Challenge Cup coaches announced

The MHL will host the first Challenge Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 2010 February 6th at the 5PM (Local time). The Challenge Cup will be a sort of All Stars Game and it will feature a match between Western and Eastern Conferences. 

Western team's coach will be Loko's head coach and 1992 Olympic Gold Medal Nikolai Borschevsky, while Eastern team's coach will be Tolpar Ufa's Alexander Semak. Every club will send at least one player to the gala match, that will be judged with the 4 referees system.

Any possible date for the rosters' unveilment hasn't been released.

Prospects breakdown - MHL who's who (Part 2)

After we presented you the players to watch in Moscow and its nearby towns, we present now the rest of the Western Conference. A team that always produced lots of talent is Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. A prominent careers builder, the former railroad workers team always had lots of young players with itself. It's not a case that they are now on the top of Western Conference's standings. Nowadays' most interesting player is a versatile forward who isn't spending much time in the MHL as he's playing with the big boys in the KHL and just recently scored his first goal. We're talking about Daniil Sobchenko, an offensive player capable to play both center and winger who almost never represented Russia on the international stage because of conflicts with Vladimir Plyuschev. Sobchenko, who has his excellent passing game as main weapon, was thought to be one of the MHL stars, but he's going beyond the expectations, playing a regular role in the KHL. Another player meant to be one of the MHL top players is Anton Klementyev, who instead opted to sign an ELC with the New York Islanders. Sergei Ostapchuk, who spent last season in the QMJHL with Rouyn-Noranda, skated in only two games, getting an assist in both challenges. Also Ostapchuk already got his KHL experience. Maybe, coming the late stages, Loko will see these players more often, trying to catch the first-ever MHL title. For now, they are a team who plays a good team game without depending too much on one or two players. Top goalscorer Maxim Zyuzyakin is on good shape, he scored the GWG in the recent clash against MHK Dinamo and netted a total of 6 goals so far.

The third seed in the West is taken by SKA-1946. The St. Petersburg's team, who's coached by Italo-Canadian Ivano Zanatta, had the first-ever MHL shutout with its 1988-born goalie Nikita Starikov, who's having a convincing season so far even if he's still far from the KHL level. His colleague Evgeny Ivannikov is having a good season too. One of the most awaited players from me for this season was offensive defenseman Georgy Berdyukov, but he was quickly sent to SKA's High League affiliated to play against men. An interesting name is Magomed Gimbatov, and not only because he's the first KHL player from Dagestan. Grow up in St. Petersburg and earned his hockey experience both in this city and in Novokuznetsk, the dynamic winger has played only four games so far as he started the season with the main team, but he scored four points. The team's top scorer is surprisingly Yaroslav Gorbachenko, author of 11 points in ten games. The 20-years old is in a red hot strike as he scored six games in the last three games, but the whole team looks like being in great shape as they just asphalted Mytischie Atlanty 7-0 at home. Gorbachenko was also the shoot-out scorer in the SKA-1946's 1-0 win against Feniks Voskresensk in September 6th. The St. Petersburg team has also got one of the league's top assistmen in Nikita Tochitsky.

It's legit to expect some good things also from Almaz Cherepovets. The team has hosted a good number of younger players with big success, including Phoenix Coyotes' Viktor Tikhonov, Boston's draftee Yuri Alexandrov, Maxim Chudinov and others. In the start of the year two-way defenseman Bogdan Kiselevich was with Almaz, but he has been called up in the KHL and never sent back to the junior team. Another really interesting player is center Sergei Chvanov. Back in April he was team Russia's captain in the U18 WJC in the USA (where Russia lost the final match to the hosts), but curiously he's not Almaz's captain, a role taken by forward Anton Tikhonov. Chvanov isn't having too much of success, he scored a double in the very first match, then he scored again in the following match and then he disappeared from the scoresheet, but he's also went to the KHL route and thus isn't having too many chances in both leagues. There is another player worth mentioning: the homonym of Metallurg Novokuznetsk defenseman, Washington Capitals draftee Dmitri Orlov. The talented winger plays first line hockey and has rewarded his team with eight points in as many matches, with five goals so far. Despite his undeniable talent he needs to find some consistency as he doesn’t manage to score on a regular basis as he tends getting many points in one game just to be silent for the next couple of contests.
Chaika from Nizhny Novgorod isn’t having a good season so far and in their lineup they don’t feature any real star. They are now third-last in the Western Conference standings, just ahead of Feniks Voskresensk and Mytischie Atlanty.

