Russian hockey players playing in European championships. Evgeny Fedorov: It's more honorable to win away - Who will be the favorite of the season

Center forward Yevgeny Fedorov can consider his debut season for Magnitogorsk quite successful. Winning the European Champions Cup and becoming the winner of the national championship is a good harvest of medals for continuing a career in a new club. Fedorov is one of the few hockey players Russian hockey, who has performed in recent years in the top teams of the country (Ak Bars, Dynamo, Magnitka), and therefore the solution of serious team tasks for him is ordinary workdays. So it is no coincidence that we started our conversation with the question of rest.

Our reference:
Fedorov Evgeny. Position - striker. Born November 11, 1980. Height 176, weight 80. Titles while playing for Metallurg: Winner of the European Champions Cup in 2008; Bronze medalist of the Russian Championship 2008.

Favorite dish: Fried potatoes.
Car brand: Toyota.
Resting-place: UAE.
Movie: old soviet films.
Book: Russian classics.
Sports other than ice hockey: Football basketball.
Times of Day: Evening.
Drink: Kvass.
Music: All directions (mainly by radio).
Hobby: Free time I spend with my family.

– Eugene, how did you rest 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 they spent time together. For me, the best rest is to do nothing, just lie in a sun lounger and do nothing. I do not like outdoor activities, because there is a risk of injury.

– What do you think, what did the Russian football team lack to reach the final of the European Championship?

- Perhaps the difficult quarter-final with the Dutch had an effect extra time. The Russians have already achieved great success, but the main reason is the Spaniards, who were a cut above both in the first and second games against ours. There was no equal to this team at the European Championship, they deservedly won.

– Last year you made your debut at Metallurg. Were there any difficulties in joining the new team?

- I was lucky, I knew half of the guys from Metallurg well: I played with someone in Kazan, with someone in Dynamo. Nevertheless, a new city, a new atmosphere, new fans - they gave an emotional mood, positive emotions. I have not experienced any psychological problems, the team in Magnitogorsk is excellent, here, I think, everyone is well received.

- Previously, street companies came to sign up for hockey, or the coach went to schools and recruited boys. How was it in your case?

- At first I watched hockey on TV, played in the yard team, then at the age of 6 my parents enrolled in the section. I started in Yekaterinburg, it was really bad with hockey there: there weren’t enough sticks for the whole team, they changed them through the shift. No uniform, no equipment. I decided to go to Krylya Sovetov, where I became friends with those who play now in Magnitogorsk - Evgeny Varlamov, Vitaly Atyushov.

– Who gave you a ticket to professional sports?

– I got a foothold in Yekaterinburg when I started at 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 from the "Wings" left with Atyushov. We were invited by Vasily Pervukhin. They played constantly at Molot - from there, one might say, he came to big hockey.

– Can you imagine yourself as a person of a different profession?

- Somehow I didn’t think about it. What profession? I don’t speak languages ​​well, I didn’t build houses. Honestly, it's hard 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 the Wings.

- In those years, Krylya Sovetov was a strong team, from there so many talented players dispersed to the 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. In Moscow, they offered to stay, but I chose Magnitogorsk. Because here, in terms of organization, it is more comfortable, easier. Moscow is a huge metropolis, and Magnitogorsk is a small city. Again, a good team gathered in Metallurg, I knew many of the guys before.

– Did you quickly explore Magnitogorsk? What is your favorite vacation spot?

- With my daughter Eva, we walk around the circus, visit the attractions. As for me, I just try to relax more, watch TV.

– What do hockey players usually have time to do in the pause between morning and evening training?

- Someone like. I have one schedule: lunch, sleep, then arrival at the palace for an evening workout. Between workouts, I don’t like to do anything – either at home or at the base. I find time for work on other days, for example, on weekends.

– Now the matches of the KHL championship are served by two chief referees. Is this an innovation in the hands of the attackers?

- I would not want to offend the judges, but even if you put the four main judges, it seems to me that nothing will change from this. One referee can do just fine if he is really the referee high level and will be able to distinguish "fish" and picture falls from true violations. Of course, hockey is getting 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 cope.

– Where do you play better: at home or away?

- It is more pleasant to play at home with your fans, but it is much more difficult to win away, and therefore it is more honorable. At home, everyone expects only victories from the team.

- What are the most vivid memories from your career that you have deposited for this period? You have 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 an operation, and I watched the entire tournament on TV. Although they gave me a ring. Well, what are the memories? Basically, command. You yourself can score 30 goals per season, while the team will trail at the tail of the table. It won't do any good. At the 2000 World Youth Championship we took second place, the victory in the KEC 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.

