"The World Cup in May is the settled European tradition"
— Loukas, you worked at 16 World Ice Hockey Championships. What tournaments were remembered to you most of all and why?
— In my opinion, all of them were outstanding, but in different aspects. At present I would stop the choice on three tournaments. First of all, it is the World Cup in St. Petersburg in 2000 which besides became the first for me, and results for the country hostess there were shocking. Also would choose tournament in Quebec and Halifax in 2008 on which IIHF celebrated the centenary, and Ilya Kovalchuk threw a decisive washer in an overtime in very dramatic final against Canadian national team. And the third tournament I would call the World Cup in Prague and Ostrava last year. In the Czech Republic we saw magnificent support from fans, and also absolutely dominating performance of the Canadian team which, in fact, brought the structure corresponding to level of the Olympic Games.
— That you expect br from the forthcoming World Cup in Russia? You were not surprised by a choice of arenas on this tournament, especially in St. Petersburg?
— I expect b that tournament will go over with great success. From the Russian World Cup wait very many, it was possible to see it on scope with which on the Red Square in Moscow 100-day counting prior to an event began. The Russian fans passionately love hockey and are ready to support loudly the team which can present them gold on house ice. Considering that Russia won four of the last eight tournaments, chances of it are very high. As for a choice of arenas, I look forward to chance to see new stadium in Moscow, and that games will take place in St. Petersburg in «Anniversary", I see only nostalgia for myself.
— the World championships take place br in terms when the decisive stage is entered by a season in NHL . Respectively structures of the majority of the national teams are far from an ideal. In your opinion, whether you should not hold the World Cup, say, time in two years and to shift it for the beginning of June to raise tournament level?
— it is interesting to Discuss a format, after all recently it underwent changes. In my opinion, carrying out tournament at the end of April or the beginning of May became already annual tradition for fans from all Europe. In the same way in these terms for fans from North America the Cup of Stanley begins. It will be difficult to select this tradition at people, having shifted holding the World Cup in time.
— you already noted that the Russian national team extremely successfully speaks in recent years at the World Cups. Thus at the last two Olympic Games in Vancouver and Sochi Russia frankly failed. The Olympic Games showed real level of Russian national team?
— Each time when the powerful applicant for gold medals concedes in quarterfinals, this serious defeat and failure. Similar it happened and to Swedes who conceded to the national team of Belarus in 2002. Let's not forget also that fact that Canada lost a quarterfinal just to Russians in 2006 in Turin. Nevertheless results of Russian national team in 2010 and 2014 really bared problems of the Russian hockey one of which can call complexity in actions against well organized defense of the rival.
Gate of Russian national team are protected by such children, as Semyon Varlamov and Sergey Bobrovsky. In the theory, under normal conditions these goalkeepers completely correspond to level of the top and national teams. But thus Russians should work better for the blue line, this element at you obviously limps. Still elite Russian forwards have a tendency to individual game when they face need to solve all problems of team. Equally it belongs and to a trainer's staff which makes decisions during a match.
— For FHR the house World Cup is the main event this year, and the World Cup while on the second plan. Over the ocean situation the return. In what, in your opinion, reason of such arrangement of priorities?
— Remember that the national team of the Soviet Union in 1976 sent experimental structure to the Cup of Canada first in the history. Historically Russian team was much more successful on tournaments under the auspices of IIHF. So it seems to me, it is not so surprising that the Russian management puts the main thing house World Cup.
"The main lack of Russian national team – absence of elite defenders"
— Is well known that one of the main problems of the Russian hockey is the shortcoming of the qualified defenders. How you estimate prospects of young generation of Russians in the person of Dmitry Orlov, Nikita Nesterov, Alexey Marchenko, Nikita Zadorov, Ivan Provorov?
— Such children as Zadorov and Pro-thieves, had the strongest impact on the last progress of the Russian youth national team in the World Cups that is, certainly, a good sign. But let's think, and whether there are in the Russian hockey defenders with a potential of level of Vyacheslav Fetisov? Canada has Duncan Keith and Drew Dauti, Swedes have Eric Carlson and Victor Hedman. At Russians of applicants on "Norris Trofi" while is not present.
— Quite large number of players of KHL got over across the ocean before this season. Many of them do not show that game which from them waited. More strongly than all this it is noticeable on Victor Tikhonov and Sergey Plotnikov's examples. How you consider, it is necessary to give simply to children slightly more time or certain conclusions it is possible to draw already now?
