The Russian national team forward is going to Canada. Neither a cool coach nor big money will keep him in the KHL. Another Russian hockey player is leaving for the NHL. Furious pressure awaits him in the Canadian club Ilya Mikheev avant-garde biography

The site's guest was a 22-year-old graduate of Omsk hockey, forward of Avangard and the Russian Olympic team, with whom the Hawks extended their contract for two years in April

THEY PLAYED WITH KAZAN EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVELY, ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN

Ilya, did you expect that you, in fact, would become the first Avangard player whom the club decided on this off-season?

Of course, it was nice to go on vacation on such a note. On the other hand, the mood is still not the best - Avangard had every opportunity to defeat Ak Bars and reach the finals of the Eastern Conference. I still can’t understand why we slept a little at the start of this series and gave the opponent a two-game handicap.

Are you satisfied with your personal results: 5 points (2+3) in 12 cup matches, and 21 (12+9) in 56 championship games? At the same time, both in the Cup and in the regular season you have a stable utility indicator - “plus 3”.

If hockey were an individual sport, then perhaps these statistics could be discussed. In the team plan, all the tasks set by the management were not solved. Although they won their division in the regular season, they entered the playoffs with the second seed.

- Why didn’t we pass Kazan?

To be honest, the current Ak Bars was probably inferior in strength to the Ak Bars of previous years, at least it was felt on the ice. But, of course, a handicap of two home matches is too much.

It also seems to me that tactically we played too conservatively - according to one template, stopping a little in our development.

FROM THE FIRST OF MAY EVERY VANGUARD PLAYER STARTS WORK

- From this point of view, the changes in the coaching staff did not surprise you?

Discussing coaches, especially at 22 years old, is completely wrong. But the last thing is always remembered - namely the April two-week gathering of our team. Andrei Skabelka's staff immediately made it clear that we would play total, mobile hockey - five at the back and five at the front. I think this is a modern system.

- The two weeks of the April training camp went unnoticed?

Yes, we trained intensively. Following the results of the training camp, each Avangard player received an individual vacation assignment. Everything is scheduled day by day - starting from the first of May. Gym, jogging, exercise equipment...

- Hasn’t this happened before?

No, why, such plans have always been at Avangard!

- Let's go back to your contract. Why did you choose a period of two years?

I resolved this issue not so much with the agent, but with my family. Two seasons at my age is the most correct distance. There is a time to prove yourself and, hopefully, prove that you are worthy of more.

- Have you seen the atmospheric press release from Avangard dedicated to your signing? The general manager of the club, Viktor Shalaev, emphasized: “Mikheev is incredibly hardworking and focused only on hockey. That’s why we didn’t want him to go on the market and immediately offered him a new contract. Mikheev’s example is indicative for our students - if you work hard, you can achieve any goal. We are expecting a breakthrough in the new season from our youth!"

- (laughs) Many thanks to Viktor Vladimirovich for such kind words. As soon as they appeared on our website, my father immediately called me and said: “Quickly go online and read!” I think such advances will make me work even harder to please our fans more often.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OMICH PEOPLE IN "AVANGARDE", WE HAVE SPECIAL SUPPORT

- Do you, as a native Omsk resident, feel the special attitude of the Siberian torsida towards you?

In principle, we have many Omsk residents in our team - for example, Kostin, Lauta, Dervuk, Shilin. All the local guys understand that they are in special demand. Moreover, they, that is, we, really have special support. Thanks to the fans for this attention!

In general, I would like there to be even more Omsk residents in Avangard. In our city, the construction of the Avangard Hockey Academy is underway, which, I am sure, will provide the main team with its first graduates in a few years. But already now there are such talented juniors on the way as Manukyan, Kovalev, and other guys. I wish them to take a big step towards Avangard.

- Is this the most difficult step for a young player?