Prospects breakdown - MHL who's who (Part 1)

Following the request of our reader Jake in my latest entry, I've decided to write down some breakdown about the players to watch. Known and less known.

Let's start from the most known one, Alexander Avtsin, who plays for MHK Dinamo Moscow. The Montreal Canadiens draftee is one of the league's start, despite ending scoreless in the first MHL match he played, against Red Army. He didn't participate to the second match as he was a call-up for Dinamo's main team in a preseasonal match, confirming that he's one of the first junior players considered for a callup in a very stacked KHL team. The quick power forward, who has been often compared to Alexander Ovechkin, might play a key role in his team, but he needs to start producing after his not good first game. But well, it was only one game.

In his same team some other interesting players get good ice time. Nikita Dvurechensky is among them. Described as "a skilled winger with an excellent touch around the net and interesting finishing abilities" in an April Hockey's Future article I wrote myself, Dvurechensky already showed his stuff in the MHL start as he scored two goals and one assist in the first game, staying off the score-sheet in the second. Ranked highly enough for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, #12 among Russians in the Russian Prospects' rankings, he ended up undrafted, most likely because of the notorious problems in movements from Russia to America.

Another interesting player from MHK Dinamo is the former OHL player Vitaly Karamnov. The center, who has been in Edmonton's radar in 2007, is a playmaking center gifted with good technique and skating, who has been misteriously not drafted. Pavel Zotov, 1991-born center, is more solid and probably strongest on the faceoff dots, but is still raw and despite being a regular in Russia-91 he has been overlooked during the rankings time and consequently for the draft.

Let's remain in Moscow. CSKA-Krasnaya Armiya showcases in its lineup one of the "MHL faces", offensive defenseman Alexei Marchenko. A typical Russian defenseman, Marchenko (the stress in his surname is in the first syllab) is an average sized defenseman who might have to work on his body, but that is able to do exciting rushes end-to-end with the puck on the blade. And he can finish them too as he did in the second game of the season against MHK Dinamo, where he scored a double. He likes to play with some edge and is fairly aggressive without exaggerating, like sometimes junior players do when they want to show some aggressivity. He has definitely KHL potential, but I think that he might be considered for the 2010 NHL draft as he can develop into a NHL level powerplay quarterback.

League's topscorer, right winger Nikita Gusev is so far Krasnaya-Armiya's best player. He still has to demonstrate that he can do it throughout the whole season, but his speed, play without the puck and nose for the net are interesting features that might give him a spot in the U18 national team. CSKA's goalie Pavel Suchkov, 2011 eligible as he's a late 1992-born, is having a good start, looking better than his colleague Anton Todykov. But well, there is a reason if Suchkov is a national team player and Todykov not. Good things are expected also from small winger Sergei Barbashev, whose skill level is surely noticeable, but it had a bit of hard time in the MHL start, indicating that he needs to bulk up and mature as a player. Curiously enough, 1993-born Nikita Kucherov had an excellent start with three goals in the first two matches, way better than many of the highly touted players we talked about.

Our trip around Moscow isn't over yet as in Spartak Moscow other players worthy a mention keep on growing up in the prolific talent factory. The dynamic duo formed by 18-year old Artem Voronin and 17-years old Alexander Gogolev might be yet another offensive weapon that can cause havoc in any opposition, while the future star Alexander Khokhlachev, 1993 born, has started growing and already scored his first MHL point with an assist in MHK Spartak's win against Chaika Nizhny Novgorod. Among the three players is of course Khokhlachev the most promising one, he has everything that a forward needs, being able to count on an excellent shot, a very good technique, great skating and even a good size considering his age.