- In October last year, you scored three goals against Traktor. How often have you had a hat-trick before?

“It was the first such case. My goals did not play a special role in the final result, Metallurg won big 9:1. Therefore, I did not experience much joy.

– With the departure of Igor Korolev, your role in the team has certainly increased? Did you talk to Belousov about this?

- There was no direct conversation on this topic, but I am an adult, I understand everything perfectly. I don't think that with the departure of the Queen my role in the team has increased. I just do what is required of me. But to sit and think that Fedorov is an indispensable player - this has never happened. I try to go to the game and do everything in my power to win.

– What is your relationship with Los Angeles, which you were drafted seven years ago?

- It's probably only you remember. I went to the camp once after the season at Molot. It was interesting to see what the camp for beginners is like. However, he did not want to stay and play in the lower leagues. At the same time, an offer from Ak Bars just arrived.

– This summer, a flood of high-class players from North America and Europe poured into Russia. Undoubtedly, the level of the championship will increase. Have you already experienced this 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 the times of Makarov, who can beat all five alone, in my opinion, have long been gone.

– Is your spouse well versed in her husband's work?

- Before I met Yulia, she was not particularly fond of hockey. Now he understands. He constantly goes to games in Magnitogorsk, sits on the podium along with the wives of the other players. Who won, she can figure out without me. It seems to me that it is difficult for women to explain hockey nuances, perhaps that this is useless. Why should they fill their heads with such trifles? Although the wife is from Kazan, they 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 the head coach of Buran Evgeny Fedorov. Evgeny Yuryevich has a rich gaming experience behind him, and now he has a unique opportunity to immediately plunge into professional hockey as a helmsman of the VHL club. What did you have to face? What tasks does he set for himself? What does coaching mean to him? What is happening in the team? Read on for all this and 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" - ed.)

The result is mediocre. We missed points with Zvezda, where we were defeated due to our mistakes, although we played well. With "Toros" they took two points, although they could also win in regular time. I think two or three points could still put in the piggy bank.

- Could fatigue from a long journey affect the result?

Do you mean a trip to China? To some extent, yes. All these moving, flights, changing time zones. We returned home and started the home series the next day. At the training session on the 19th, it was already clear that the guys had not fully recovered, after all, they didn’t sleep for two nights and went on the ice. This, of course, affected, but is not the main cause of individual errors.

- Is it possible to avoid such mistakes in the future?

Only the one who sits on the bench is not mistaken. 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.

- Which of the away matches turned out to be the most difficult?

They were all difficult. But I think it's still the first, because it's the first. For me and for the guys. There were problems with the line-up, in the pre-season we did not play with teams of the VHL level, plus excitement.

- And where was it harder to play - on the road or at home?

I don't know about the guys, I personally don't care. On the one hand, it's nice to win on home ice in front of your fans. But on the other hand, on the road it is also an honor when everyone is rooting against you, and you win.

- You can already highlight the weak and strengths our team?

And why should we tell everyone? (laughs). We recently got together, the guys are slowly approaching, Dynamo players are added - they played, then they were taken away again ... Someone looks better physically, someone worse, someone had injuries, the rotation is constant. Some things did not have time to train, play. Instability is the main disadvantage so far. And the most important trump cards - youth and speed - we simply must use. We have a young team, and many guys have something to prove and to whom, there is 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 similar game as in the first and second periods with Toros. When we played actively, aggressively, threw a lot, fought a lot of power struggles, there was constant pressure on the goal, we went back to the defense brilliantly. That would exclude such moments when we are all sucked forward, and we begin to forget about defense. The game in your zone needs to be tightened up. When there are no problems with defense, then the team plays better in attack. We know what needs to be worked on and we are moving towards the goal.

The game with Thoros was perhaps the best in the home series. Added power struggle. And, finally, won the second period.

Yes, the second period is our “disease”. We talked with the guys at the meeting, identified the problem, asked them to pay even more attention to it. And it turns out that we played the first period well, the second one came out more relaxed, we think that this will continue, but the opponent is rebuilding, changing the game. And we fall into the system that we do not play. And as soon as one falls out, the rest go along the chain, and it turns out “vinaigrette”. Hence the results. And about the power struggle - it's still hockey. You don't have to kill anyone, you don't need to injure... But when you're being hammered the whole game, your strength ends faster. And we show the opponent that we didn’t just go out to play hockey. And in order to play hard hockey, you do not need to have dimensions. The main thing is to do it! And then let the opponents watch. Once they hit somewhere and the second time they will think whether to go there or not to go.