Exactly. Moving from Omsk Hawks to Avangard is not easy both in terms of gameplay and psychologically. The competition in the KHL is very high, there are both foreign players and veterans. Yes, they will always support, but at the same time, they are all professionals and will not simply give up their place to anyone. That is, at first, a newcomer needs to cling to every shift, every minute of playing time - and prove it.

By the way, the support of journalists is also important. Our media is not always focused on the positive; they often find reasons for criticism. In this regard, it helped me that your resource did not forget about me throughout the season.

I HOPE THAT RUSSIA WILL BEAT FINLAND IN THE WORLD CUP FINAL

- Did the winter call to the Russian Olympic team help you?

Yes, in Slovakia we played three matches in four days and got a taste of European hockey. It was a useful and interesting experience for me. I immediately became convinced that the international level was slightly different from Kakhael’s. In national team games, the speed is a little higher, and the hockey is even more intense.

- Did you follow the decisive matches of the Gagarin Cup?

To be honest, I didn't follow it. I was very upset after losing in the conference semi-finals; I simply had no emotions left for hockey.

- But do you intend to watch the World Cup?

Necessarily. I will worry about our team, maybe one of our players Olympic team will break into it. I also like some of the forwards of the Finnish national team in terms of style, they have something to take into account. I hope for the final between Russia and Finland and for a beautiful victory for our team.

Another Russian player left our league. It became clear that Ilya Mikheev would leave in the middle of the season, but the striker himself diligently denied such a possibility, said that he “hadn’t decided anything yet” and only somehow admitted that he was driving such thoughts away from himself, as it was in the way focus on hockey. “Last year I thought a lot about leaving and failed in the playoffs,” he said. Even now in Brno, Ilya denied everything and was waiting for a decision on the national team, although I assured him that everything had been decided. As a result, yesterday afternoon Mikheev entered into a one-year agreement with. Quite good for a hockey player. Giving up all additional bonuses in exchange for returning to the KHL if he is sent to a farm club. Maybe this is a common occurrence, but the last one who did this was . No AHL, just to play in the main league, and money is not the most important thing. It’s hard to talk about the forward’s prospects in the Canadian team. Not because I don't believe in Ilya.

On the contrary, he is very diligent, careful, and correct. But this is Toronto and soon you will see an interview with , where you will understand exactly what I am talking about. Plus, the “Maple Leafs” are now in a rather difficult moral state, since the team is eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and has already begun to be “fired.” Mikheev had never faced such pressure in his life. But he good hockey player and personally, I’m surprised why he’s not on the team. I'm not sure it's inferior. But the most important thing is that another interesting hockey player is leaving Russia.

The national team headquarters thanks defender Ilya Lyubushkin, forwards Ilya Mikheev and Alexander Kadeikin for their work with the national team this season, wishes to prepare well for the next one and counts on them in the future. #snamirussia

Hockey of Russia (@russiahockey) May 6, 2019

Dropout

On Monday coaching staff The Russian national team said goodbye to several players. Ilya Mikheev and . will not help at the World Championships. And early on Tuesday morning it was predictably called. But what about those who were expelled? We have already talked about Mikheev. I didn’t understand at all why they took Ilya Lyubushkin and Alexander Kadeikin to the Eurotour stage if they weren’t even given a chance. And I very much doubt that Lyubushkin is weaker not only and, but also.

On the contrary, the homebody Lyubushkin, who knows how to play hard, could become an excellent partner for. I'm very sorry for Kadeikin. He could definitely replace , whose invitation was not planned. Yes, Anisimov has experience playing in the NHL, but he had a bad season, and Kadeikin is fired up, and he doesn’t care who’s in front of him on the ice. By the way, he would have acted much better in defense than Artem, unloading and (we take it as a basis last match commands). But the most surprising thing is that only three people were expelled, and yet we still have extra. Will everyone really be taken to Bratislava?