The Moscow territory counts other four teams: Atlant (Mytischi), Sherif (Balashikha), Feniks (Voskresensk), Russkie Vityazi (Chekhov) and MHK Krylya Sovetov. Atlant might have the most complete and experienced first line, if their head coach Vladimir Kucherenko will decide to ice together Pavel Chernov, Anton Lazarev and Oleg Yashin. All the three players have KHL and national junior team experience, and being the three all different kind of hockey player they might fit very well together. Pavel Chernov is a very good playmaking center with a good physical play despite a relative small size. Anton Lazarev is a quick forward with smooth skating and above average finishing abilities, Oleg Yashin is a talented winger who can put it in the back of the net if he gets the right pass. Sherif Balashikha and Feniks Voskresensk have less interesting teams, who will most likely struggle throughout the whole season, while MHK Krylya Sovetov and Russkie Vityazi has much more interesting players, especially the latter. Krylya Sovetov's 1992-born forward Ignat Zemchenko is one of the players to watch, together with his team mates Artur Ganzvind and Dmitri Gromov. Russkie Vityazi instead can count on a very good trio made up of Artemy Panarin, Petr Kopytsov and Georgi Belousov. Their team started very well the season and after three matches they top the Western Conference with six points.

For this issue it's all. The second part will follow soon with the rest of the top MHL talent.

MHL starts: MHK Dinamo skates past Red Army

In the first-ever MHL match, played on September 4th in Moscow, MHK Dinamo downed CSKA-Krasnaya Armiya with a 6-2 score. Everyone was probably waiting for Alexander Avtsin to get the goals for Dinamo, but instead Nikita Dvurechensky, highly ranked player for the 2009 drafted, has been the game's top player scoring two goals, one assist and having many other chances throughout the game. In the first ten minutes of the match Dinamo had almost no chance to get past the central red line, but after a couple of powerplays for the Red Army the white and blues exploited a couple of good chances on counterattacks, in both cases putting the puck high glove side, first with Roman Vasiliev, then with Nikita Dvurechensky. "It was pleasant to score the first-ever MHL hockey, of course. I trained such kind of shoots with Afanasenkov" - declared Vasiliev to the popular Russian hockey network www.allhockey.ru

After allowing the second goal, CSKA coach Andrei Parfenov replaced Anton Todykov with the U18 national team goalie Pavel Suchkov, who looked more confortable, at least at the start. In the second period the music changed as Dinamo's quick counterattacks have been better contained by the Red Army, who managed first to cut down opponents' lead after a beautiful two-on-one play inspired by Nikita Gusev finalized by Nikita Kucherov, then with Gusev, tapping in a rebound left by Dinamo goalie Sharychenkov after a shot by Kucherov again.

But in the third period the more experienced Dinamo players taken the game away scoring four goals. The eventual game winner has been scored by Nikita Dvurechensky, who crashed the net puck on the blade to put the puck past Suchkov from close range. A bunch of minutes later Dinamo scored other two goals in a 25-second range with Kombachev and Biryukov, the second on an assist by former WHL player Vitaly Karamnov. At the 57'30" Dinamo player Kuzmin made it 6-2 with a shorthanded goal.

"It was a good game. We had good nerves and we won thanks to a good display by our forwards" - declared MHK Dinamo's coach Anatoli Antipov.

Scouting notes

Dinamo players

Alexander Avtsin: served as first line left wing with Zotov and Kuzmin...despite having some chances, was rather quite...probably he felt the pressure...good when his team has the puck, has to learn what to do when the other team has the possession...got two penalties, one of them for revenge...can crash the net, but has to work on his finishing...not a bad performance, but either not the best one...

Vitaly Zotov: a solid center good in the face-off dots...can work on his play but is pretty all-around thanks to his good fundamentals...may be a tad more creative...

Nikita Dvurechensky: the game's MVP...scored two goals and assisted on another...good use of the size both along the boards and open ice...very good stickhandling and nose for the net...looks like a mature player, deserves a chance with Dinamo's main team...

CSKA-Krasnaya Armiya

Alexei Marchenko: a very interesting offensive defenseman with good playmaking abilities who can serve as powerplay quarterback...good hand-eye coordination...very good puck handling, especially while going end to end with the puck on the blade...plays confidently, with some edge in the corners...has to bulk up...