— we Will begin b with that in KHL after all other style of hockey confesses absolutely. There less fast is a lot of transfers, therefore game. It is a lot of game across a platform – in America it call the game "East-West". Especially it is noticeable by comparison with speeds which are offered now in
— Recently many young Russian players at the age of 16-17 years go to North America and try to break through through various junior leagues of Canada. There are also successful examples in the person of Vladislav Namestnikov, Nikita Nesterov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Nikita Kucherov. In your opinion, it is most effective way to get in NHL ?
— All this very strongly depends on individual characteristics of the player, and also at most national league where he acts. For example, for the Finnish or Swedish hockey players the best decision often is not moving to America or Canada at early age, and carrying out several seasons at home where they have opportunity to find confidence and to improve the skills. In particular, if the trainer trusts them and provides solid game time. For the Russian hockey players moving to junior leagues of Canada seems the most effective in respect of hit in NHL . All of them all the same get then in "Tampa Baye". ( Laughs. )
"This year can be year of "Washington"
— Evgeny Kuznetsov spends a fantastic season, being the best goal-scorer of "Washington" . Whether you are surprised with its performance this year and as far as you believe in chances "Kepitalz" to be overcome for the Stanley Cup?
— the Only thing that surprises me in this situation, so it that it needed a lot of time to prove in NHL . How it dominated on ice in the youth World Cups in 2011 and 2012, reminded me Evgeny Malkin's times. Kuznetsov's talent is boundless, he still can offer a lot of things to the audience. As for "Washington" as a whole, it can be valid year "Kepitalz". Barry Trotts did magnificent work on association of talented hockey players in a whole. From Ovechkin's shoulders cleaned loading to drag on itself all team alone, actively help team and Ti Jay of Osha, and Justin Williams.
— Connor Makdevid designate next "the following Gretzky", the guy has really very bright talent. What do you think of its future? May it be overcome for "Calder" in this season?
— If Makdevid will be able to avoid serious injuries in career, it has a chance to reach Sidney Crosby, Steve Ayzerman or Joe Sakik's level. Its speed and ability to control a washer very much impress. I do not think that he will win "Calder", in this season it passed too many matches.
— there is an opinion that the team with the pronounced leader, individually strong attacking player has less opportunities to win the Stanley Cup. Similar it happened to "Vancouver" at the time of Pavel Bure, in the last 10 years it happens to "Washington" Aleksandra Ovechkina. Clubs spend many resources for a salary of the leader, thus losing opportunity to invite high quality defenders. Agree with such opinion?
— it does not agree. We saw many examples when teams in the presence of highly paid forwards won the Stanley Cup in recent years. Striking example — a victory of "Chicago" in last season with Kane and Teyvz in structure. Both of these players earn 10,5 million dollars a year. So is not present, I will disagree with this statement.
— Still there is a probability that Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov will return in NHL . What do you think of their repeated arrival across the ocean ?
— Kovalchuk and Radulov undoubtedly are one of the most technically gifted hockey players on a planet. Thus the peak of career of Kovalchuk nevertheless already slightly behind, and Radulov can face an adaptation problem to NHL after nearly eight years spent to KHL. Their success will depend entirely on that, how responsibly they will approach to business and whether will be able to put command interests above personal achievements.
— IIHF and NHL cannot agree concerning participation of players from North America at the Olympic Games of 2018 yet. Whether we will see the best hockey players of the world at the Games in South Korea?
— I am extremely optimistically adjusted concerning participation of players NHL in the Olympic Games. Opportunity to watch game of the best hockey players of the world drops out all time in four years, would be silly it to lose. — Who from the Russian hockey players you most of all impressed br with br and disappointed over the last 10 years?
— Very few people can be compared by b to Ovechkin in talent and the pleasure received from hockey. Ovechkin in a beginning of the career was especially bright and up to the 2010th years. Recently style of its game changed a little, Alexander began to control more all game and became even more mature master. It is always pleasant to watch Pavel Datsyuk, his magic hands and a responsible approach to work. When Malkin plays on a maximum, he becomes the most dangerous forward on a planet.
As for disappointments, I can call Alexander Syomin who did not manage to realize the huge talent completely. With his ability it had to score 40-50 goals in every season. Nikita Filatov as it seemed to me, could show much more at professional level if to make a start from its performances at the time of "youth team". Source: