Author: Gary Laws

Dec162009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

IIHF bars Sergey Ostapchuk from playing at WJC

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

IIHF bars Sergey Ostapchuk from playing at WJC (Photo © khl.ru) Russian forward Sergei Ostapchuk, who left Lokomotiv of the KHL to play for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL earlier this season, is denied by the IIHF from playing at the WJC which will take place in Saskatoon, says the official Russian Hockey Federation site. The site refers to the Russian team head coach Vladimir Plyuschev who says that the IIHF doesn't allow Ostapchuk to play due to unknown reasons. Ostapchuk was allowed to play at the previous WJC for Russia but he didn't make the team.

Dec152009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexander Avtsin KHL rookie of the week

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Alexander Avtsin KHL rookie of the week (Photo © Kp.ru) After notching his first KHL goal on Friday during a 4-0 home win against Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk and scoring the game-winner against SKA in St. Petersburg two days later, Dynamo's player and Habs' prospect Alexander Avtsin has been named KHL rookie of the week. Let's remember that he also had an assist in the game against Neftekhimik. In the two games played he finished +3 and had around 7 minutes of average ice time. The other awarded players were goalkeeper Vitaly Eremeev (Dynamo Moscow), blueliner Vitaly Atyushov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) and forward Mikelis Redlihs (Dinamo Riga).

Dec142009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Martin Gerber’s injury not so serious

KHL News and Interviews

Martin Gerber's injury not so serious (Photo © boeboda.ru) Swiss goalie Martin Gerber, who was hospitalized yesterday with a neck injury, underwent advanced examination Monday morning. Fortunately it didn't confirm the preliminary diagnosis "compression fracture of the fourth cervical vertebra". According to the new information Gerber has spinal contusion and recovering will take weeks, not months. "When Gerber was delivered to the Podolsk hospital he underwent examination that didn't show any fractures. Monday morning computed tomography confirmed there was no fracture but rather a spinal contusion," said Atlant's doctor Andrei Bagdasaryan to Sovetskiy Sport. "According to the doctors, Gerber's recovering will take weeks and not months. Thus there is no need in searching for a new goalie....

Dec132009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Martin Gerber hospitalized with a serious neck injury

KHL News and Interviews

Martin Gerber hospitalized with a serious neck injury (Photo © khl.ru) Swiss goalie Martin Gerber, who past summer left the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL to play for Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, was hospitalized after suffering a serious neck injury in a game against Vityaz Chekhov on December 13. According to Russian site lifesports.ru during the second period a Vityaz forward ran into Gerber. As a result Gerber ended up lying on the ice. After being tested by the team's doctors Gerber was put on a wheel stretcher and taken off the ice. He was sent to a Podolsk municipal hospital where he was diagnosed with a compression fracture of the third cervical vertebra. "The injury is very serious, Martin can forget about hockey for the next 6 months," said one of the hospital's doctors, Ig...

Dec122009 by Gary Laws1 Comment

Alexander Avtsin scores his first goal in KHL

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Alexander Avtsin scores his first goal in KHL (Photo © championat.ru) Dynamo Moscow forward Alexander Avtsin, drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, scored his first KHL goal. On December 11, 2009, Avtsin scored his team's fourth goal in a game against Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. Dynamo won 4:0. "I think it was my best game in Dynamo jersey. I scored a goal, our line got some points too. We will work even harder. Now I feel great not only because I scored but also because the whole team played great," said Avtsin to a Russian site Championat.ru after the game. Below is the video of Avtsin's first KHL goal.

Dec112009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Vyacheslav Fetisov: “I think that one game is enough”

KHL News and Interviews

Vyacheslav Fetisov: "I think that one game is enough" (Photo © Sportbox.ru) Vyacheslav Fetisov's sensational comeback didn’t save CSKA from a home defeat against SKA St. Petersburg in a game that saw Maxim Sushinsky score his 300th goal. RussianHockeyFans offers you a translation of what Fetisov said after the game to the Russian TV channel “Sport”. “I feel really good. It was a bit sentimental, starting with the hymn and going on. I’m a happy man today. I’d like to thank all the fans that attended the game, all the persons and the guys that I played with today. This was an unforgettable game for me. Thank you all! The game was good, the guys showed a good character in the third period, we came a little short… I wish I could drop about 15 years, to be of more help to the team. The feeling...

Dec112009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects » Pens’ Alexander Pechursky called to WJC camp

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Pens' Alexander Pechursky called to WJC camp (Photo © fhr.ru) After Dynamo's goalie Alexander Zalivin suffered from a heavy arm injury during a training session at the WJC preparation camp in Novogorsk, Russian National Junior Team head coach Vladimir Plyuschev decided to replace him with Pens' prospect, 19 years old Alexander Pechursky. He will join the team on Friday. The young goalie played with U-20 National team two tournaments this season, the first one, in Finland, as starting goalie, where he allowed eight goals in three games. He also played one KHL match with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Dec102009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL » 51-year-old Vyacheslav Fetisov to play for CSKA in KHL

KHL News and Interviews

51-year-old Vyacheslav Fetisov to play for CSKA in KHL (Photo © khl.ru) Yes, it's not a joke. CSKA Moscow is having problems as a lot of it's players are injured. Yesterday, after the game against Atlant CSKA's head coach Sergei Nemchinov said that he had offered CSKA president Vyacheslav Fetisov to help the team. They gave Fetisov one day to think it over and apparently he agreed. This is what the team's press attache Natalia Masyakina had to say to RIA Novosti (in Russian): Fetisov agreed to play for CSKA. Now we are working on the documents and if there are no problems he will be able to play on Friday against SKA. Nothing can be said about the length of his contract at this moment. News is also confirmed on the official KHL site (in Russian). CSKA has provided all required documents...

Dec102009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects » Vyacheslav Voinov not released for the WJC

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Vyacheslav Voinov not released for the WJC (Photo © Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images) After Evgeny Grachev, also Vyacheslav Voinov won't be freed up by his NHL team for the upcoming 2010 World Junior Championships. The young defenseman, property of the Los Angeles Kings, is playing in the AHL for the Manchester Monarchs. According to Sport Express, the Russian Hockey Federation received today a fax which explained that both Grachev and Voinov can't skate in the WJC as they will be busy with their North American clubs. Team's head coach Vladimir Plyuschev added that the IIHF can't have a role in the matter. On the other hand team Russia, which is having a training camp in Novogorsk, has been joined by North American based Dmitry Kostromitin and Anton Klementyev.

Dec92009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects » Maxim Kitsyn: “I think I earned a spot for the WJC”

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Maxim Kitsyn: "I think I earned a spot for the WJC" (Photo © iihf.com) 2010 NHL Entry Draft Eligible Maxim Kitsyn scored four goals in six matches in the 2009 Subway Superseries. He talked about his performances in this challenge, his impressions of Canada and about his chances in the upcoming WJC in an interview with Sport Novokuznetsk. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation: Maxim, could you describe your impressions of your trip to Canada?? Did you have good ice time? With whom did you play? It was an interesting trip. We didn't had the time to go out in the cities, but we seen junior teams' arenas and we even managed to watch two games in Quebec and in Ontario. I played in the first line, but the partners constantly changed. At one moment it was Kirill Petrov, then it was guys ...