-And how do you explain the regular violation of the strength?

Like adults guys, everyone knows how to count. Sometimes they play. Emotions are overflowing. It happens that during the game we change lineups, someone has to change their role, someone plays in the center, then goes to the edge, somewhere they didn’t agree and instead of one person two come out. But in the match with Toros, this was no longer the case, also progress.

"You must always be human"

- And what hockeydid center forward Fedorov play for her?

What am I… playing an ordinary hockey player (laughs). I didn’t have any distinguishing 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.

- And what did you want? Run forward, score goals?

I wanted the team to win. He was younger - he liked to run, he became older, he didn’t fly like that anymore. This is hockey, you can't help but run here (laughs).

- If there was an option to score yourself or give a pass - 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 extremes used the moment, I got no less pleasure. Yes, I was not some kind of super scoring. I have always tried to solve team problems. All efforts were directed to the victory of the team. We don't box, we don't swim. If we win, then all together, and when we lose - just the same. There are many examples: people won individual trophies, but they didn’t win anything with the team. I think you should always do something for the sake of the team, and not for yourself.

- And what qualities, in your opinion, should a coach have?

I don't know what he is 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, all were good people. Let's not talk about obvious things - for the coach to be competent, to understand hockey ... this is all clear. But I would single out human relations in the team, in everyday life. Will you a good man and everything will always be fine with you.

"No one shuts anyone's mouth"

- And what, I wonder, is coach Fedorov? Coach friend, coach dictator...

As one coach said, players can be friends for me, but I cannot be for them. There must be a limit. It is clear that I can communicate with them, spend time, especially since I am not much older than them, and I myself want to be closer to the young guys. But familiarity should not be allowed. Dictator? Well, definitely not. I don't like to scream. There is a human language, you can explain everything intelligibly without shouting. The main thing is to have attention in one and the other direction.

- How did you share the responsibilities with Alexander Trofimov?

Everything about us is about 50 to 50. We did not specifically agree on clear roles, Sasha is just older and a little more experienced. We decide everything together, but during the game he voices some points. Nobody shuts up anyone's mouth. If you have something to say - please.

- If you take your tandem, which of you is the "good cop" and who is the "evil" one?

Sasha is probably evil. (laughs). Sometimes you have to slow him down. But he does this not because he is an evil person, and I agree that at some points you need to act tougher. But we do not cross this line. You need the team to trust you. We try to communicate, to establish contact. And there are times when a person cannot talk about his problems in front of everyone, we talk personally. That's when they began to slowly approach. At first, this was not the case at all. Looked maybe.

- Just before the season, you said that the team was tight, constrained. Is it better now?

Now it's better. At least they began to smile in training. The atmosphere must be in the team! It's a young thing. The guys have a whole life ahead of them, every day should be remembered with something. Because a career, and I was convinced of this from personal experience, passes very quickly. And then you turn around, and there is nothing to remember. And then you will worry about wasted years. Therefore, you need to live in training and games! You need to live as a team, so that it is fun, so that the guys have a good mood. Here we are trying to do it. Recently, at 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 it right, the excitement went, and they began to swear and laugh.

- What do you need for the team to act as a single fist?

Time, I think. I want the team to be real. We do not ask them to visit each other in the evening! But if you come to the dressing 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 is playing with us? (laughs). Although “grandfather” arrived alone (Sergey Zhurikov, born in 1977, - ed.), but 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 it also happens - we show the exercise: guys, do you understand? Yes! And they do the opposite (laughs). But this has always been the case, and when I played. All clear? Yes, yes, yes ... But in fact, nothing is clear. Sometimes there is embarrassment to admit that you misunderstood. Like at school. But there is nothing wrong if someone asks something again. It is better to spend an extra minute to explain than to stop the exercise later, get together and talk in a new way.

You were a player only “yesterday”, and you do not have a coaching authority yet. Does the team feel it? How did the guys accept you, despite the lack of experience?

This, of course, is better to ask them. At least I did not 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 appeared?

I noticed one thing. When I was a player and they hammered 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 because they want to make you even better! And I realized that the coaches know better. I also thought the coach came, trained and left. But there are actually many more questions. Hockey takes up almost all of my time. I won’t say that I don’t like it or it’s hard for me, on the contrary, I really like it!

- So you finally went over to the other side?

On what? To the dark? (laughs).

- Well, didn’t you have a desire during the first matches to grab the stick yourself and run out onto the ice?