Marat Urakcheev: iced as first line right winger has played surprisingly well even if not consistently...displayed a very good stickhandling...despite being not a top player managed to hold his spot on the team's first unit...

Sergei Barbashev: played not up to the expectations...has been quite uneffective throughout the whole game...served as second line left winger with Roman Lyubimov and center Artem Maslov...

Boxscore

CSKA – Krasnaya Armiya – MHK Dinamo 2:6 (0:2, 2:0, 0:4)
0:1 Vasiliev (Kombachev) 11:11 0:2 Dvurechensky (Khamidulin) 14:48 1:2 Kucherov (Gusev) 34:28 2:2 Gusev (Kucherov, Noskov) 39:58 PP 2:3 Dvurechensky 41:40 2:4 Biryukov (Karamnov, Kuzmin) 47:06 2:5 Kombachev (Dvurechensky) 47:06 2:6 Kuzmin (Burets) 57:30 SH

MHL Stars: Alexei Marchenko

17-years old defenseman, Red Army hot prospect talks about what’s important for youngsters and about what’s needed to do in order to have them remain in Russia and not bolting for the NHL. Translated interview from www.championat.ru

I’m a bit tired as there was movement, tension. But it was pleasant to work that way. It was the first time and everything is new – said Alexei Marchenko. It was pleasant to be shown in the league’s photo-session. But it brings responsibilities…

Which ones?

Well, once you are selected as “league’s face” you have to show that you deserve it. There will be many things around you. And you have to work harder on you to become successful.

Did you ever had such an attention on you from the press? You had more interviews today than in your whole life…

(laughs) You said that! But I think that it’s possible to get used to it. I really want that journalists will write and talk more about us. And that they will show us more. That would be interesting, otherwise it looks that you’re playing for yourself only.

Do you expect a lot of changes from the creation of the MHL?

Of course. There will be more attention on young players on the press, television, internet. That’s the most important thing, I guess, as people will know more about us and our style. Earlier only the experts know about youngster tournaments, or not? Well, also our parents. And that’s pretty much all. Almost no one knew us a part ourselves. But now the MHL will help the usual hockey fans to know more about us, about the generation of players that will soon represent Russia on the international stage. I guess that this will be interesting for the people. And it’s a big plus. And the league will interact well with the KHL as all the players will be seen more.

And the attention is for you young players the most important thing, isn’t it?

Yes! I really want to play and exhibit in front of many spectators. Usually in the junior leagues there are like 300 persons. Wow, what is that?!?! Who knows who won the junior leagues last year? I think not much people knows that. But everyone will know who’ll win the Kharlamov Cup. I think that any player wants to be recognized by the fans. We do play for the fans, and not for ourselves.

Do you like the Cup’s denomination? Kharlamov Cup?

It’s a very good denomination. And it’s correct. I’m glad about it. Kharlamov will be appreciated in 50 years, in 100 years, even in 150. His name will never die. He will be remembered. He was a great player, known in all over the world. The cup will be named after him and that’s right. To be the first conqueror of the cup would be honourable.

Do you expect that the junior hockey organization would raise after the creation of the MHL?

Yes, it should. But don’t know how. At CSKA it was all good even earlier. I can’t say anything bad about the organization. And if it will be even better, then it would be great.

Which aims did you set up for the upcoming season?

To win the first MHL title. The first Kharlamov Cup. And only that! I also would like to play a couple of games for the main team. It would be good to play some matches.

When you estimate to be permanently called to the first team?

I don’t know. When it will turn out. I’ll work and try hard. All depend on I’ll play in the MHL. Of course I want to be there as soon as possible. I think that it’s getting more real now. It’s possible to get to the first team only if you play well in the junior league and if you prove to be one of the best players of your age group. And then if the coach sees you, you’ll get in. You only have to work.

In your opinion, there will be many changes in CSKA with Vyacheslav Bykov leaving and Sergei Nemchinov coming? How this will influence the future of the CSKA young players and yours in particular?

