring points.
43-year-old Kovalev does not play often, and appears in only a third of the team’s matches. But if he is on the ice, then rest assured that Kovalev will not leave without scoring points, and if it comes to shootouts, he will show his skills there too.
Alexey Krutov, Red Ice (Switzerland), 3 (1+2) points in 14 matches
Son of the legendary Soviet hockey player Vladimir Krutov Alexey returned to Switzerland this year. For the last five seasons he played in the KHL, last year He started at Spartak Moscow and finished at its farm club, Khimik Voskresensk in the VHL. Before returning to Russia, Krutov played in the main Swiss league for Zurich; now he plays in the Russian team of the second league. Mikhail Flyagin and Dmitry Malgin also play for Red Ice, and Albert Malgin is the sports director. His youngest son Denis is playing in the NHL this year.
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Sergei Khoroshun, Nice (France), 3 matches
At the end of October, the website of the VHL club THC reported unexpected news: goalkeeper Sergei Khoroshun was leaving the team and will continue his career in the French “Nice”. For the 36-year-old goalkeeper, this is not the first time he has gone abroad; about five years ago, he managed to play in Slovakia for Banska Bystrica and in the Ukrainian Championship for Kiev Berkut. Defender Andrei Esipov has been playing for the French Bordeaux for the third season, so Khoroshun is not the only representative of Russia in this unusual championship.
Pavel Vorobyov, Edinburgh (EIHL), 12 (4+8) points in 12 games
One of the most unusual things this season was the transition of two-time Russian champion Pavel Vorobyov to the British championship. For Edinburgh, of course, the signing of Vorobyov is a big event; the forward at one time managed to play 57 matches in the NHL for Chicago, and even played for the Russian national team at the Eurotour stage. He spent his last years in the VHL and realized that something needed to change. Therefore, the Scottish museum city looks like a good option.
, Edinburgh (EIHL), 5 (2+3) points in 12 games
Like Vorobyov, he spent the last seasons in the VHL, playing for his native Nizhny Tagil “Sputnik”. Fedorov at one time managed to play for the lockout Ak Bars, Magnitogorsk, and Dynamo Moscow.
Georgiev was not loaned out; he regularly receives playing time in the main Finnish league. He is still 20 years old and has his whole career ahead of him.
As part of the Russian youth team, he won silver at the World Championships. In Edinburgh, Fedorov and Vorobyov play together with Jared Staal, the youngest of the brothers, and their team is in last place in the championship.
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, TPS (Finland), 8 matches
Georgiev is perhaps the most promising on this list. Russian hockey player. In 2014, he left for TPS, since in Russia he did not receive playing time even in the MHL. In his first season he won the youth league of this country, and last year he became a member of the Russian youth team. silver medalist World Championship. This season he was not loaned out; he regularly receives playing time in the main Finnish league. He is still 20 years old and has his whole career ahead of him.
Damir Galin, IPK (Finland), 0 (0+0) points in 4 matches
In 2012, Galin played for the Russian junior team at the World Championship, then for a long time he was in the Kazan Ak Bars system, first in the MHL, and then in the VHL. In November of this year, 22-year-old Galin signed a contract with the Finnish Second League club, where he plays together with compatriot Evgeniy Fofanov. The goalkeeper of the same team is Slovakian Denis Godla, named the most valuable hockey player of the 2015 World Youth Championship.
Andrey Plekhanov, Zvolen (Slovakia), 1 (0+1) point in 8 matches
At one time, Columbus selected Plekhanov in the NHL draft with the 96th pick. In North America, he played only in the AHL and ECHL.
In Edinburgh, Fedorov and Vorobyov play together with Jared Staal, the youngest of the brothers, and their team is in last place in the championship.
In the KHL he managed to play for Dynamo, Amur, his native Neftekhimik, Sibir, Sochi and Admiral. At the end of last season, he ended up in the VHL and won Bratina with Almetyevsk Neftyanik. This year he went to Slovakia, where he plays for Zvolen with Valery Knyazev, Plekhanov has one of the worst performance indicators in the team.
Sergey Korostin, Martin (Slovakia), 11 (6+5) points in 9 matches
In general, there is a large representation of Russians in Slovakia this year. Forward Sergei Korostin, who once won gold at the junior world championship and bronze at the youth championship as part of the Russian national team, signed a contract with the Martin club. For the last five years he played in the St. Petersburg SKA system in the VHL and now he decided to change something in his life. Korostin plays for Martin together with Ilya Dokshin.
“Buran” should be an interesting team in the 17/18 season, said the new head coach“hurricane” in a conversation with Voronezh journalists on Friday, September 1. The new coach spoke in an interview about the coaches he looks up to and explained how Scottish hockey players maintain a sports regime.
“The guys are still living with the previous season”
– Why did you agree to lead Buran? Didn't want to play for another year?
- Yes, what a game. Still, age, and there were injuries. Now I don’t have to kill the hockey player in me. I killed him when I went to Scotland. I understood everything immediately. It was just interesting to go and see how everything works there. It was clear that there was a kind of Canadian system there. I wanted to play there for my own development, to understand what and how.
- And how is it there?
– It’s just different hockey there. We have large playgrounds, all the kids were brought up in the traditions of the same school. And there is a Canadian approach. They fight, they fight, they throw the puck over the board. Although there is interesting players, not everyone there is a blockhead. About 50 to 50. The attitude towards hockey is normal in some places, and amateurish in others. It happens that they recruit guys into the team who also glue wallpaper and work as plumbers. At the club, the players do everything themselves. In the locker room the socket broke: “Is there anyone on this matter?” Yes, the guy gets up and sorts it out. There are clubs that have 12,000-seat palaces and everything is well organized.
– How were things at your club?
– At Edinburgh Capitals – not very much. Within a week I wanted to go home. But Pavel Vorobyov, with whom we went there, begged: “Wait a week, we’ll get involved.” Almost everything there made the hair on your head stand on end. Every week something happened. I ask: “Why does training start at half past ten in the evening?” Answer: “So guys come home from work at eight.” One Canadian told me what he does in the summer: he lives in Vancouver, gets up at three in the morning, goes out to sea on a boat, catches lobsters, hands them over at 12 and gets cash. And in the palace we had concrete sides. Due to cost savings, we did not have a club employee to open the gate to the penalty box. I had to climb over the side. Do you know the movie "Snap"? There the team and fans are traveling on a bus. A fan plays the guitar and the team sings in unison - that's how it really is in Scotland.
– Do hockey players at least follow a sports regime?