Nah, I'm done (laughs). Better than our guys now, I still won’t play, so what should I do on the ice there? I played mine. All. We drove.

- And how close to your heart do you take the game? Result? How emotional are you?

I can't show that I'm upset. After the defeat, I don’t have to think about myself! I'll get through it somehow, but the main thing for me is that the guys understand that this is not the end of the world. That we have a new game tomorrow, we need to prepare for it, we need to draw conclusions and move on. Of course I'm worried! Then I think, how could it have been done differently, but if… why not… Self-digging is common to all coaches. But here in the 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 can’t. It is important that the team sees that the coach has not “flowed”, that everything is fine (laughs).

"I can't forgive indifference and lack of will"

- And how important are moral and volitional qualities for you? What can you deal with and what can you not?

I can not forgive indifference and lack of will. You can tell by a hockey player when he wants to. He can make a mistake, but when he puts his soul and heart into it and is ready to do anything for the sake of a common victory, this is very cool. Emotions are very important. Yes, let them at least smash the locker room after the defeat - it will still be better than they just changed, washed and went home. The lack of emotions is not something that is bad ... it becomes scary even for the team (laughs). Someone keeps everything in himself, worries inside, but this is also visible. We have all the right guys. Even if today someone is not in the team, 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're on the ice or on the bench, you're still a Buran player. It is important that they still cheer for each other and worry, support.

How is discipline in the team?

So far so good with household items. There were no serious violations. At first, the guys were a minute or two late, but we explained that 30 people should not wait for one and asked 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 will find later where to spend them if they accumulate (laughs).

- Hockey player Fedorov ever fought on the ice?

It happened several times when I was young. But I tried to always think not about myself, but about the team. A fight is an extra removal right away - that's what I thought. Coaches have taught me this. In general, I was lucky with mentors in life, to work with amazing people since childhood. Therefore, now I try to take a little from everyone and put it into practice. Now everything is different. Even when I was 18, we were already more adapted than today's youth. Sometimes a person comes to the team major league, but he does not know the elementary basics, which they were obliged to explain at school. That you can’t give a pass through a nickel, for example.

- Have you experienced this too?

Well, where to go? And we have to give the guys what they were not told at the right time. You think that since a person comes to a professional club, he must have this knowledge. But no. And you have to spend time training them. And there's a lot of that in the VHL. Here in our team, by the way, there is one very intelligent hockey player. I was surprised that at such a young age he had such an understanding of the game. But there are very few of them. And someone understands everything, but wants to do the best, takes on more ... and as a result, some kind of rubbish also turns out.

"You can't lure fans with posters"

- And what is the physical form of the Buran team?

I have no 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 equal terms, and somewhere even better. And they didn't lag behind in speed. We are pulling up slowly. We no longer have time to draw up microcycles, the time has come for games. And now we need to find a balance so that they both rest and train, and so that they want to go on this ice.

- We have completely different squads for every game. How do you explain this rotation?

It's always good to have a bench. You can always put more fresh guys. In addition, there is also an educational moment - if you didn’t play at full strength, there will be people who will come out instead of you. There must always be competition. The guys are waiting for their chance and should use it. Let them train and work. We don't have that - four squads play, and we don't let the rest. Play prove.

- But it also affects teamwork.

We all play according to the same system, all teams play the same hockey. Therefore, if you swap players or put them in different units, they will not be lost. Everyone roughly knows what to do. I don't think it has that much of an effect. If you look at KHL teams, what kind of rotation is there. 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 arriving at Buran, but they can also be recalled back in the same way. How competitive would the team be without them?

We keep this in mind. It is clear that the guys from Dynamo are a good help. But don't think if they leave, we'll be left with nothing. All our guys will also play and try.

- Buran turns 40 this year. Most recently, the club became the owner of the VHL silver medals. Do you feel responsible to the fans?

Yes, I know that Buran is a club with a rich history. That recently the team played in such a way that it was impossible to get into hockey. We also really want full stands to come! But we cannot lure fans with posters or advertisements. This can only be done with your game! At least stick posters on each post, no one will come if the team is losing. And if we win, they can not be glued at all. Everyone will know, and a full palace will be assembled.

- Have you finally decided to link your life with coaching?

I always wanted to connect my life with hockey. I knew that I could do it 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 do any management or agency activities, it’s not mine. 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 near 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 rich 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, defended my diploma in training highly qualified hockey players. I learned a lot of useful things for myself, but they also give information that may not be useful. A lot of physiology, there were even lectures on how to properly go to the bath. For general development, of course, it is useful, but in any team there are doctors, massage therapists for this. They know more about it than the coach.

