Phoenix Coyotes News

20-years-old, Russian defenseman Maxim Goncharov signed an Entry Level Contract with the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. His contract with CSKA Moscow run out on April 30th.

Maxim Goncharov is an offensive defenseman with a great shot and an excellent technique. During this season he scored four goals and a career high seventeen points in 51 KHL regular season games, finished +5. In the 2008-09 campaign Goncharov amassed seven goals and as many assists.

In his junior career he won a gold medal in 2007 U18 World Junior Championship in Finland and captured a silver medal in the 2009 WJC, where he scored five goals in seven games, the tournament's best result for a blue liner.

Viktor Tikhonov has been recalled by the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL. Tikhonov, 21, has been sent to the KHL on November 28th and scored 14 games and 1 assist in 15 games with Severstal Cherepovets.

The grandson of the legendary Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov is at his second year in North America. After being drafted in the first round of 2008 NHL Entry Draft, he played 61 games in his NHL rookie campaign, with eight goals and as many assist.

After this year's training camp he has been assigned to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, but he decided to bolt back to Russia and was assigned to Severstal Cherepovets.

Viktor Tikhonov declared that he's not going to return back in Severstal next year. After scoring two goals to in the regular season contest between Severstal Cherepovets and Metallurg Novokuznetsk, he has been interviewed by a reporter of the local website sport-nk.ru.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of the most interesting parts of the interview:

Where do you plan to spend the next season?
Viktor Tikhonov: "I have to come back to Phoenix, I have a three years deal with them. Most likely I'm going to play there."

Is there a big difference between the NHL and the KHL?
Viktor Tikhonov: "A little bit in the game's speed. And the different rinks size too."

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.

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 will find out if they took the puck for me and then I'll give it to my grandfather."

Viktor Tikhonov's father, Vasiliy, gave an interview to a Russian newspaper Sport-Express where he stated that the Coyotes want Tikhonov to come back to the North America.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

- Were there any problems with the Coyotes when Viktor decided to leave for the KHL?
- Yes. In Viktor's contract with the Coyotes there is a clause saying that he can return to Russia if he gets sent to the AHL. We used this clause and now he is going to play for Severstal of the KHL on a loan basis. But recently we have been contacted by the Coyotes, they want Viktor to return to the North America*. They say he has a contract.

- Is he going to return?
- No. We want him to play in the new Russian league. We hope Viktor will do great there.

Update:
* - in the original post I wrote 'return to Phoenix' and some visitors thought that the Coyotes' would grant him ice time in the NHL. Now I changed it to 'return to the North America' because this is what actually was written in the original interview. Beg your pardon.

Phoenix Coyotes' Viktor Tikhonov, who spent most of the season with their AHL affiliates, the San Antonio Rampage, is back in Moscow, where he's thought to be joining Filatov's CSKA.
"My son has been sent to the KHL, he has already landed in Moscow and he's ready to play for CSKA" - said the father of the coach to Sovetsky Sport.