– Some yes, some no. If you are not fresh, you can write an SMS to the coach: “Coach, I’m sick.” He replies: “Okay, rest.” And seven people come to training after the day off. The playing coach was a Czech. He himself came home from his shift, steamed. He gives instructions, and four people answer him: “Just wait.” And once he himself mixed up the gates. It was fun. It’s just a pity that we couldn’t get to England for football. They play there on Saturdays and Sundays, just like hockey players. And already in Scotland I understood that after this season I would no longer play. I always want to have some kind of incentive. And the Major Hockey League wouldn’t give me anything as a player. I would have nothing to strive for. And hanging out in the team, driving across the country on trains and buses - yes, I’ve already done it. There was an opportunity to work at a school in Yekaterinburg. I refused. Children in Kazan, I haven’t seen them my whole career. And then the management of the Voronezh club called us, we talked, exchanged our vision of what and how it should be. We came to Voronezh and watched the team’s games. And Alexander Trofimov and I were told: “Get started.”
– Did you already have any information about Buran?
– The only thing I knew was that last year. I was surprised. It seems like the VHL team, two years ago under Alexander Titov, I know, was fantastic, there were tasks. Everything was interesting. And last year I heard everything. I don't want to remember this. Judging by the guys, they are still living previous season.
– So the emotional background still remains?
– Yes, you try to talk to the guys and see silence, some kind of misunderstanding. I told them: “Let’s talk, there’s no need to be silent here.” I want it to appear feedback. To make it fun, young, perky and interesting. Moreover, the management told us that there would not be any gigantic financial injections, but there would be stability. And we need the guys to believe. The club is slowly, but still rising. There will be clubs and uniforms. When we told the guys about the clubs, we saw joy on their faces. Finally, they will have not just one stick, but at least two. It is important for us now to raise the emotional background.
– What are your first impressions of the work?
– To be honest, I didn’t quite imagine it this way. I saw different coaches. Some work from morning to night, others come to training and leave after it. So far, the way we work is that we work from eight in the morning to eight in the evening. I've never had this before. I was a hockey player, they decided for me when to train, when to go to lunch, when to rest. And now everything is on Trofimov and me: the schedule, training process, communication with management, guys, calls to agents and much more. But I always thought that the city's first team has ice whenever it wants. But this is not the case here – there is not enough ice for everyone. There is a hockey school, figure skaters, veterans, and amateurs. All this must be calculated two weeks in advance. As for the guys, I already said that they are a little reserved for now. We need to stir them up.
– Haven’t had time to see the city yet?
– I saw the sports palace, the temple, the hotel, the Chizhov Gallery. I also saw the dead end where the trains stopped. That's all for now.
"We didn't scam anyone"
– Agree, accepting a team in such a situation is a risk.
– Who risks and with what? Can they say that I'm a bad coach?
- They will say that you went to a “live” place.
- Guys, I didn’t know a single person from the club. Previously, I had only seen Koroteev, Belozerov, and perhaps Shestopalov in action. When the management called me, I answered: “But you have coaches.” That is, we didn’t trick anyone, we didn’t “stir” anything. The management explained their position to us, after that we could only decide whether we would come or not. And the leadership in at the moment takes more risks than me. Because it decided to make changes, knowing that we have little experience as coaches. Although we worked with serious specialists - Bilyaletdinov, Vorobiev, Znarok, Krikunov, Vuitek, Rzhiga, Emelin, I can list them for a long time. And I want to summarize it all.
– What would you like to take from whom?
– I remember playing in the HC MVD. The coaches created a team that, without big money and the players reached the finals. Before the start of the season, we were assigned 11th place in the conference. And we lost the final in the seventh match. In terms of emotional background, communication with the team, an example for me is Znarok. According to tactical schemes, we can add Znarka again and name Bilyaletdinov, Vorobyov, Emelin. In principle, they have the same school - Yurzinovsky, Dynamo. I would take the physical readiness of the team from Krikunov.
- “Cylinders”? (An exercise in which a player runs with a car tire attached to his belt, on which another hockey player is sitting - RIA "Voronezh").
- Come on, for some reason everyone is scared by them, they constantly talk about “cylinders”. This is almost no longer the case. A coach also needs to treat people humanely. Everyone has some kind of life besides hockey. Krikunov is not vindictive, he has never been offended by anyone. Strict, but fair - everything is fair. And I will find something to learn from the coaches of the new generation - Kvartalnov, Skudra. I'll take a little from everyone. I saw it all myself, I know it not from hearsay.
– Why did you choose Alexander Trofimov as an assistant?
- Yes, he got it, asked for it, said: “Take me, take me.” I no longer knew how to get rid of him. But seriously, Alexander Viktorovich and I have known each other since 1997. He has coaching experience, he played at a good level and was in the national team. We look at many things the same way.
“The main thing is that the team is sharp and interesting”
– Since you only recently finished your playing career, maybe you yourself can participate in two-way competitions in full equipment in order to explain everything more clearly?
– We are trying to show some moments. But for a five-on-five game, you need to put on your entire uniform. Although we have one set. Maybe we’ll release Alexander Viktorovich one of these days.
– Who will be the favorite of the season?
– Those teams where the financial situation is better. Where the experienced guys are gathered. But who bet on Dynamo from Balashikha last year? Who knows how it will turn out.
– In general, the league will somehow change with the introduction of a limit on age players, with the advent of Chinese clubs?
- Let's see. But in general, the level of VHL has fallen recently. The league is rejuvenating, but not everyone is able to move from the MHL level to adult, men's hockey. The transition period is still underway.
– If your wishes regarding recruitment are fulfilled, what task can be set for the team?
– We have restrictions in this regard. But we won’t look too far ahead, we will start the championship and go step by step. The main thing is that the team is prickly, toothy, and interesting. And so that the audience loves us. I don’t want there to be five wins in a season and everyone wiping their feet on us. It is necessary that even in the event of our defeat, the opponent knows the price of his victory. We have a lot of Voronezh guys on our team. Probably everyone wants their friends and acquaintances to come to hockey and be proud of this team.
– How many positions would you like to strengthen?
- We're still looking. Tomorrow there will be a big two-way game. If today were July 15, we would calmly watch the people, work, and take our time. But there is no time. Selection work continues. If there are four teams, there must be guys who also want to get into these five, but at the same time feel like part of the team.
– It’s bad that the first match will not be sparring, but official game? And have you already studied the calendar for the season?