The team is really young, and as I’ve understood, they will trust youngsters a lot. I’ve never worked under Nemchinov, but he was the national junior team’s coach and he grabbed the third place at the WJC. That’s a good result. They almost won against Canada. The results say that he’s a good coach with youngsters. And if in CSKA there will be more youngsters that will be a plus for me and for the other guys. It’s our chance.

Any youngster dreams about the NHL. You too?

I’m still under contract with CSKA and I see my future only with this team. I still have a lot to work and to play to grow to a higher level. I’ll think about that only if I’ll reach that level. In the meantime I want to play for CSKA, I’ll try hard to get to the first team. But of course thinking about the NHL doesn’t hurt. (smiles)

How do you think, is it really possible that Russian young players will stop dreaming about the NHL and understand that there is a great opportunity for them to play in Russia?

All depends on the KHL. The NHL, thanks to his enormous history and such, it’s a lot popular. There are a lot of spectators and the media reports about everything. If in the KHL it will be the same, then what’s the point of going there? It’s a matter of organization.

And what can you say after KHL’s inaugural season?

You could have seen the improvements from the old Superliga straight away, it became considerably better. Even the matches became more interesting. Some NHL players arrived. Jaromir Jagr. Now Sergei Fedorov. Anyone would play with such players. Of course nothing can immediately change. But I really want to play in the KHL after this season. We'll see how it will be in a few years. To speak the truth, why go to the NHL, if it's possible to play in the KHL at the same level? You know, many guys just want to play where the stands are filled and that's the reason they look to America. Because here they wouldn't need anything special. But that's the past. Now there is the MHL, the KHL. Players want to come here from the NHL. Let them not be the younger ones. But it's not the end of the game. And Jiri Hudler arrived to Dinamo, he's 25. It's remarkable, that a player on his peak opted not for the NHL, but for the KHL.

Notes

- Alexei Marchenko was born in Moscow in January 2nd, 1992
- He's 6'0”, 163 lbs
- A graduate of the Spartak junior system, he moved to CSKA when the team folded three years ago.
- He's a regular of Russia-92 national team and he just participated to the last Ivan Hlinka Memorial, where he posted one goal and three points in four games.
- A right stick offensive defenseman, can play on both sides and is very versatile.
- He was featured in the first MHL photo-session and in the Moscow ads.

MHL releases the list of the 16 years old players cleared to play

MHL just released the list of the 16 years old players who have been cleared to play in the following season. As said earlier, the league is open to any player from 17 to 21, with the possibility for the 16 years old only after the permission of the parents and the success of a very accurate medical test. The list is the following:

Nikita Kucherov (Krasnaya-Armiya), Alexander Serdyukov (Russkie Vityazi), Roman Konkov, Stepan Vyrin (both - Chaika), Oleg Misyul (Loko), Alexander Khokhlachev (MHK Spartak), Andrei Makarov, Andrey Sigarev, Danil Metlyuk and Andrei Tarasov (all - Ladia).

MHL ads in Moscow

While the Kabanov case goes on MHL hockey presents you some pics I shoot myself in Moscow, featuring the MHL ads on the city's streets.

Spartak's Alexander Khokhlachev:


Red Army's Alexei Marchenko:


And last but not the least, Montreal Canadien's and Dinamo's Alexander Avtsin:

The Ivan Telegin's case

Ivan Telegin, one of the most 1992 born talented players, is reporting to the OHL. But he did it in an unusual way...

To better explain, here follows a translation of an article by Kirill Petrov appeared a couple of weeks ago on the popular Russian portal allhockey.ru

Allhockey.ru's analyst tried to clarify the situation created around Metallurg Novokuznetsk's center Ivan Telegin, who recently bought out his contract with his team in order to pursue a North American career.

In all his latest interviews, being them to Russian or Canadian press, you could see that he appeared offended by his alma mater club which, in the player's opinion, is guilty to not see in him such a talent like forward Maxim Kitsyn or blue liner Dmitri Orlov, national junior team's players who debucted for Metallurg Novokuznetsk during the last season.

Telegin, differently from another national team player from Metallurg, goalkeeper Sergei Kostenko, won't be back in Novokuznetsk. He's awaiting his chance in North America.

