KHL News and Interviews

Oct172011 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Fedor Fedorov breaks the glasses with a slapshot (video)

Fedor Fedorov breaks the glasses with a slapshot (video) (Photo © Getty Images) Former Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers player, forward Fedor Fedorov, broke the glass during the warm-up before SKA St. Petersburg's KHL regular season game on October 16th against Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg. SKA eventualy won the home game with a 5-1 score, and Fedorov had one assist. RussianHockeyFans offers you a video of this curious incident:

Aug52011 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexei Kovalev: “I had two offers from NHL teams, but I decided to get back to Russia”

KHL News and Interviews

Alexei Kovalev: "I had two offers from NHL teams, but I decided to get back to Russia" (Photo © Getty Images) Alexei Kovalev recently signed a 2-year deal with Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, and he confirmed that he still had offers from the NHL. "I had two offers from NHL teams", 38-years-old Kovalev told Russian newspaper Sovetsky Sport. "But I chose Russia." Kovalev, who played more than 1300 games in the NHL, scoring more than 1000 points, explained one of the main reasons for his move to the Moscow region team. "The lenght of the contract was a problem. I don't want to pack my suitcases every year. I understood that in North America I wouldn't get more than an one-year deal, while Atlant offered me two years." Kovalev also explained other aspects of his transfer. "I didn't play much in R...

Nov282010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Mikhail Stefanovich assigned to Dynamo Minsk

KHL News and Interviews

Mikhail Stefanovich assigned to Dynamo Minsk (Photo © Life.com) Belarusian forward Mikhail Stefanovich has been assigned to Dynamo Minsk of the KHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dynamo Minsk secured Stefanovich's right as he was a second overall pick of the 2009 KHL junior draft. Stefanovich, who played for the Dynamo Minsk organization up to the 2004/2005 season, played only six professional games this year, with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and the Reading Royals of the ECHL. After a couple of seasons in Belarus Stefanovich crossed the ocean to play in the QMJHL for the Quebec Remparts and in the 2007-08 season he won the Mike Bossy Trophy as QMJHL's top prospect of the year. Stefanovich spent in the Q also the two following seasons. He also started playing for the Belarusian na...

Nov22010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Artyukhin’s contract with SKA confirmed

KHL News and Interviews

Artyukhin's contract with SKA confirmed (Photo © Jeff Gross/Getty Images) Evgeny Artyukhin's contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL has been confirmed and the player is now free to play, Russian press reports. The 27 years old forward's signing was delayed due to some heart problems risen during the first medical checks. Artyukhin, who will play with the #44, is set to debut with SKA today against Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Artyukhin has been drafted in the NHL by the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2001 Entry Draft. In 199 NHL games scored 19 goals and 30 assists for a total of 49 points. He won a gold medal at both U18 and U20 WJCs.

Oct292010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Ramo on NHL, goalie fighting, move to Habs, ties with Tortorella

KHL News and Interviews

Ramo on NHL, goalie fighting, move to Habs, ties with Tortorella (Photo © Getty Images) 24 years old Karri Ramo is one of the top KHL goalies. His NHL rights were recently traded to the Montreal Canadiens and he's expected to join the Habs during the next summer as his deal with Avangard Omsk of the KHL will run out on the next April 30th. In this interview with Ilya Elchaninov of sports.ru Ramo talked about his future plans, about his past experiences with Tampa Bay and about life in Russia. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. You played under John Tortorella. Is it true that he considers you late at the practice if you arrive only two minutes before its start? Ramo: "He always wants you perfectly on time. John always says playes to come earlier. If we agreed to meet, let's sa...

Sep292010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Slava Kozlov signs with CSKA Moscow

KHL News and Interviews

Slava Kozlov signs with CSKA Moscow (Photo © Getty Images) Vyacheslav Kozlov was officially signed today to a 1 year contract by CSKA Moscow. The former component of the famous Russian Five joined the Red Army a couple of days ago and will depart with the team for their upcoming away trip. Kozlov will wear the #72 jersey. Vyacheslav Kozlov was Stanley Cup Champion in 1997 and 1998 with the Detroit Red Wings. Kozlov played a total of 1182 NHL games, with 853 points. Kozlov: "I'm glad to be back in the team which is almost my home club, and it's the greatest team in Russia. I'll do all I can to help the team fighting for the Gagarin Cup. I think I am in good shape and I'll be able to help my team mates very soon. Recently I underwent the physical examinations and the doctors were satisfied ...

Sep252010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Marek Svatos signs with Avangard Omsk

KHL News and Interviews

Marek Svatos signs with Avangard Omsk (Photo © Getty Images) 28 years old Marek Svatos signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. He was an unrestricted free agent. The forward was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 NHL Draft, and played with the Avs a total of six seasons. Svatos scored a 164 points in 316 NHL career games. He won the Memorial Cup with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL in the 2002. Svatos struggled in producing constantly, mostly due to his size and injury proneness. Avangard Omsk now has a good contingent of Czech and Slovakian players, having in their team also Jaromir Jagr, Roman Cervenka and Martin Skoula. Svatos signed a one year deal with the Siberian team.

Sep242010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Chris Bourque: “Got sick of waiting for my chance in Washington and then being used to plug holes in roster”

KHL News and Interviews

Chris Bourque: "Got sick of waiting for my chance in Washington and then being used to plug holes in roster" (Photo © SportsDaily) The former Washington Capitals forward Chris Bourque, who moved this summer to Atlant Mytischi of the KHL, gave an interview to SportsDaily.ru. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. The story of your signing with Atlant was pretty long. Were you hesitating? Bourque: "I just wanted to see how it'd turn out with the Capitals. When the situation wasn't clear I had to told Atlant that they'd have to wait." But then finally the Capitals offered you a contract. Why did you decide to move to Russia? Bourque: "Things were going the way that I'd not get a spot with the Capitals. I have won everything in the AHL - like the Calder Cup and the playo...

Aug212010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

KHL legalizes and regulates fighting

KHL News and Interviews

KHL legalizes and regulates fighting (Photo © khl.ru) The KHL just released the set of rules for the 2010-11 season, and it contains an interesting part, how the KHL will regulate fights. Until the 2009-10 season it just followed the IIHF rules, which had a five minutes major plus game misconduct for any fight. But from the next season it's going to change. All that follows is coming from the official KHL rulebook, which can be found here (Russian only). Firstly the KHL gives a definition of a fight, which says that "it's a situation in which more than a player or a goalkeeper fight another with or without gloves, or two players start fighting and the refs can't break the fight." So the refs have a wide selection of penalties to punish the players who participated in the fight: a) the play...

Jul282010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexander Radulov: “I never regretted my choice”

KHL News and Interviews

Alexander Radulov: "I never regretted my choice" (Photo © Le Soleil) After his move from Nashville to Russia, Alexander Radulov has been very discreet with the media. But he decided to give an exclusive interview to Mikaël Lalancette of Le Soleil, in which he talked about his controversial move, about his future and about Quebec City. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. Early Years Alexander Radulov moved from Russia to North America in 2004, when he was picked up by the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. "At this point we can say that it was the first betrayal of my career. The Remparts drafted me and so I decided to come and play in Quebec. Back at home my relatives and my friends didn't understand me. They told me that I could keep on playing in Russia and still dreaming ...