- Where to go? Two teams turned us down because they were busy. We didn’t go to Rostov-on-Don because of the road, it would have been difficult for us. We would have lost a lot of time. As for the calendar, the beginning is difficult. After the second game in China, we will get home only in two days. Also, time zone change. When we arrive, there’s a game every other day. We will think about how to organize everything so that it is normal from the point of view of recuperation. Much still depends on the guys themselves. Our staff is good - they organize massages, meals, and so on. But guys should have a rough idea of their body. Know how to prepare for such a schedule. For now we are training twice a day. Next week we'll see how we work. It is important not to “overfeed” with ice. They need to not get tired of him.
– Have you talked with Dynamo coaches? Will there be real help from Muscovites?
“They themselves have a difficult situation now – there are a lot of injuries. If they were all healthy, Dynamo would call us themselves and offer options. In any case, we will rely on our own strengths, and not pray: “If only Dynamo would send us someone.”
– Have you already decided what kind of game you want to instill in the team?
– We have decided on our principles. But you always have to look at who is on the team and who you are playing against. We can't play the same with everyone.
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The new head coach of “Buran” Evgeny Fedorov, who, we recall, took over the team at the beginning of the outgoing week, replacing Sergei Kary at its helm, on Friday, September 1, spoke in detail with journalists from several Voronezh publications.
He talked about how the “hurricane” squad is completing its preparation for the upcoming Higher Championship hockey league, shared his first impressions of the transition from a player’s career to coaching and his opinion about the level VHL tournament, and also talked about the “fun” last season, which he spent in the UK.
“It is very important to establish an emotional background in the team”
– Evgeniy Yuryevich, how did the option to lead Buran arise? And why did you previously decide to end your playing career and start working as a coach? After all, we probably could have played at the same VHL level for a couple more seasons.
– Still, age is already taking its toll, and there were injuries. Besides, I had already managed to “kill” the hockey player in me when I went to the UK. I understood that I was just interested in going there and seeing how everything works there according to the Canadian system. This was done solely for my own development. I clearly realized that after the 2016/17 season I would not play again.
And to perform at the VHL level... You still need some kind of incentive. And it was clear that the Major Hockey League would no longer give me anything as a player. When there is nothing to strive for, it makes no sense to just go out on the ice, “hang out” in some team and travel across the country on buses and trains. At one time I had already ridden on them.
In principle, there was an offer to work at a school in Yekaterinburg. But for certain reasons I had to refuse. And then the option with Buran arose, a telephone conversation took place with the club’s management. We exchanged opinions, after which Alexander Viktorovich Trofimov and I came to Voronezh, watched control matches with HC Rostov and finally agreed on everything.
– Did you have any preliminary information about our city and Buran?
– The only thing I knew was that last season the guys went to the matches, and not each of them had their own stick. Of course, this surprised me greatly: it seemed like a big city, a VHL club. Two years ago, under Alexander Nikolaevich Titov, there was some kind of fantastic atmosphere in the stands, order in the team, and serious tasks were set. And I only heard about the last championship what I already said.
Of course, this is a very negative point. I don’t even want to remember such things. I myself did not participate in all this, but judging by the guys, they are still living in that season, as it seemed to me. There is a residual emotional background to a certain extent. You try to talk to the players, and the response is silence and misunderstanding. I explain to them: “Guys, let’s talk to you! There is no need to remain silent here.” I would like there to be some kind of feedback, a desire to work and train. So that all this happens fun, young, cheerfully.
The management told us that we should not expect gigantic injections of funds into Buran this season, but promised stability in this matter. It is necessary for the hockey players to believe that our club is gradually rising financially, that there will be normal equipment. Today we informed the team that the clubs were arriving, and the guys immediately had joy on their faces. This is great, because now it is very important to raise the emotional background.
– Do you agree that it is very risky to host a team a couple of weeks before the start of the championship? After all, you weren’t the one who assembled the squad and conducted the preseason.
– Who is risking here and with what? I’ll say right away that I didn’t know anyone from Buran before. And Alexander Viktorovich and I were in no way going to “sit on” the previous coaching staff. People invited us and were waiting for an answer to only one question – whether we would come or not. Probably, in this situation, the club management is at greater risk than Trofimov and I, because they decided to make changes.
It is clear that we do not have much coaching experience. However, I personally worked with such famous mentors as Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, Pyotr Vorobyov, Oleg Znarok, Vladimir Krikunov, Vladimir Vuytek, Milos Rzhiga, Anatoly Emelin. I won’t list them all! I didn’t hear from someone else’s words, but I saw with my own eyes what they were doing and how they were doing it. And if we sum it all up, then we can take something from each specialist in terms of work and communication with the team. Draw conclusions for yourself and work based on them.
“I used to imagine coaching a little differently”
– Would you like to be especially like one of the mentioned mentors? coaching activities?
– I repeat, any of them has something to borrow. Let's say, Znarka has the ability to establish, again, an emotional background. Indeed, in the 2009/10 season, his coaching staff was able to create an excellent team in the HC MVD, which did not have great money and big players, which reached the “silver” in the KHL. Before the start of that championship, we were predicted to take eleventh place in Western Conference, and we reached the playoff final and lost to Ak Bars only in the seventh match.
Tactical schemes are the same Znarok, and Bilyaletdinov, and Vorobyov, and Emelin. Basically, they all have the same school. Screamers are both physical condition and human attitude towards people. After all, each player, in addition to hockey, has his own life, some kind of everyday life. Different situations arise, and they need to be treated with understanding. Vladimir Vasilyevich never takes offense at anyone and is not vindictive. Remains honest and fair with all his severity.
And the coaches of the new generation have a lot to learn. Let’s say Dmitry Kvartalnov, who showed his worth both in Sibir Novosibirsk and in CSKA. Or Peteris Skudra, who, despite not having the most serious financial resources, achieves good results with Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo.
– Why did you choose Alexander Trofimov as your assistant?
- Yes, he simply tortured me, he asked: “Take it, take it!” (laughs). I didn't even know how to get rid of him. But seriously, we have known each other for a long time - probably 20 years already. Alexander played at a good level, he has some experience as a head coach in the Kazakh HC Almaty. Of course, our views on hockey are largely similar.
– Have you previously discussed the possibility of working together with him?
- No. Sasha minded his own business, I did mine. And it makes no sense to discuss something that may not happen in life. If you just dream...
– What are your impressions from the first week of your coaching career?