However, it's certainly known that in case of his depart to America the national junior team Vladimir Kryuchkov won't call him. In spite of that, he's now practicing in the team's first line with Kirill Kabanov (and Stanislav Galiev - ASR).

"I've discussed with Ivan, I've asked him to remain in Novokuznetsk, where he would now get as much ice time as possible" - said Metallurg Nk's GM Valeri Rozhikin. "But the guy choose a different development way. He decided to leave overseas."

Team's head coach Dmitri Parkhomenko, who got appointed this summer after the team decided to fire Soviet legend Boris Mikhailov, is dissatisfied too. But he never tried to obstacle Telegin’s plans and during this offseason Ivan took part to [Metallurg Nk’s MHL team] Kuznetskie Medvedi’s training camp for a week and even to an ice session with the main team.

"It's his life, his career...I can only give the guy some advices, but it's of course up to him only – added Parkhomenko.

Metallurg Nk's head coach patiently awaited for the club's graduate to change idea and remain with the club for a further couple of seasons, like defenseman Dmitri Orlov did even if he was drafted in the late july by the Caps with the 55th overall pick.

But starting from middle March, when Metallurg Nk came back from Magnitogorsk as gold medal winners in the Russian Championship for juniors 1991-92 born, Telegin practically hadn't train with the team. At first the player suffered from a shoulder problem, then he had some rocky time at school. Differently from most of his gold medal team mates, who will carry on their education in the [Novokuznetsk’s university] VUZ, Telegin is yet to take a decision. North America had already been promised to the player. For Ivan himself the depart for the Canadian junior leagues is a chance to get picked up in the 2010 NHL entry draft, but as far as now it's evident that Telegin still can't shadow the likes of Kirill Kabanov, Vladimir Tarasenko and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

But Telegin gets his own track. According to allhockey.ru inside information, the sum for breaking his contract was 800,000 rubles, around $25,000. It's interesting that a 17 years old guy from Russia tried to get a foreign agent, while his Russian agent (Sergei Paremuzov – the same as Sergei Shirokov, ASR) was interested in having him stay at home.

But even without Telegin, “Kuznya” won't sink. Playmaking center Sergei Simonov might already crack not only Metallurg Nk's lineup, but he might also get in the roster of Kryuchkov's under 18 national team. Telegin's departure opens a door also to other champion team mates like defenseman Zakhar Arzamastsev and Ivan Strebkov.

The same Telegin won't sink without Metallurg Nk. The guy is now going to repeat Alexander Radulov's path, trying to break the NHL after consolidating in the junior leagues. Will he be successful? Or will he give up? We'll know only with time...

MHL gets two new teams

After a meeting in Moscow with MHL director Dmitri Efimov, some decisions have been taken, the most important one is regarding the teams playing in the league. Two new teams have been admitted to the league, even though differently.

MHK Krylya Sovetov, who will play in Setun (Moscow), will start playing in the MHL directly in September 4th, when the league will start. They and Feniks Voskresensk will be the only teams without a KHL counterpart.

The second team instead will eventually enter in the MHL only if they will win (or get the first seeds, that's not yet announced) in the qualification tournament that will be played on 2010 February/March. The team is Amur Khabarovsk's junior team.

Unfortunately, some details haven't been announced yet, exactly like the format of the qualification tournament for the 2010/11 season.

Dmitri Efimov in the end of the press conference also announced that in the next season the league will probably host more teams and that, possibly, the MHL will feature also foreign teams.

Kirill Kabanov: going to Canada would be the best option

After Kirill Kabanov has been announced to Salavat Yulaev Ufa many rumors arisen. At first it looked like his new head coach Vyacheslav Bykov would have offered him not less than 10 minutes of ice play, quite impressive considering how stacked the team is. But then further rumors has been spread, especially about him reporting to Moncton, the team which drafted him on the latest CHL Import Draft with the seventh overall pick. In this interview by Andrei Osadchenko and translated by Alessandro Seren Rosso Kabanov confirmed the latter...

Did you recieve any other offer, a part the one from Salavat?

Yes, from Atlant, Metallurg Mg and Lokomotiv. I don't know, maybe Spartak asked too much money for the transfer.

