Author: Gary Laws

Dec92009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

IIHF alleged to replace Champions League with European Champions Cup

IIHF alleged to replace Champions League with European Champions Cup (Photo © IIHF) The rebirth of the European Champions Cup was discussed at a conference with IIHF leaders and the seven biggest European hockey nations in Stockholm, Sweden. Russia has been represented by Russian Hockey Federation’s president Vladislav Tretiak. One of the most important decisions that have been taken has been the termination of the agreement with the marketing company Ovation, which run Champions’ League’s inaugural season. The new partner will be the Infront company, which has been organizing World Championships for 20 years. Probably now we can really talk about CHL’s revival. In the two months that separate us from the Olympics in Vancouver Infront, IIHF and the national federations will have to develop...

Dec72009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL » Viktor Tikhonov: “I will have to return to America next year”

KHL News and Interviews

Viktor Tikhonov: "I will have to return to America next year" (Photo © khl.ru) Viktor Tikhonov, loaned to Severstal Cherepovets of KHL by the Phoenix Coyotes of NHL, gave an interview to the official KHL site. He talked about the reasons behind his decision to leave for Russia, his converstaions with Gretzky in Phoenix and the fact that he can spend only one year in Russia after which he will have to return to America. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. - Why did you decide to return to Russia? - One of the reasons is my contract with the Coyotes. There is a clause that if I get sent to the AHL during the first two years, I have a right to play in Russia on a loan basis. After two months in the farm-team I decided to use this right because I think that hockey level in the KHL ...

Dec72009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL » Dynamo Moscow players used metro to get to game in time

KHL News and Interviews

Dynamo Moscow players used metro to get to game in time (Photo © khl.ru) Dynamo Moscow players had to use Moscow underground to reach the Luzhniki arena in time for a game against Ak Bars Kazan. Most of Dynamo players were driving to the game in a club's bus but due to a traffic jam they had to leave the bus and use metro. Only the players who used their cars got to the arena beforehand and skated in the pre-game warm-up. They players who used metro joined their partners in the locker room after the warm-up. "All of our players are in the locker room right now, preparing for the game," said Dynamo coach Igor Zhilinskiy to Gazeta.ru minutes before the game. The game start wasn't delayed. "As usual, we left our base for the game 3 hours before the starting whistle. Normally it would take us ...

Dec72009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Sergei Zubov: “SKA could defeat any NHL team”

KHL News and Interviews

Sergei Zubov: "SKA could defeat any NHL team" (Photo © Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) In the interview posted on KHL official site, SKA St. Petersburg's Sergei Zubov talks about the differences between the NHL and the KHL, gives his opinion on personal awards and compares veterans' and youngsters' contribution to a team's success. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of the interview. Judging by last month's stats, your needed period of adaptation to Russia is complete. You can say that, I guess. I've spent the first two months to adapt to new hockey and new size rink. I've tried to understand the style of my team and of the opponents. Because of this I couldn't perform up to my possibilities. Now I am rather accustomed and thus I play well. My team helped me a lot – in the last few...

Dec72009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL » Viktor Tikhonov scores 2 goals in KHL debut

KHL News and Interviews

Viktor Tikhonov scores 2 goals in KHL debut (Photo © khl.ru) Viktor Tikhonov, who was loaned to Severstal of the KHL by the Phoenix Coyotes, scored two goals in his debut game. Tikhonov spent on ice 17:56, had 7 shots on goal and a +2 rating. His Severstal faced HC MVD and won 5:3. "I missed Russia and our hockey very much," said Tikhonov after the game. "Two goals in a debut is a great start, as for me. I'll try to keep up the pace. Of course I wanted to score but I didn't have to try hard because it's easy to score with such partners as mine. It didn't take me long to adjust to the game as the team's roster is almost the same as it was when I left for the North America. My grandfather (famous coach Viktor Vasilievich Tikhonov) was at the game today so I dedicate these goals to him! I wil...

Dec62009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL » Igor Makarov traded to Dynamo Moscow for Oleg Saprykin

KHL News and Interviews

Igor Makarov traded to Dynamo Moscow for Oleg Saprykin (Photo © fhr.ru) After being a healthy scratch in the last few games with Dynamo Moscow, former Phoenix Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators and CSKA Moscow player Oleg Saprykin has been traded to SKA St. Petersburg for hot prospect Igor Makarov. Makarov was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2006 NHL Draft as 33rd overall pick. The quick winger participied to the Hawks' training camp a couple of seasons ago, but decided to get back to Russia after he failed securing a roster spot within the main team and apparently refusing to play in the AHL. This year Makarov's role has diminished a bit because of SKA's depth and thus he scored only three goals in twenty-five matches. Saprykin's season has been disappoi...

Dec52009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

NHL » Video of Alexander Ovechkin’s photo shoot for Men’s Journal

Russian Players In NHL

Video of Alexander Ovechkin's photo shoot for Men's Journal (Photo © Alexovetjkin.blogspot.com) Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals took part in a photo shoot for Men's Journal. The photo shoot took place last September in New York. The photo will appear in the December-January issue of Men's Journal. Below is a video of the shoot:

Dec52009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

NHL » Vladimir Zharkov scores his first NHL point

Russian Players In NHL

Vladimir Zharkov scores his first NHL point (Photo © AP Photo/Rich Schultz) 21-year-old Russian defenceman, Vladimir Zharkov of the New Jersey Devils scored his first NHL point. On 4 December, 2009, in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Zharkov assisted to Niclas Bergfors to give the Devils a 2-1 lead. So far in the 2009-10 season Zharkov played 3 games having average 13 minutes TOI, 1 assist, 2 PIM, 6 SOG. Video of Zharkov's assist:

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Evgeny Grachev: “The Rangers confirmed I’m out of the WJC”

Russian Players In NHL

Evgeny Grachev: "The Rangers confirmed I'm out of the WJC" (Photo © Russianprospects.com) In this exclusive RussianHockeyFans.com interview, New York Rangers' prospect, 19 years old Evgeny Grachev confirms that he won't go to the WJC, talks about his AHL experience and hints that he isn't going to follow Nikita Filatov's route and bolt back to the KHL. Hello Evgeny. Recently the Russian Hockey Federation site has published news that the Rangers ruled you out of the WJC. Has anyone from the club talked to you about this decision? Has the RHF approached you either? I've seen this information on the internet and I've asked my agent to learn if they really weren't releasing me. And the New York Rangers confirmed that they wouldn't release me. And no one from the RHF tried to get in touch with ...

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexander Ovechkin: “I’m a ‘caveman’ because I don’t care what others think of me”

Russian Players In NHL

Alexander Ovechkin: "I'm a 'caveman' because I don't care what others think of me" (Photo © The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz) Alexander Ovechkin gave an interview to Anna Nasekina of Sovetskiy Sport in Montreal where his Capitals faced the Canadiens. Ovechkin talked about being a caveman, not caring about what others think of him, the Olympics, girls, and a lot of other funny stuff. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. Anna Nasekina is a member of Russian Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team and a reporter for Sovetskiy Sport at the same time. Last week she was in Montreal when Ovechkin's Capitals came there to face the Canadiens. Anna and Alexander met in a restaurant in the city centre. As soon as Anna entered the restaurant and approached Oveckhin he stood up and kissed her on a...