– To be honest, I imagined it all a little differently. Over many years in hockey, I have met coaches who work from morning to evening, but I have also seen mentors who taught a lesson and went home. Our first days in Voronezh were such that we worked twelve hours a day - from 8 to 20. I had never been in such a mode before. I was a hockey player, and they decided for me when to train, rest, have lunch, go to matches, and so on.
The current work covers many points. This includes scheduling, the training process, and communication with the guys, club management, and agents. We are trying to somehow combine all this, but a lot of time is wasted. On the other hand, they themselves agreed, so there shouldn’t be any difficulties.
Again, I believed that the city's main team could take the ice any time its coaching staff wished. But now I’ve learned that everything needs to be written out in advance, since Yubileiny also trains young hockey players, and veterans, and amateur teams, and figure skaters. Here, too, everything needs to be summarized and taken into account.
– With such a busy schedule, you probably haven’t met Voronezh yet?
– So far I have only seen the Sports Palace, a temple near it, a hotel, an apartment. And also the “Chizhov Gallery”, as well as the dead end in which the trains are stopped. There is nothing else to boast about at the moment.
“Our team must be interesting for the audience”
– Before the start of the season, can you name the VHL clubs that, in your opinion, will qualify for victory in the championship?
– Probably, the favorites, as usual, are those who are in the best financial position, have a certain stability, experienced players and coaches. I can’t single out anyone in particular right now. At the same time, who bet on Dynamo Balashikha to win last season? And it became a champion.
– What can you say about the appearance in the League of Two Chinese teams?
- You'll have to fly far! As for the rest, we'll see. After all, all KHL representatives need farm clubs. I know that both hockey players from Russia and our coaches went to China. It will be interesting to see what kind of teams they end up with and how everything is organized there.
– With the introduction of a limit on age hockey players, will the VHL change somehow?
– I think that recently the level of the championship has generally decreased a little. About five years ago he was still taller. The league is constantly rejuvenating, but yesterday’s juniors do not always succeed in making the transition to adult, men’s hockey. Some people perform well in the youth team, but then stop progressing. Although in any case it is better to start playing in the VHL championship than to remain in the MHL for some time.
– Did you know any of the current Buran players?
- Nobody. On the site, they may have crossed paths with the same Denis Koroteev, Andrei Belozerov or Alexei Shestopalov. But I didn’t know any of the guys personally.
– What do you think, if your wishes regarding the formation of the team are fulfilled, then what tasks will Buran be able to solve in the 2017/18 season?
– In terms of forming the squad, we have some restrictions. But we are not looking far yet. Let's start a step-by-step movement, and, God willing, everything will work out well. The main thing is that our team is interesting, “prickly” and “toothy”, interesting for the audience. So that it doesn’t happen that “Buran” wins only five matches in a season, and everyone will wipe their feet on it.
Even if you are inferior to someone, your opponent should feel the price of this victory. We will try to show that we fight, we fight, we play. Plus, there are a lot of Voronezh guys on the team. And they probably want to prove something to their friends, acquaintances, and local fans. At least that's what I think.
– In your opinion, how complete is the Buran squad now, a week before the first championship match?
– At the moment we have six fives at our disposal. But we continue to evaluate the hockey players’ capabilities, we will play a big two-way game, which will help us decide on some points. Of course, if it were July 15th on the calendar today, we would have seen more people, worked without much hurry.
And now we have to do everything faster. Maybe someone else will come to Voronezh. We conduct selection and try to create normal competition in the team. In addition to the four A's, we need other guys striving to join the team. At the same time, each player should feel like part of a large and friendly team, in which everyone supports each other.
“You can’t play equally against all opponents”
– It turns out that the opening match of the season in Voskresensk will in all respects be your debut at the head of Buran. Or will it still be possible to hold at least one more test match?
- It turns out so. We contacted two teams, but we couldn’t come to an agreement: they already had other plans. But they themselves refused to go to Rostov-on-Don, since difficulties in terms of getting there and back could not be ruled out. It could happen that we would simply lose valuable time.
– Surely you have already studied the championship calendar. How difficult did you find it?
– The beginning will be difficult, which is connected with the flight to China. The trip will be long, after the second match there we will only get home in two days. Plus – change of time zones. We will return to Voronezh, and a day later we will play the first game on our site. We will think about how to restore the guys with minimal loss of time.
– Have you ever played on a similar schedule: four matches at home, then the same number of matches away?
- Certainly. Our medical staff is good, the food is normal, but here a lot depends on the guys. They must understand everything, prepare themselves somewhere, feel their body and take care of it.
– The preseason is still ongoing, even if there is only one week left before the start. For now we train twice a day, and then we’ll see and vary. You can’t “overfeed” the guys with ice; they need to still have the desire to go out onto the court.
– Have you already decided what kind of game you want to instill in Buran?
- Yes. But you always need to take into account who is in your lineup and what opponent you are facing. You can’t act the same way against everyone. We are already communicating the general principles to the hockey players. Something turns out to be new to someone. We try to adjust everything to a common standard, but this is not done in two or three weeks. Since we have such a situation, we have to show and tell in an accelerated manner.
– Have you contacted the coaching staff of Dynamo Moscow, our current sports partner from the Kontinental Hockey League? Will there be real personnel support for Buran from the capital club?
– Muscovites themselves are now in a difficult situation, since there are too many injuries in the first team. I talked with one person from the Dynamo youth team. And he said that even they took several guys born in 1997-1998 into the base in order to conduct a full-fledged training process. If everything was fine there, I think Dynamo themselves would have called us and offered hockey players.
– Therefore, you shouldn’t expect help from Moscow at the start of the season?
– I believe that we will continue to rely on our own strength throughout the championship. You can’t sit and pray that Dynamo will send someone to us. They will send players - good. No, that means we will perform exclusively with our guys.
“After a week in Edinburgh I wanted to go home”
– Evgeniy Yuryevich, I would like you to tell us in more detail about how you played for the Edinburgh Capitals in the British Elite Hockey League.
– It’s difficult for me to make any comparisons, say, with the VHL. But it is clear that the British League is inferior in level to the KHL. We have more playgrounds, the guys are trying to play. The hockey there is just different, the school is different - typically Canadian. Everyone is running, fighting, fighting, throwing the puck over the boards. Although, of course, there are interesting teams and players.
– What is the attitude towards hockey in Great Britain?
– In some places everything is very well organized, in others it is at an amateurish level. Some teams recruit guys who simultaneously work in other places - they glue wallpaper, repair water pipes, and so on. If, for example, the socket in the locker room is broken, there is always a player who can easily fix it. But, I repeat, there are also purely professional clubs and spacious ice palaces, which attract full houses.