- Did you enjoy studying?

Liked. It's all very interesting - knowledge, communication, exchange of views, experience. I would also like to listen to the lectures of the great people and our hockey, and foreign. If the opportunity arises, I would love to go. On the one hand, everything has already been invented before us. But here is the example of Mike Babcock - the coach who won twice Olympic Games, World Championship and Stanley Cup. Every year he travels somewhere in Europe to learn something, to listen. When asked why you are doing this, he replied: “What I won yesterday, may not work tomorrow.”

- Since you liked studying, you probably love to read?

I love. But now I mostly listen to books. Recently I listened to Radzinsky's trilogy "Apocalypse from Koba". About the life of Stalin from beginning to end. Very interesting. I took the book "Young Guard" to read. While I mastered 150 pages, there is no more time. I generally 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 only hockey coaches, books about great athletes who have achieved a lot and you can learn something from them, peep.

- Do you have any simple worldly joys? Fishing, cooking?

Cooking is definitely not! Hands are not sharpened for this business. Fishing ... you can go, but then again, if someone calls, he will give a fishing rod and all these fishing personal belongings. I don't have anything of my own and I won't buy it specifically. And I'm not going anywhere alone (laughs). with children in computer games we play. With son - in football. By the way, I've been a fan of Spartak Moscow for a long time and would really like to take a picture with Valery Shmarov. I know that he is from Voronezh.

- They say that Alexander Viktorovich brought the uniform. And you?

And I'll bring it. I want to look like an athlete, albeit 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 still at least something or already everything. It seems that we are holding on, we even win sometimes. Here on last workout we played a mini-game, and Alexander Viktorovich put an end to it with his most powerful throw, and we won. We go to the gym whenever we can. Sasha is in the bar for 8 minutes! I'm just getting to that (laughs). In general, we try to set an example.

Buran press service

Since Soviet times, it has developed so that most Russian hockey players, if they play in Europe, do it in Switzerland. Recently, the trend has begun to change: young Russians go to Finland to grow up, and experienced hockey players receive offers from exotic places, such as Nice or Edinburgh. We decided to find out in which European clubs hockey players from Russia play this season.

, Visp (Switzerland), 8 (3+5) points in 6 matches

Kovalev announced the completion sports career two years ago. This year, he decided to return to the sport, becoming the playing sports director of the Swiss side Wisp, which plays in the second division. It was Wisp that had previously been his last team in his career.

43-year-old Kovalev does not play often, but comes out 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, but comes out in only a third of the team's matches. But if he is on the ice, then be sure that Kovalev will not leave without scoring points, and if it comes to shootouts, then he will show his skills there too.

Aleksey Krutov, Red Ice (Switzerland), 3 (1+2) points in 14 games

Son of the legendary Soviet hockey player Vladimir Krutov Alexey returned this year to Switzerland. The last five seasons he played in the KHL, last year he started in the Moscow "Spartak", and finished in his farm club, Voskresensky "Khimik" 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 itself. Mikhail Flyagin, Dmitry Malgin still 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 site of the VHL club THC reported unexpected news: goalkeeper Sergei Khoroshun leaves the team and will continue his career in the French Nice. This is not the first trip abroad for the 36-year-old goalkeeper, about five years ago he managed to play in Slovakia for Banska Bystrica and in the Ukrainian Championship for Berkut Kiev. 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 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 managed to play 57 NHL games for Chicago at one time, even played for the Russian national team at the Eurotour stage. Last years he spent in the VHL and realized that something needed to be changed. Therefore, the Scottish city-museum looks like a good option.

, Edinburgh (EIHL), 5 (2+3) points in 12 matches

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, and for Magnitogorsk, and for the Moscow Dynamo.

Georgiev was not loaned out, he regularly gets playing time in the Finnish major league. He's still 20 years old and has his whole career ahead of him.

As part of the Russian youth team, he won the silver of the World Championship. In Edinburgh, Fedorov and Vorobyov play with Jared Staal, the youngest of the brothers, and their team is in last place in the championship.

Barkov, Galchenyuk and other hockey players who could play for Russia

Canadian Boris Katchuk scored against the Russian "youth team" in the super series. We remember players with Russian roots playing for other national teams.

