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May312010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexei Emelin: “I’ll think about NHL next year”

Alexei Emelin: "I'll think about NHL next year" (Photo © Getty Images) Habs' prospect Alexei Emelin, 23, declared to Sovietskiy Sport v Tatarstane (via sports.ru) that he'll think about the NHL only next year. Alexei Emelin: "I'm under contract with Ak Bars Kazan for the next season. I'll think about the NHL next year." Recently Emelin has been awarded with Best Defenseman of the KHL Finals honor and skated in the 2010 World Championship in Germany.

May302010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Hasek is close to signing with Spartak Moscow

KHL News and Interviews

Hasek is close to signing with Spartak Moscow (Photo © Leon Halip-US PRESSWIRE) Russian newspaper Sport-Express is reporting that Dominik Hasek, 45, is close to signing with Spartak Moscow of the KHL. According to Sport-Express, Hasek has already started training for the next season and will arrive shortly in Moscow to sign a contract. Hasek will be tearing up the KHL next season, that's for sure. Go ahead and place a bet on this in any sportsbook. "Don't look at his age - Hasek is still one of the best goalies in the World," said Spartak head coach Milos Riha to the newspaper. During his career in the NHL, Hasek recorded 81 shutouts having a 92.2% saving percentage.

May302010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Yuri Alexandrov signs with Boston Bruins

Russian Players In NHL

Yuri Alexandrov signs with Boston Bruins (Photo © Ilya Korneev) Soon to be 22-years-old Yuri Alexandrov has been signed by the Boston Bruins of the NHL to a two-year contract, as reported by Capgeek.com. Alexandrov had a career season this year in the KHL with Severstal Cherepovets, with 21 points (five goals and 16 assists) in 56 regular season games. In the past Alexandrov skated with team Russia on the international stage in two WJCs (2007 and 2008) and in one U18 WJC (2006). Most likely the young defenseman will start the season with the Providence Bruins of the AHL.

May282010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Vyacheslav Bykov: “Sixty percent of today’s roster will play in Sochi”

Russian National Hockey Team News

Vyacheslav Bykov: "Sixty percent of today's roster will play in Sochi" (Photo © RIA Novosti/Vladimir Fedorenko) After the 2-1 loss to Czech Republic in the 2010 World Championship in Germany, Vyacheslav Bykov gave an interview to the popular Russian website Sovietsky Sport. Bykov stated that the sixty percent of today's roster will be playin in the 2014 Olympics, talked about his future with the Russian national team, tried to analyze the reasons of the defeat and also talked about the foreigners policy within the KHL. Bykov: "This was a dramatic game for us, since the first seconds of it. We allowed such an early goal. Fortune smiled our opponents when they needed it more. It took us a lot of time to get a chance to beat the Czech defense. And it wasn't easy at all. Their goalkeeper [Toma...

May252010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Roman Cervenka signs with Avangard Omsk, won’t play for the Maple Leafs

KHL News and Interviews

Roman Cervenka signs with Avangard Omsk, won't play for the Maple Leafs (Photo © Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) As reported on the official Avangard Omsk's web site, Roman Cervenka signed a two years deal with the KHL team and thus won't sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. Cervenka is a natural center who oddly enough has never been drafted in the NHL. His strong play in the latest couple of seasons put him under the lights and the Toronto Maple Leafs were thought favorites to sign him by most North American media outlets like ESPN or TSN. But most likely Roman Cervenka, 24, preferred to play side-to-side with Jaromir Jagr.

May232010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

2010 WC: Czech Republic gets the Gold

Russian National Hockey Team News

2010 WC: Czech Republic gets the Gold (Photo © REUTERS/Grigory Dukor) Team Czech Republic won the Gold Medal in the 2010 WC Finals. The Czechs prevailed 2-1 after an early goal by Jakub Klepis assisted by Jaromir Jagr and a marker from Tomas Rolinek late in the second period. Pavel Datsyuk cut down the Czech advantage with a third period goal, but Bykov's team didn't manage to revert the score. Surely this wasn't the best season for Team Russia. Ovechkin and other Russian players didn't manage to tie it up despite a couple of powerplay chances in the second half of the first period as Tomas Vokoun played solidly between the pipes. Pavel Datsyuk managed to put the puck in the back of the net during a last second rush, but the clock hit the zero before the puck went in. During the second per...

May222010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects – Sergei Gaiduchenko: “You can’t judge me by one game only”

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Sergei Gaiduchenko: "You can't judge me by one game only" (Photo © Yarsport.ru) Young goalie Sergei Gaiduchenko, who was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, had a rocky season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He gave an interview to Russian sport site Yarosport.ru in which he tried to analyze the situation. Let's remember that his contract with Lokomotiv ran out on April 30th and he's still yet to sign. Sergei, do you have an explanation regarding your benching at the end of the season? Sergei Gaiduchenko: "Honestly speaking, no. After the end of the regular season the coaches told me to get ready to play for the second team (Loko in the MHL). No one told me explanations or complains about my game." Did you try talking about your fate with the team with the staff boards? ...

May212010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

World Championship – Semyon Varlamov: “Perry wanted to injure Ovechkin”

Russian National Hockey Team News

Semyon Varlamov: "Perry wanted to injure Ovechkin" (Photo © Sovsport.ru) After the 5-2 win in the 2010 World Championship's quarterfinals, goalie Semyon Varlamov gave an interview to Russian sport website Sovietskiy Sport. Semyon Varlamov: "In the first ten minutes Team Canada always plays very actively. They created some moments. But they didn't manage to score, I don't know why." Don't be so modest! Semyon Varlamov: "In a couple of chances they simply didn't have room. I'm not saying that they brought a bad team here. Canada can beat anyone with any roster. But this time we were better." Did you see that in the second period Brooks Laich slashed Ovechkin from behind? And he's a Caps player too! Semyon Varlamov: "In general Team Canada played very roughly. When the score was 3-0 [Corey] P...

May212010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

St. Louis Blues sign Evgeny Skachkov

Russian Players In NHL

St. Louis Blues sign Evgeny Skachkov (Photo © Ilya Korneev) As reported by Sport Express, Russian forward Evgeny Skachkov has been signed by the St. Louis Blues to an Entry Level Contract. The 26 years old left winger had a breakout season in the KHL this year with Traktor Chelyabinsk as he scored 22 goals and 36 points in 51 regular season games. He was left pointless in the team's short post season campaign. Actually this is the third season in which he is delivering for Traktor in spite of the team's lack of success. Skachkov is a quick left winger with very good technique and excellent skating. He skated with Team Russia in the WC preparation camp, but he didn't make the team.

May182010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

2010 WC: Russia trumps Finland 5-0

Russian National Hockey Team News

2010 WC: Russia trumps Finland 5-0 (Photo © REUTERS/Grigory Dukor) Team Russia defeated team Finland 5-0 in the last Qualification Group game of the 2010 World Championship. Alexander Ovechkin ended his goal streak. Team Finland started well the first period, putting a lot of pressure over Varlamov. But despite a long 5-on-3 chance with Alexei Emelin and Dmitry Kulikov in the penalty box, the Finns didn't manage to score. With the teams back on even strength Kulikov had a good chance getting out of the sin bin, but he was hooked down by a defenceman, thus drawing a penalty for Bykov's team. On the consequent man advantage team Russia cycled well the puck, but couldn't get it into Vehanen's net. At the sixteenth minute team Russia scored the first goal of the game: the puck moved fast from ...