– How was the situation in your Capitals?
- Not good! I went there, and within a week I wanted to return home. However, Pasha Vorobyov, with whom we came to Edinburgh, said: “Let’s stay a little longer, maybe we’ll get involved.” He persuaded me, we stayed and played out the season to the end.
– Do you remember any comical incidents that, as they say, made your hair stand on end?
- Yes, something was constantly happening there! Upon arrival, we asked: “Why do trainings start so late here – at half past ten in the evening?” They answered us: “So the guys only come home from work at eight.” One Canadian who was on the team said that in the summer he goes home to Vancouver and fishes. He gets up at three in the morning, gets on a boat and catches lobsters, and at noon he hands them over and receives cash. There, in the off-season, almost all hockey players do part-time work. This was unusual for us.
– So you and Vorobyov were the only professional players in the club?
“Besides us, there are at most five more people.” At the local Sports Palace, the sides are made of brick, they are only outside trimmed with plastic. The club did not have money to have people on the penalty benches and open the gates during matches. Remote players had to climb over the sides. There are a lot of little things like that. I remembered the movie “Snap”, where the team went to games on the same bus with their fans. The fans played guitars and the hockey players sang. We had something similar.
– Was the sports regime in the team at least somewhat respected?
“Everyone treated him differently. But there, if a person is “stale,” he could simply write an SMS message to the coach: “I’m tired, I’m sick.” He responded: “Okay, rest!” As a result, it happened that after a day off, seven people came to training. Everyone else was “sick.”
– Was Edinburgh’s mentor local?
– No, Czech Michal Dobron, who was a player-coach. After his shift, he came to the bench all steamed up, but he still had to manage the team somehow. Once I even got the gates mixed up. We all constantly had to tell him something.
In general, stories happened there almost every day. It’s just a pity that we didn’t manage to go to the football game. But our matches always fell on Saturday and Sunday, and on English Premier League Games also take place on weekends. So we didn't see Wembley.
Center forward Evgeniy Fedorov can consider his debut season for Magnitka quite successful. Winning the European Cup and becoming a national championship winner is a good medal harvest for continuing your career at a new club. Fedorov is one of the few hockey players Russian hockey, who has played in the country's top teams in recent years (Ak Bars, Dynamo, Magnitka), and therefore solving serious team problems is part of his everyday work life. So it’s no coincidence that we started our conversation with the question of rest.
Our information:
Fedorov Evgeniy. Role – striker. Born November 11, 1980. Height 176, weight 80. Titles while playing for Metallurg: Winner of the European Champions Cup 2008; Bronze medalist of the Russian Championship 2008.
Favorite dish: Fried potatoes.
Car make: Toyota.
Rest place: UAE.
Movie: old Soviet films.
Book: Russian classics.
Type of sport other than hockey: Football, basketball.
Times of Day: Evening.
Drink: Kvass.
Music: All directions (mostly by radio).
Hobby: Free time I spend it with my family.
– Evgeniy, how did you relax this summer?
– The vacation was quite long, we rested for three and a half months. I went with my family to the United Arab Emirates to the sea, where we spent time together. For me, the best rest is to do nothing, just lie in a sun lounger and do nothing. I don't like it active recreation because there is a risk of injury.
– What do you think the Russian football team lacked to reach the finals of the European Championship?
– Perhaps the difficult quarter-final with the Dutch with extra time had an impact. The Russians have already achieved great success, but the main reason is the Spaniards, who were head and shoulders stronger in both the first and second games with ours. There was no equal to this team at the European Championship, they deservedly won.
– Last year you made your debut at Metallurg. Did you have any difficulties joining the new team?
– I was lucky, I knew half of the guys from Metallurg well: I played with some in Kazan, with some in Dynamo. However, a new city, a new atmosphere, new fans gave us an emotional mood and positive emotions. I haven’t experienced any psychological problems, the team at Magnitogorsk is excellent, here, I think, everyone is received well.
– Previously, people came to sign up for hockey in street groups, or the coach went to schools and recruited boys. What was it like in your case?
– At first I watched hockey on TV, played in a yard team, then at the age of 6 my parents enrolled me in the section. I started in Yekaterinburg, where hockey was very bad there: there weren’t enough sticks for the whole team, they were swapped every other shift. No uniform, no equipment. I decided to go to Krylya Sovetov, where I became friends with those who now play in Magnitka - Evgeny Varlamov, Vitaly Atyushov.
– Who gave you a ticket to professional sports?
– I established myself in Yekaterinburg when I started in the farm club. His coach was Vladimir Shcheglov. Then there were “Wings of the Soviets” and coach Vasily Spiridonov. Then there was the Perm “Hammer”, where we left “Wings” with Atyushov. Vasily Pervukhin invited us. They played in Molot constantly - from there, one might say, he came to big hockey.
– Can you imagine yourself as a person in a different profession?
– Somehow I didn’t think about it. What profession? I don’t speak languages well, I haven’t built a house. Honestly, it’s difficult to answer. I see myself exclusively in sports. For example, in the future I would like to work as a coach. I have a diploma in this specialty - I studied when I played for Krylia.
– In those years, “Krylya Sovetov” was a strong team, from there so many talented players scattered to Super League clubs.
– Evgeny Varlamov was invited to Kazan, Vitaly Atyushov and I went to Perm, from there we were also invited to Kazan. Then there was Dynamo. They offered to stay in Moscow, but I chose Magnitogorsk. Because here in terms of organization it is more comfortable and simpler. Moscow is a huge metropolis, and Magnitogorsk is a small city. Again, Metallurg has a good team; I knew many of the guys before.
– Did you quickly explore Magnitogorsk? What's your favorite vacation spot?
– My daughter Eva and I take a walk near the circus and visit the attractions. As for me, I just try to relax more, watch TV.
– What do hockey players usually have time to do during the break between morning and evening training?
- For whom? I have one schedule: lunch, sleep, then arrival at the palace for evening workout. Between training sessions I don’t like to do anything - either at home or at the base. I find time to do things on other days, for example, on weekends.
– Now KHL championship matches are officiated by two chief referees. Is this innovation good for the attackers?
– I wouldn’t like to offend the judges, but even if you appoint four main ones, it seems to me that nothing will change. One judge can handle it normally if he is truly an arbiter high level and will be able to distinguish “fish” and picture falls from true violations. Of course, hockey is becoming cleaner for attackers - it’s harder for defenders. There are high-class referees in Russia; if there were more of them, then one chief referee would do the job.