, TPS (Finland), 8 matches

Georgiev in this list is perhaps the most promising Russian hockey player. In 2014, he left for TPS, as he did not receive playing time in Russia even in the MHL. In the first season, he won the youth league of this country, last year, as part of the Russian youth team, he became the silver medalist of the World Championship. This season, he was not loaned out, he regularly receives playing time in the Finnish major league. He's 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 Championships, 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 club of the second Finnish league, where he plays with compatriot Yevgeny Fofanov. The goalkeeper of the same team is the Slovak Denis Godla, who was named the most valuable hockey player of the 2015 World Youth Championship.

Andrey Plekhanov, Zvolen (Slovakia), 1 (0+1) points in 8 matches

At one time, Columbus selected Plekhanov in the NHL Draft under the 96th number. In North America, he played only in the AHL and ECHL.

In Edinburgh, Fedorov and Vorobyov play 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, native Neftekhimik, Sibir, Sochi and Admiral. At the end of last season, he ended up in the VHL and won Bratina with the Almetyevsk Neftyanik. This year he went to Slovakia, where he plays for Zvolen with Valery Knyazev, Plekhanov has one of the worst indicators of usefulness in the team.

Sergei Korostin, Martin (Slovakia), 11 (6+5) points in 9 matches

In Slovakia, in general, a large representation of Russians this year. Forward Sergey Korostin signed a contract with the Martin club, who at one time won the gold of the junior world championship and the bronze of the youth as part of the Russian national team. For the last five years, he has been playing in the St. Petersburg SKA system in the VHL and now he has decided to change something in his life. For "Martin" Korostin plays with Ilya Dokshin.

New Main coach"Buran" Yevgeny Fedorov, who, we recall, took over the team at the beginning of the outgoing week, replacing Sergey Karogo at its helm, on Friday, September 1, talked in detail with journalists from several Voronezh publications.

He spoke about how the preparation of the "hurricane" team for the upcoming championship of the Higher hockey league, shared his first impressions of the transition from a player’s career to coaching and his opinion about the level of the VHL tournament, and also spoke about the “fun” last season who held in the UK.

“It is very important to establish an emotional background in the team”

- Evgeny Yuryevich, how did the option to head Buran come about? And in connection with which you previously decided to complete playing career and start working as a coach? After all, probably, they could have played at the level of the same VHL for a couple more seasons.

- Still, age is already affecting, and there were injuries. In addition, I already managed to “kill” the hockey player in me when I went to the UK. I understood that it was just interesting for me to go there and see how everything is arranged there according to the Canadian system. This was done solely for their own development. I clearly realized that after the 2016/17 season I would not play anymore.

And to play at the level of the VHL ... All the same, after all, some kind of incentive is needed. And it was clear that the Major Hockey League would not give me anything as a player. When there is nothing to strive for, it does not make sense to just go out on the ice, “hang out” in some team and ride buses and trains across the country. At one time, I already dashed off on them.

In principle, there was an offer to work in a Yekaterinburg school. But due to certain reasons, I had to refuse. And then a variant with Buran arose, a telephone conversation took place with the club's management. We exchanged views, after which Alexander Viktorovich Trofimov and I arrived in Voronezh, watched the 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 matches, and not each of them had their own stick. Of course, this surprised me a lot: it seems to be a big city, a VHL club. Two years ago, under Alexander Nikolayevich Titov, there was some kind of fantastic atmosphere in the stands, order in the team, serious tasks were set. And about the last championship I heard only what I have already said.

Of course, this is a very negative moment. I don't even want to remember these things. I myself did not participate in all this, but, judging by the guys, they still live that season, as it seemed to me. There is a certain degree of residual emotional background. You try to talk with the players, and in response - silence, misunderstanding. I explain to them: “Guys, let's talk to you! There is no need to be silent here." I would like there to be some Feedback, there was a desire to work, to train. So that all this happens fun, young, provocatively.

Management told us that this season we should not expect huge injections of funds into Buran, but promised stability in this matter. It is necessary that hockey players also believe that our club is slowly rising financially, what will happen normal equipment. Today they told the team that the sticks were coming, and immediately the guys 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 accept a team a couple of weeks before the start of the championship? After all, you did not complete the composition and spent the preseason.

– And who is at risk here and what? I must say right away that I did not know anyone from Buran before. And Alexander Viktorovich and I were by no means going to “hook up” the previous coaching staff. People invited us and waited for an answer to only one question - will we come or not. Probably, in this situation, the management of the club is more at risk than Trofimov and I, because it decided to make changes.

