Russian Players In NHL

Dec192009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Ilya Kovalchuk: “Olympics more important than Stanley Cup”

Ilya Kovalchuk: "Olympics more important than Stanley Cup" (Photo © Elsa/Getty Images) 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." Do you agree that Russia has the best attack and Canada has the best defence? And what do you expect from the Russia-Canada game? Kovalchuk: "Let's wait until February when we face Canada, if we face them at all. I don't think that Canada has the best defence, I'd rather say their defencmen are the most toute...

Dec52009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

NHL » Video of Alexander Ovechkin’s photo shoot for Men’s Journal

Russian Players In NHL

Video of Alexander Ovechkin's photo shoot for Men's Journal (Photo © Alexovetjkin.blogspot.com) Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals took part in a photo shoot for Men's Journal. The photo shoot took place last September in New York. The photo will appear in the December-January issue of Men's Journal. Below is a video of the shoot:

Dec52009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

NHL » Vladimir Zharkov scores his first NHL point

Russian Players In NHL

Vladimir Zharkov scores his first NHL point (Photo © AP Photo/Rich Schultz) 21-year-old Russian defenceman, Vladimir Zharkov of the New Jersey Devils scored his first NHL point. On 4 December, 2009, in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Zharkov assisted to Niclas Bergfors to give the Devils a 2-1 lead. So far in the 2009-10 season Zharkov played 3 games having average 13 minutes TOI, 1 assist, 2 PIM, 6 SOG. Video of Zharkov's assist:

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Evgeny Grachev: “The Rangers confirmed I’m out of the WJC”

Russian Players In NHL

Evgeny Grachev: "The Rangers confirmed I'm out of the WJC" (Photo © Russianprospects.com) In this exclusive RussianHockeyFans.com interview, New York Rangers' prospect, 19 years old Evgeny Grachev confirms that he won't go to the WJC, talks about his AHL experience and hints that he isn't going to follow Nikita Filatov's route and bolt back to the KHL. Hello Evgeny. Recently the Russian Hockey Federation site has published news that the Rangers ruled you out of the WJC. Has anyone from the club talked to you about this decision? Has the RHF approached you either? I've seen this information on the internet and I've asked my agent to learn if they really weren't releasing me. And the New York Rangers confirmed that they wouldn't release me. And no one from the RHF tried to get in touch with ...

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexander Ovechkin: “I’m a ‘caveman’ because I don’t care what others think of me”

Russian Players In NHL

Alexander Ovechkin: "I'm a 'caveman' because I don't care what others think of me" (Photo © The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz) Alexander Ovechkin gave an interview to Anna Nasekina of Sovetskiy Sport in Montreal where his Capitals faced the Canadiens. Ovechkin talked about being a caveman, not caring about what others think of him, the Olympics, girls, and a lot of other funny stuff. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation. Anna Nasekina is a member of Russian Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team and a reporter for Sovetskiy Sport at the same time. Last week she was in Montreal when Ovechkin's Capitals came there to face the Canadiens. Anna and Alexander met in a restaurant in the city centre. As soon as Anna entered the restaurant and approached Oveckhin he stood up and kissed her on a...

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

NHL » Coyotes want Tikhonov back, he refuses

Russian Players In NHL

Coyotes want Tikhonov back, he refuses (Photo © AP Photo, Fred Chartrand) 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 leag...

Dec42009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

SKA to offer Kovalchuk a contract?

Russian Players In NHL

SKA to offer Kovalchuk a contract? (Photo © AFP) Alexander Medvedev, the president of SKA St. Petersburg and the KHL, in an interview with Russian newspaper Sport-Express stated that SKA is going to offer Ilya Kovalchuk a contract. RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation of this brief interview. - We do have an interest in Kovalchuk. We know that the Thrashers are going to offer him the maximum salary within the limits of the salary cap. But there are differences between the tax systems in the USA and Russia so our offer can turn out to be better. It's up to Kovalchuk to decide where to continue his career. - Have you talked with Kovalchuk already? - We're talking!

Dec12009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Alexander Ovechkin talks to media about knee injury

Russian Players In NHL

Alexander Ovechkin talks to media about knee injury (Photo © AP Photo/Gerry Broome) Alexander Ovechkin talked to media about his knee injury after skating for 4 minutes in today's practice before leaving the ice. It's not a bad injury. I thought it was going to be worse, but thank God I can walk, I can skate. Of course, it's a little bit sore, but it's not that serious. I can do nothing about it. It's just a moment of the game. I turned and realize I don't have time to stop. Why do I have to listen to somebody who say, 'Hey, you have to change your game, and somebody going to kill you'. Well, nobody going to kill me. I just play my game and I just enjoy my time and I enjoy my life. It's me, and it is what it is.

Dec12009 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Bruce Boudreau: “It is hard to tell Ovechkin to change”

Russian Players In NHL

Bruce Boudreau: "It is hard to tell Ovechkin to change" (Photo © REUTERS/Joe Giza) The Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau says that it is hard to tell Ovechkin to change the way he plays, reports Corey Masisak of The Washington Times in his twitter. He's pretty reckless. It is hard telling a guy who scores 60 goals a year to change the way he plays. At the same time, you don't want to see him getting hurt. Maybe he needs to pick his spots a little better. I just don't want him to put himself in harm's way. I don't think anything being said will change the way he plays. I don't think there is a malicious bone of him trying to hurt anybody. He just plays hard and he plays to win every shift. It is a really fine line between taking that away from him and I don't see how you can take it...

Dec12009 by Gary Laws1 Comment

NHL » Alexander Ovechkin skates after knee injury, expected day-to-day

Russian Players In NHL

Alexander Ovechkin skates after knee injury, expected day-to-day (Photo © The Canadian Press) Alexander Ovechkin, who got injured in Monday's game after going knee-on-knee with Tim Gleason, skated on ice for about four minutes during today's practice, reports Corey Masisak of The Washington Times in his twitter. Alex Ovechkin is on the ice right now, but not in full equipment -- just gloves, stick and skates. Well, Alex Ovechkin's time on the ice this morning last about four minutes. He did bend his knee a few times, but not much. More from The Washington Times: Alex Ovechkin was on the ice this morning for about four minuntes in a track suit, gloves and skates. He had a stick with him and whacked at a couple of pucks, but it was a very light skate. At first, Ovechkin was skating with...