– Where do you play better: at home or away?
– It’s more pleasant to play at home in front of your fans, but winning away is much more difficult, and therefore more honorable. At home, everyone expects nothing but victories from the team.
– What are the most vivid memories from your career during this period? You won the European Cup twice...
– Actually, once. Then an injury prevented me from playing for Dynamo, I walked on crutches, four days before the trip to St. Petersburg I had surgery, and I watched the whole tournament on TV. Although they gave me a ring. Well, what memories? Mostly team ones. You yourself can score 30 goals per season, while the team will lag behind the table. There will be nothing good about this. On youth championship World Championship 2000 took second place, victory in the KECH with Metallurg is very valuable. I will not forget my first final of the Russian championship “Ak Bars” - “Lokomotiv”. Such events are remembered for a lifetime.
– Last October, in a match against Traktor, you scored three goals. How often have you scored hat-tricks before?
– This was the first such case. My goals didn’t play a special role in the final result; Metallurg won big 9:1. Therefore, I didn’t feel much joy.
– With the departure of Igor Korolev, your role in the team has probably increased? Have you spoken with Belousov about this?
– There was no direct conversation on this topic, but I am an adult, I understand everything perfectly well. I don’t think that with Korolev’s departure my role in the team has increased. I just do what is asked of me. But to sit and think that Fedorov is an irreplaceable player - this has never happened. I try to go out to the game and do everything in my power to win.
– What is your relationship like with Los Angeles, where you were drafted seven years ago?
– This is probably only you who remember. I went to camp once after a season at Molot. It was interesting to see what the camp for beginners was like. However, he did not want to stay and play in the lower leagues. At the same time, an offer was received from Ak Bars.
– This summer a stream of high-quality players from North America and Europe. Undoubtedly, the level of the championship will increase. Have you already experienced this yourself at the tournament in Ufa?
– Indeed, such players as Nagy, Rachunek, Jagr come. The same Jaromir can make a goal out of nothing, but the masters of Makarov’s time who could beat the entire five single-handedly, in my opinion, are long gone.
– Does your wife have a good understanding of her husband's work?
– Before I met Yulia, she wasn’t particularly interested in hockey. Now it’s already sorted out. He constantly goes to games in Magnitogorsk, sits in the stands with the wives of the other players. She can figure out who won without me. It seems to me that it is difficult for women to explain the nuances of hockey, perhaps there is no need for it. Why bother them with such trifles? Although my wife is from Kazan, we met there. A daughter was born in the capital of Tatarstan, so Kazan is actually her hometown.
Before leaving for the next away series, we talked with Buran head coach Evgeny Fedorov. Evgeniy Yuryevich has a wealth of gaming experience behind him, and now he has a unique opportunity to immediately plunge into professional hockey as the helmsman of the VHL club. What did you have to face? What tasks does he set for himself? What does it mean to him coaching work? What's going on in the team? Read on for all this and much more.
"Our main trump card is youth and speed"
- Buran played two series - away and home. Let's sum up the intermediate result: 8 matches and five points. How would you rate the result? (excluding the match with “Diesel” - author’s note)
The result is average. We missed out on points against Zvezda, where we lost due to our mistakes, although we played well. We took two points with Toros, although they could also have won in regulation time. I think we could have added two or three more points to our treasury.
- Could fatigue from a long journey affect the result?
Do you mean a trip to China? To some extent, yes. All these travel, flights, time zone changes. We returned home and started the home series the next day. At training on the 19th, it was already clear that the guys had not fully recovered; after all, they had to stay up for two nights and go out on the ice. This, of course, had an impact, but is not the main cause of individual errors.
- Is it possible to avoid such mistakes in the future?
Only the one sitting on the bench makes no mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, at any level, even great hockey players. There is no game without mistakes, people are not robots. We will try to minimize it.
- Which of the away meetings was the most difficult?
They weren't all easy. But I think it’s still the first, because it’s the first. Both for me and for the guys. There were problems with the squad; in the preseason we did not play against teams of the VHL level, plus there was excitement.
- Where was it harder to play - away or at home?
I don’t know about the guys, it doesn’t matter to me personally. On the one hand, it’s nice to win home ice in front of his fans. But on the other hand, on the road it’s also an honor when everyone cheers against you and you win.
- Can you already identify the strengths and weaknesses of our team?
Why should we tell everyone this? (laughs). We just recently got together, the guys are slowly arriving, Dynamo players are being added - they either played, then they were taken away again... Some look better physically, some look worse, some had injuries, rotation is constant. Some things didn’t have time to be trained or played out. Instability is still the main disadvantage. And we simply must use our most important trump cards - youth and speed. We have a young team, and many of the guys have something to prove to someone, something to strive for. You just need to remember this every day.
- What are you striving for? How do you see the ideal Buran?
I would like to see a game similar to the one in the first and second periods against Toros. When we played actively, aggressively, threw a lot, fought a lot with power, there was constant pressure on the goal, we returned to the defense brilliantly. We would like to exclude such moments when we are all sucked forward and we begin to forget about defense. We need to improve our play in our zone. When there are no problems with defense, the team plays better in attack. We know what we need to work on and we are moving towards the goal.
The game against Toros was perhaps the best in the home series. A power struggle was added. And finally, we won the second period.
Yes, the second period is our “disease”. We talked to the guys at the meeting, identified the problem, and asked them to pay even more attention to it. Otherwise, it turns out that we played the first period well, then came out in the second more relaxed, we think that it will continue to be so, but the opponent is rebuilding, changing the game. And we get confused by a system that we don’t play. And as soon as one falls out, the rest follow the chain, and the result is a “vinaigrette”. Hence these results. As for the power struggle, this is hockey after all. You don’t need to kill anyone, you don’t need to injure anyone... But when you’re being beaten the whole game, you run out of strength faster. And we show our opponents that we came out to play hockey for a reason. And in order to play hard hockey, you don’t need to have dimensions. The main thing is to do it! And then let the opponents watch. Once they got somewhere and the second time they will think about whether to go there or not.
-How do you explain the regular violation of the numerical strength?
They seem to be grown-up guys, they all know how to count. It happens that they flirt. Emotions are overwhelming. Sometimes during the game we change lineups, someone has to change their role, someone plays in the center, then goes to the edge, somewhere we didn’t agree and instead of one person two come out. This was no longer the case in the match with Toros; progress was also made.
"We must always remain human"
- What kind of hockey?did center forward Fedorov play for her?