Coach at Avangard

The Gagarin Cup finalist changes its lineup carefully, but news from Balashikha is constant. Firstly, they refused services. The club released a touching video; it’s right for a team to see off its hockey players like this. Yes, Medvedev scored 30 points this season, but these are not the numbers you should pay attention to. Firstly, he spoiled the team with his grumbling, especially during difficult times in the middle of the season. Secondly, he made rather gross mistakes much more often than he was useful. Thirdly, at some point he lost confidence, but the coach had no other options and he still released Evgeniy, although he understood that he was taking a lot of risks.

“Avant-garde” has strengthened with the departure of this defender. It’s also great that negotiations are underway about an invitation to the club instead Mike Pelino. Now Kozlov - Main coach "Khimika", he had a great championship. Kozlov solved his main problem - communication and began to turn into a potentially cool coach with his own system. Plus he knows English language, which will make Hartley's job much easier. I hope that he will come to an agreement with a specialist and refuse Pelino. He was responsible for the majority and we saw in regular season, what a nightmare it was in this direction. Plus Pelino was never like-minded with Hartley. This is too sensitive a topic, just believe that he didn’t really help him.

After the defeat in the final from CSKA, the chairman of the board of directors of Avangard, Alexander Krylov, did not hide from journalists the news that the club’s best player intends to try his hand at the NHL next season.

- We support Ilya Mikheev in his desire to go to North America. We have no right to stop him. He did a lot for Omsk hockey. And, of course, if something goes wrong, we are waiting for him back. I told him that I would help him with the language. Because even moving to Moscow was difficult for him, not to mention North America. Of course, if Mikheev leaves, we will need reinforcements. We're working on it - Krylov said that late evening.

Of course, there have been rumors about the transfer of the 24-year-old striker before. But there was no clarity, and then Avangard’s successful playoffs could have stopped Mikheev from leaving. Omsk will realistically compete for the Gagarin Cup in the coming years, this is a good reason to stay. And Ilya would have received a substantial contract in Russia. Several times more than what will be offered to him in his first years in America. However, despite all this, the hockey player still leaves. From a good organization, from a great coach, despite the chance to win a trophy and earn a lot of money. This is a real defeat for the KHL and Avangard. They cannot do anything in this situation.

When Krylov said that he would support any decision of the hockey player, he perhaps wanted to convey to him through the press the idea to think again and stay. They say that the boss of the Omsk club got angry when he found out that Ilya was leaving after all. Everything was decided literally the other day, after the end of the Avangard season. The main contender for the Russian striker, as reported by Russian and North American sources, is Toronto. There are options with Chicago and Vegas, but the Maple Leafs are a priority. The contract could be announced in a week, on May 1, as soon as Mikheev’s current agreement with Omsk ends. And no, Ilya cannot sign a contract before this period, as Gavrikov and Gusev did, since he is a free agent who has not been drafted by any NHL club. Although in replays to yesterday's news about Mikheev, Toronto fans asked whether Ilya could play in the seventh match with Boston instead of Patrick Marleau.

“Toronto” is a good option for Mikheev. Much better than Vegas, where the head coach directly states that he does not know what to do with a newcomer - the best player outside the NHL. We're talking about Nikita Gusev. But the latter had no choice where to go. Ilya is in a more enviable position in this regard, and therefore must choose an organization in which they will trust him and let him play. We see that the careers of Yegor Yakovlev and Bogdan Kiselevich did not work out in the NHL for reasons other than playing. The example of Igor Ozhiganov, who spent the entire playoffs in the deep reserves, seems to indicate that the Hockey Mecca is also not the best option. But only Igor last season I failed at CSKA, but Toronto ended up with a lot of defenders in the fall. Ozhiganov simply did not have enough space. The Maple Leafs now also have a lot of forwards, but in the summer Marner will ask the club for a salary of 10 million a year, and in order to meet his conditions (there is essentially no way out), it will be necessary to exchange players with large agreements. Mikheev, who will receive only $925 thousand under his rookie contract, can replace one of the extreme forwards. There will definitely be a place for Ilya in the third or fourth line. And Babcock loves players like him.