It is clear that we do not have much coaching experience. However, I personally worked with such well-known mentors as Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, Petr Vorobyov, Oleg Znarok, Vladimir Krikunov, Vladimir Vuytek, Milos Riha, Anatoly Emelin. I won't list them all! I didn’t hear from someone’s words, but I saw with my own eyes what and how they do. And if you summarize everything, then you can take something from each specialist in terms of work, communication with the team. Draw conclusions for yourself and work on their basis.

“I used to imagine coaching a little differently”

- Would you like to be especially similar to one of the named mentors in coaching?

– Again, any of them have something to borrow. Let's say that Znarok 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 great players, which reached the KHL silver. 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. In principle, they all have one school. Krikunov is both physical condition and human attitude towards people. After all, each player, in addition to hockey, has his own life, some kind of life. Different situations arise, and they need to be treated with understanding. Vladimir Vasilievich never takes offense at anyone, is not vindictive. Remains honest and fair with all its severity.

Yes, and the coaches of the new generation have something to learn. For example, Dmitry Kvartalnov, who proved himself both in the Novosibirsk "Siberia" and in CSKA. Or Pēteris Skudra, who, with not the most serious financial opportunities, achieves good results with the Nizhny Novgorod "Torpedo".

– Why did you choose Alexander Trofimov as your assistant?

- Yes, he simply tortured me, asking: “Take it, take it!” (laughs). I didn't know how to get rid of him. But seriously, we have known him for a long time - probably for 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 very similar.

Have you discussed the possibility of working together with him before?

- No. Sasha was doing his own thing, I was doing mine. Yes, and it makes no sense to discuss what in life may not happen. If only to dream...

- What are your impressions of the first week of your coaching career?

– To be honest, I imagined it all differently. Behind long years in hockey I met with coaches who work from morning to evening, but I also saw such mentors who conducted a lesson - and went home. For us, the first days in Voronezh turned out so that we work for twelve hours - from 8 to 20. I have never been in such a mode before. I was a hockey player, and they decided for me when to train, relax, dine, go to matches, and so on.

The current work covers many aspects. This is where scheduling and training process, and communication with the guys, the club management, agents. We try to somehow combine all this, but a lot of time is wasted. On the other hand, they themselves agreed, so there should not be any difficulties.

Again, I thought that the main team of the city can go on the ice at any time when its coaching staff wishes. But now I learned that everything needs to be painted in advance, since Yubileiny also works young hockey players, and veterans, and amateur teams, and figure skaters. Here, too, everything must be summed up and taken into account.

- With Voronezh, with such busy schedule Perhaps you haven't met yet?

- So far I have only seen the Palace of Sports, a temple near it, a hotel, an apartment. And also - "Chizhov Gallery", as well as a dead end in which trains are defended. Nothing else to brag about right now.

"Our team should be interesting for the audience"

- Before the start of the season, can you name the VHL clubs that, in your opinion, will claim 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 the victory of Balashikha Dynamo last season? And it became a champion.

– What can you say about the appearance of two Chinese teams in the League?

- You have to fly far! For the rest, we'll see. After all, all representatives of the KHL 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 will eventually turn out, how everything is organized there.

- Will it somehow change with the introduction of a limit on age-related hockey players in the VHL?

- I think that recently the level of the championship has generally decreased a little. Five years ago, he was still taller. The league is constantly rejuvenated, but yesterday's juniors do not always manage to transition to adult, men's hockey. Someone is great in the youth team, but then stops progressing. Although, in any case, it is better to start playing in the VHL championship than to stay 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 for the recruitment of the team are fulfilled, then what tasks will Buran be able to solve in the 2017/18 season?

- In terms of the formation of the composition, we have some limitations. But we are not looking far yet. Let's start a step-by-step movement, and, God willing, everything will turn out well. The main thing is that our team should be interesting, "prickly" and "toothy", interesting for the audience. So that there is no such thing that Buran will win only five matches in a season, and everyone will wipe their feet about him.

Even if you are inferior to someone, then your opponent must feel the price of this victory. We will try to show that we are fighting, fighting, playing. Plus - there are a lot of Voronezh guys in the team. And they certainly want to prove something to their friends, acquaintances, local fans. At least I think so.

- In your opinion, how complete is Buran's squad now, a week before the first match of the championship?

– At the moment we have six fives at our disposal. But we continue to evaluate the possibilities of hockey players, we will hold a big two-sided game that will help to decide on some points. Of course, if today was July 15 on the calendar, we would have seen more people, we would have worked without any particular hurry.

And now everything has to be done faster. Maybe someone else will drive up to Voronezh. We conduct selection, we try to create normal competition in the team. In addition to the four fives, other guys are needed, striving for the base. At the same time, each player should feel like a part of a large and friendly team in which everyone supports each other.

