KHL, NHL, Russian Prospects and Team Russia

Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Bodreau, as reported by Tarik El-Bashir in his Capitals Insider, feels that Semyon Varlamov is quickly improving in the recover from the groin injury he suffered on December 7th.

Bodreau: "Semyon Varlamov is inching toward returning to the lineup. He's getting betterm the week after Christmas, he's going to be playing one of those games. I don't know which one it will be, but it will be one of them."

Semyon Varlamov is a strong candidate for the third goalkeeper spot at the upcoming Olympic Games in Vancouver. This season he has posted so far a .927 save percentage with a GAA of 2.21.

Best moments of the Week 13 in the KHL, brought to you by RT.com.

Includes goals by Alexander Avtsin, Mikhail Anisin, Maksim Sushinskiy and Vyacheslav Fetisov's comeback.

In case you wonder who is this small player in a dark-blue #22 jersey -- it's Mikhail Anisin of Sibir Novosibirsk.

Habs' Andrei Markov and Thrashers' Maxim Afinogenov liked joke when they played for Dynamo Moscow of the KHL in the 2004/05 season, according to their former partner Yakov Rylov.

Rylov gave an interview to Russian site sports.ru where he recollected some stories with Markov and Afinogenov. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of some parts of the interview.

"Once Max Afinogenov made a bad pass and [Dynamo's head coach] Krikunov exclaimed: "What are you, blind?". The following day the team gathered in a room for the game analysis. Max took a seat in the first row and put on strong glasses. You know, the ones that enlarge your eyes considerably. Krikunov came in and started laughing.

At one moment there were rumors that Mikhail Grabovskiy (now playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs) would get traded from Neftekhimik to Dynamo. First he was expected to come right at that moment, then he was expected to come after the season. So one day there was a practice and Markov and Afinogenov were skating in jerseys with Grabovskiy's surname on the back."

During an interview with Nova Scotia newspaper The Chronicle Herald, Canadian player David Ling, who's playing for Amur Khabarovsk, was asked about the difference in the level between NHL and KHL.

Ling: "[The KHL] is in between the AHL and NHL. Many good players, though. Just a different game."

He also stressed the difficulties of playing on a team whose nearest competitor is more than 3,000 kilometers away.

Ling: "The travel is crazy where I am. The closest team is a six-hour flight. It feels like we are always on the road, even when at home, because we’re battling jet lag. It’s hardest being away from family. They are most important to me. It’s lonely here. I am either at the rink or at my apartment."

David Ling is currently playing his third season in Russia as he spent 2005-06 with Spartak Moscow and the following season with Dynamo Moscow. He's back in Russia this summer after an year in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies and a season split between Switzerland and Finland. This year he scored four goals and 16 points in 25 matches.

On November 25th, the official KHL-TV program "Ledoviy Kontinent" examined the reasons behind Champions Hockey League's failure through an interview to KHL Marketing department vice-president Ilya Kochevrin, who claimed that the main problem was the lack of professionalism. He also stated that he still hopes to work on a joint solution with the IIHF to resurrect the competition.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation:

19 years old center Mikhail Fisenko has been added today to the World Junior Championships Team Russia roster.

The native of Magnitogorsk, Russia, grabbed a silver medal at the 2008 Under-18 WJC held in Russia, and the following summer moved to the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, where he scored 28 points in his first season.

This year, after moving to the Calgary Hitmen, the two-way center added three goals and twelve assists in 24 matches, with 19 PIMs. Fisenko, who is undrafted in the NHL, is probably going to be played as third line center.

19 years old Alexander Pechursky decided to report to North America as he's going to play for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League, according to allhockey.ru. Pechursky has been drafted by the US team in this spring's Import Draft with the 55th overall pick.

Let's remember that Pechursky has been drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins during the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Pechursky, who won a gold medal at the 2007 Under 18 WJC, has played only one match with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL this year, and had a short stint in the MHL. Recently the club signed national team goalie Vasiliy Koshechkin and thus he lost his backup role. On top of that he'll represent Russia at the upcoming World Junior Championships.

Blue-chip prospect Alexander Burmistrov, in this interview with Andrei Osadchenko of allhockey.ru talks about his experience in the OHL, analyzes his chances in the upcoming WJC and tries to anticipate the tournament's outcome.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation:

Team Russia head coach Vyacheslav Bykov in an interview to Sport-Express explained why he didn't invite Alexei Yashin to the national team.

Bykov: "Why didn't we include Yashin in our Olympics' candidate list? We need different energy from the one he displayed in the Eurotour, where he disappointed us. We have no conflicts with Alexei. I know that it made him feel bad but that's life."

Most likely Yashin won't play at the Olympics in Vancouver.

Translated by RussianHockeyFans.com

Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk gave an interview to Russian site sportbox.ru where he talked about the Olympics in Vancouver.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Q. How often do you think about the Olympic Games in Vancouver?
Kovalchuk: "Pretty often, but right now I'm focused on playing for the Thrashers. We got into a functional slump and now have to get out of it as soon as possible."

The roster for the World Junior Championships has been released today by head coach Vladimir Plyuschev and Russian Hockey Federation. Just as usual it looks like that the team's strongest area will be the offensive front, with many high quality forwards. The defense looks a bit thin and there isn't a clear starting goaltender. The team's leader will be Nikita Filatov.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you the translation of an article about Alexander Avtsin published on Russian site Sport day by day by Roman Sergeev.

The story sheds some light over Alexander's biography and also contains quotes from Alexander himself, his agent and his coaches.