Was I... playing regular hockey (laughs). I didn’t have any distinctive features, I just always tried to complete the tasks that the coaches gave me personally and the team. It was different in different teams, everything depended on the composition, on the goals, on the vision of the coaches.
- What did you want? Run forward and score goals?
I wanted the team to win. When I was younger, I loved to run; when I got older, I didn’t fly like that anymore. This is hockey, you can’t help but run here (laughs).
- If you had the option to score yourself or pass the ball, what did you prefer to do?
I was always happy for my partners if they scored from my passes. Of course, it’s nice to do it yourself, but if my extreme ones took advantage of the moment, I got no less pleasure. Yes, I wasn’t some kind of super scorer. I have always tried to solve team problems. All efforts were aimed at winning the team. We don’t have boxing or swimming. If we win, we are all together, and when we lose, it’s the same. There are many examples: people won individual trophies, but won nothing as a team. I believe that you should always do something for the sake of the team, and not for yourself.
- What qualities, in your opinion, should a coach have?
I don't know what he's like must be. People are all different. For example, I was always impressed by those coaches whose human qualities were in order. I was lucky with this, almost all the mentors with whom I had the opportunity to work were all good people. Let's not talk about obvious things - for the coach to be competent and understand hockey... this is all clear. But I would highlight human relationships in the team, in everyday life. You will be a good person and everything will always be fine with you.
"Nobody shuts anyone up"
- What kind of coach is Fedorov, I wonder? Coach-friend, coach-dictator...
As one coach said, players can be friends for me, but I cannot be friends for them. There must be a line here. It’s clear that I can communicate with them and spend time, especially since I’m not much older than them, and I myself want to be closer to the young guys. But familiarity should not be allowed either. Dictator? Well, definitely not. I don't like screaming. There is a human language; everything can be explained clearly without shouting. The main thing is to pay attention in both directions.
- How did you share responsibilities with Alexander Trofimov?
We’re all about 50/50. We didn’t specifically agree on clear roles, it’s just that Sasha is older and a little more experienced. We decide everything together, but during the game he voices some points. Nobody shuts anyone up. If you have something to say, please do so.
- If we take your tandem, which of you is the “good cop” and which is the “evil”?
Sasha is probably evil. (laughs). Sometimes you have to slow it down. But he doesn’t do this because he is an evil person, and I agree that at some points we need to act more harshly. But we do not cross this line. You need your team to trust you. We try to communicate and establish contact. And there are times when a person cannot talk about his problems in front of everyone, we talk in person. They themselves began to approach little by little. At first, this didn’t happen at all. Looked closely, maybe.
- Just before the season, you said that the team was squeezed and constrained. Is this better now?
It's better now. At least they started smiling during training. There should be a team atmosphere! It's a young thing. The guys have their whole lives ahead of them, every day should be remembered for something. Because career, and I was convinced of this on personal experience, it goes away very quickly. And then you turn around, and there’s nothing to remember. And then you will worry about wasted years. Therefore, you need to live during training and games! You need to live as a team, so that it is fun, so that the guys have good mood. We're trying, we're doing it. Recently, during a training session, they were offered a game, divided into two teams, where each plays for its own goal. At first they didn’t quite understand, but when they got the hang of it, the excitement started, and they started swearing and laughing.
- What is generally needed for a team to perform as a single fist?
Time, I think. I want the team to be real. We don’t ask them to visit each other in the evening! But if you come into the locker room, your family is here for a while. So that everyone helps each other, so that these clans are not created... And this is the worst thing that can happen in a hockey team, I think.
- So that there is no hazing...
Who plays for us? (laughs). Although “grandfather” arrived alone (Sergei Zhurikov, born 1977 - author’s note), I don’t think that he will begin to establish his own rules. On the contrary, it should help.
- Do the players understand what you require of them?
I hope! Although this also happens - we show the exercise: guys, do you understand? Yes! And they do everything the other way around (laughs). But this has always happened when I played. Is everything clear? Yes, yes, yes... But in fact, nothing is clear. Sometimes you feel embarrassed to admit that you misunderstood. Just like at school. But there is nothing wrong if someone asks something again. It’s better to spend an extra minute to explain than to then stop the exercise, get ready and talk again.
You were just “yesterday” a player, and you don’t have coaching authority yet. Does the team feel this? How did the guys accept you, despite your lack of experience?
This, of course, is better to ask them. At least I didn’t notice any disrespectful attitude. Everything seems to be adequate.
- As soon as you became a coach, did something change internally in you? Maybe some new features have appeared?
I noticed one thing. When I was a player and they drilled something into us, explained it a hundred times, I thought, well, what are you finding fault with, everything is wrong for you! And now I understand that they do this not because they want to get to the bottom of you, but they want to make you even better! And I realized that the coaches know better. I also thought that the coach came, trained and left. But in reality there are many more questions. Hockey takes up almost all of my time. I won’t say that I don’t like it or that it’s hard for me, on the contrary, I really like it!
- So you finally switched to the other side?
Which one? To the dark? (laughs).
- Well, during the first matches, did you ever have a desire to grab a stick yourself and run out onto the ice?
Nope, I’m done (laughs). I still won’t play better than our guys now, so what should I do there on the ice? I played my part. All. Let's go.
- How close do you take the game to your heart? Result? How emotional are you?
I can't show that I'm upset. After defeat, I don’t have to think about myself! I’ll get through this somehow, but the main thing for me is that the guys understand that this is not the end of the world. What do we have tomorrow new game, we need to prepare for it, we need to draw conclusions and move on. Of course I'm worried! Then I think, how could I have done it differently, but if only... why not... Self-digging is common to all coaches. But here we are coaching staff We also try to support each other, we analyze the games, we review everything a hundred times. As a player, I could afford a lot in terms of emotions, but now I don’t. It is important for the team to see that the coach has not lost his temper, that everything is fine (laughs).
“I can’t forgive indifference and lack of will”
- How important are moral and volitional qualities for you? What can you put up with and what can’t you?
I cannot forgive indifference and lack of will. You can tell by a hockey player when he wants to. He can make mistakes, but when he puts his heart and soul into it and is ready to do anything for the sake of a common victory, that’s very cool. Emotions are very important. Yes, even if they destroy the locker room after a defeat, it will still be better than them just changing clothes, washing themselves and going home. Lack of emotions is not something bad... it even becomes scary for the team (laughs). Some people keep everything to themselves, worry inside, but this is also visible. Our guys are all adequate. Even if someone is not part of the team today, we try to explain that you are still in the team, you are a team. Today you don't play, tomorrow you play. Whether you are on the ice or in the reserves, you are still a Buran player. It is important that they still root for each other, worry about each other, and support each other.
- How is the team doing with discipline?
Household stuff is good so far. There were no serious violations. At first, the guys were sometimes a minute or two late, but we explained that 30 people shouldn’t wait for one and asked them to be more punctual. We have fines, but they are purely symbolic. And in any case, this money does not go to Sasha and me, but remains in the team “common fund”. We’ll find out where to spend it later if we accumulate it (laughs).
- Has the hockey player Fedorov ever fought on the ice?
Happened several times when I was young. But I tried to always think not about myself, but about the team. A fight is an unnecessary removal right away - that's what I was thinking about. The coaches taught this. In general, I was lucky to have mentors in life, to work with amazing people since childhood. Therefore, now I try to take a little from each and apply it in practice. Everything is different now. Even when I was 18 years old, we were already more adapted than young people are now. It happens that a person comes to the team major league, but he doesn’t know the basics, which he had to explain back in school. That a pass through a nickel cannot be given, for example.
-Have you encountered this too?
Well, where to go? And we have to give the guys what they weren’t told at the right time. Do you think that once a person comes to professional club, he must have this knowledge. But no. And you have to spend time training them. And there is a lot of this in the VHL. By the way, we have one very intelligent hockey player on our team. I was surprised that such at a young age He has such an understanding of the game. But there are very few of them. And someone understands everything, but wants to do what is best, takes on more... and in the end it also turns out to be some kind of rubbish.
“You can’t lure fans with posters”
- Which one? physical fitness is the Buran team located?
I don't have any information about what people were doing here before we arrived. We asked, but no one gave any specifics. Judging by the third periods, and we often switched to three lines, we played on an equal footing, and in some cases even better. And they didn’t lag behind in speed. We are catching up little by little. We no longer have time to compile microcycles; it’s time for games. And now we need to find a balance so that they rest and train, and so that they want to go on this ice.
- We have completely different lineups for each game. How do you explain this rotation?
It's always good to have a bench. You can always bring in fresher guys. Besides this, there is also an educational moment - if you didn’t play to your full potential, there will be people who will come out instead of you. There should always be competition. The guys are waiting for their chance and must take it. Let them train and work. We don’t have that - there are four squads playing, and we don’t let the rest in. Play, prove.
- But this also affects teamwork.
We all play according to the same system, all units play the same hockey. Therefore, if you swap players or put them in different units, they will not get lost. Everyone knows roughly what needs to be done. I don't think it matters that much. If you look at KHL teams, what a rotation there is. When people sit behind you, it motivates. We are trying to do the best. We are looking for options on how to better use their potential and strengths.
More and more Dynamo players are coming to Buran, but they can just as easily be recalled back. How competitive will the team be without them?
We keep this in mind. It is clear that the guys from Dynamo are good help. But don’t think that if they leave, we will be left with nothing. All our guys will also play and try.
- “Buran” turns 40 this year. Most recently the club became the owner silver medals VHL. Do you feel responsible to the fans?
Yes, I know that Buran is a club with a rich history. That just recently the team played in such a way that it was impossible to get to the hockey game. We also really want you to come full stands! But we cannot lure fans with posters or advertising. This can only be done with your game! At least stick posters on every pole, no one will come if the team loses. And if we win, we don’t have to glue them at all. Everyone will know and a full palace will gather.
- Have you finally decided to connect your life with coaching?
I always wanted to connect my life with hockey. I knew I could do this better than anything else. It’s not that I can’t do anything, I just don’t like anything else. And I don’t want to engage in any management or agency activities, it’s not my thing. I want to be on the team! I have been in it all my life and now, as a coach, I am in it. You see, this is an opportunity to be on the bench, to be close to the game, to skate on the ice, to shoot the puck. Even play with the same non-playing lineup. I stay where I've been all my life. That's what's important to me.
- You have a wealth of gaming experience. Are you planning to study coaching?
I graduated from the Higher School of Coaches in Omsk, studied for a year, passed the exams, and defended my diploma in training highly qualified hockey players. I learned a lot of useful things, but they also provide information that may not be useful. There was a lot of physiology, there were even lectures on how to properly go to the bathhouse. For general development, of course, it’s useful, but in any team there are doctors and massage therapists for this. They know more about this than the coach.
- Did you like studying?
I liked it. This is all very interesting - knowledge, communication, exchange of views and experiences. I would also like to listen to lectures by great people both in our hockey and abroad. If there is such an opportunity, I will gladly go. On the one hand, everything has already been invented before us. But here's an example of Mike Babcock - a coach who won twice Olympic Games, World Championship and Stanley Cup. Every year he goes somewhere in Europe to learn and listen to something. When asked why you are doing this, he answered: “What I used to win yesterday may not work tomorrow.”
- Since you liked studying, you probably like to read?
I love. Although now I mainly listen to books. I recently listened to Radzinsky’s trilogy “Apocalypse from Koba.” About Stalin's life from beginning to end. Very interesting. I picked up the book “The Young Guard” to read. I've finished 150 pages so far, I don't have time anymore. In general, I prefer both books and films based on reality. And not about the fact that some monster flew in from some galaxy and burned everyone with a laser (laughs). I also read books on psychology, books by various coaches, not just hockey ones, books about great athletes who have achieved a lot and you can learn something from them, spy on them.
- Do you have any simple joys in life? Fishing, cooking?
Definitely not cooking! Your hands are not suited for this task. Fishing... you can go, but again, if someone calls you, they will give you a fishing rod and all these fishing paraphernalia. I don’t have anything of my own and I won’t buy it specifically. And I won’t go anywhere alone (laughs). With children in computer games Let's play. With my son - football. By the way, I’ve been a fan of Spartak Moscow for a long time and would really like to take a photo with Valery Shmarov. I know that he is from Voronezh.
- They say that Alexander Viktorovich brought the uniform. What about you?
And I'll bring it. I want to look like an athlete, even a former one. I would like to compete on equal terms with the guys, because if we are weak, they will not be interested in us. I myself am curious to see if I can do at least something else or if I have already done everything. It seems like we’re holding on for now, even winning sometimes. Here on last training session We played a mini-game, and Alexander Viktorovich put an end to it with his powerful throw, and we won. We go to the gym whenever possible. Sasha stands in the plank for 8 minutes! I'm just getting to this point (laughs). In general, we try to lead by example.
Press service of "Buran"