“You can’t play the same 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 control match?

- It turns out that it is. We contacted two teams, but it was not possible to agree: they already had other plans. And they themselves refused a trip to Rostov-on-Don, since difficulties in terms of the way there and back are not ruled out. It could happen that we would simply lose valuable time now.

– Surely you have already studied the championship calendar. How difficult did it seem to you?

- The beginning will be heavy, which is connected with the flight to China. The trip will be long, after the second match there we will get home only in two days. Plus - change of time zones. We will return to Voronezh, and a day later we will play the first game at our site. We will think about how to restore the guys with minimal time losses.

- Have you ever played in a similar schedule: four matches at home, then the same number of meetings 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 pre-season is still going on, even if only one week is left before the start. While we train in a two-time mode, and then we'll see, we will vary. You can't "overfeed" the guys with ice, you need them to have a desire to go to the site.

- Have you already decided what kind of game you want to instill in Buran?

- Yes. But you always need to consider who is in your squad and what kind of opponent you are facing. You can't act the same way against everyone. We are already bringing general principles to hockey players. Some people find something new. 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 mode.

- Have you contacted the coaching staff of Dynamo Moscow, our current sports partner from the Continental Hockey League? Will there be real personnel support for Buran from the side of the capital club?

- Muscovites themselves are now in a difficult situation, as there are too many injuries in the first team. I talked with one person from the youth team of Dynamo. And he said that even several guys born in 1997-1998 were taken away from them in order to conduct a full-fledged training process. If everything was fine there, I think the Dynamo players themselves would call us and offer hockey players.

- Therefore, at the start of the season, one should not expect help from Moscow?

- I believe that we will rely on our strength throughout the championship. You can't sit and pray that Dynamo will send someone to us. Send players - good. No, it means we will perform exclusively with our guys.

“After a week in Edinburgh, I wanted to go home”

– Evgeny Yuryevich, I would like you to tell us more about how you played for the Edinburgh Capitals in the British Elite Hockey League.

- It is difficult for me to make any comparisons, say, with the VHL. But it is clear that in terms of its level the British League is inferior to the KHL. We have more playgrounds, the guys are trying to play. It's just different hockey, the school is different - typically Canadian. Everyone runs, fights, fights, throws the puck over the board. Although, of course, there are interesting teams and players.

- And what is the attitude towards hockey in the UK?

- Somewhere everything is very well organized, somewhere - at an amateurish level. In some teams, they hire guys who work in parallel in other places - they glue wallpaper, repair plumbing, and so on. For example, the socket in the locker room broke, so there is always a player who can easily fix it. But there are, I repeat, both purely professional clubs and capacious ice palaces, in which full houses gather.

- How was the situation in your "Capitals"?

- Not good! I went there, and after a week I wanted to return home. However, Pasha Vorobyov, with whom they arrived in Edinburgh, said: "Let's stay a little longer, maybe we'll get involved." He persuaded me, we stayed and played the season to the end.

- Remember any comical cases, from which, as they say, the hair stood on end?

“Yes, there was always something going on! Upon arrival, we asked: “Why do trainings start so late here - at half past ten in the evening?” We were told: “So the guys only come home from work at eight.” One Canadian who was on the team said he goes home to Vancouver in the summer and goes fishing. He gets up at three in the morning, gets into the boat and catches lobsters, and at noon he rents them and receives cash. There, in the off-season, almost all hockey players are engaged in part-time work. For us it was unusual.

- So you and Vorobyov were the only professional players in the club?

“In addition to us, there are at most five more people. In the local Palace of Sports, the boards are made of brick, they were only trimmed with plastic on the outside. The club did not have money to ensure that during the matches there were people on the penalty boxes and opened the gate. Remote players had to climb over the sides. There are a lot of such little things. I recalled the movie "The Click", where the team went to the games in the same bus with their fans. Fans played guitars and hockey players sang. Here's something similar we had.

- Was the sports regime in the team at least somehow observed?

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 replied: “Okay, rest!” As a result, it happened that after a day off, seven people came to training. Everyone else was sick.

- Did Edinburgh have a local mentor?

- No, Czech Michal Dobron, who was a player-coach. From the shift, he came to the bench all steamed up, but he still had to manage the team somehow. I even messed up the gate once. We all had to tell him something all the time.

In general, there were stories almost every day. It's a pity that we didn't manage to go to football. But we always had matches on Saturday and Sunday, and in the English Premier League, games are also played on weekends. So we didn't see Wembley.