Would you agree to play in the MHL for Salavat's farm team?

The contract they offered me was one-way, without the possibility to play in the junior league.

Recently in the press they wrote about a possible move to Moncton of the QMJHL. Is this realistic?

I think that as far as now it's the best option.

Did the Wildcats talk with you?

Yes. Now we go to Slovakia (for the Ivan Hlinka Tournament - note), where my agent is awaiting me with the contract. I've signed the transfer card. I'll wait for KHL decision, where they will send me and if nothing works out I'll go to Moncton. The fact is that should I go to Salavat or remain with Spartak, then I'll be locked in Russia 'til I'll be 28. I'll have a professional contract until I'll be 22, then I can only play for Salavat or being traded to another KHL team. As far as now, this is what I think it's written in the league's rulebook.

Many experts give you high ratings for the next NHL draft. Would you like to play in the NHL?

Yeah. Well, I would not want this, but, as i've told u already, they taught us that, when we played in the children hockey.
They taught us, that the NHL is everything. Life, money, glory it's the top of hockey's world... Now Russia is going on the correct way. They advise the youngsters not to go there and they made everything to prevent it. I was bred up in a different way. I was trained who prepared Ovechkin and Kovalchuk, who now play in the NHL. I don't know, maybe nowadays youngsters grown thinking that the KHL is everything. I even saw a commercial with a kid saying "KHL is my future". It's possible that this is why they grow up like that, and it's correct. It's good to remain in Russia, but now I have another aim. This is my childhood dream. League's and Russia's ambitions play no role here. I'm a patriot. I'm always ready to play for my country, but this is my childhood dream and I want to fulfill it.

Many guys of your generation used to cheer for Detroit and wanted to play exactly in that team. It's correct to believe that it's the same for you?

I'll say you this. I'm from a northern country, it snows during winter and the summer isn't too warm. This is why I'd like to play in a southern team. For example, Los Angeles. Or in Las Vegas, if they'll create a team there. (laughs) Why not? It's great! Receive your salary and lose it right here at once! (laughs)

What do you know about the Moncton Wildcats?

I know that Moncton is a holiday city. And there is a rich, ambitious team. They picked up many players and they are doing everything to win the Memorial Cup. The team belongs to the Irwing family. They have an oil company in Canada. The team is very good and could compete with KHL teams. They have a 7000 seats arena and a lot of fans.

What do you know about the QMJHL?

I'm not that familiar with Quebec. More with Ontario, I had many offers from there.

On what will depend your decision about where to play the next season?

Probably It will depend on what actions Salavat will do - how and in what order they will sign a contract with me. Whether it will be the same contract I had with Spartak or not.
With Spartak I had a 3+2 contract. That means up to 2010 plus other two years should I carry on my KHL career. Thus now I'm on a 1+2 contract as it was a 5 years deal. If Salavat will offer me a 1+2 contract, then I will sign thus I can increase my raiting. If Salavat won't offer me such a contract, then probably I'll go to Canada. But in principle, I would already play there because I want to play in that league, and I'm ready for that. At least, I think so!

MHL website "coming soon"

Today it was announced that the MHL website will be launched soon, right on time for the first match scheduled for September 4th. The site's address is the following: http://mhl.khl.ru/

The introduction is very, very nice and features CSKA's Alexei Marchenko vs Dynamo's Alexander Avtsin. The Russian text down the picture says simply "September 4th - Start of the Russian Junior League". Hopefully it will have an English version, but nothing has been announced about that.

Sorry for the short post, but there is really nothing else to say about this! In my next post I will talk about Kirill Kabanov as there are some news about his teamin the upcoming season.

Welcome!

Hello everyone. This is MHL Hockey's first post. What is "MHL"? Easy question. MHL means, in Russian language, Molodezhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga, Junior Hockey League. It's a new thing for Russia, since prior this season only regional tournaments had been in place. And also, it's the first time that an under-20 league will be organized as earlier the junior leagues were under 17. All the teams will be KHL's junior affiliated. The MHL will run similarly to any other league in the world with two conferences. Even if the rule book hasn't been released yet, we know the alignments, which are as it follows:

Western Conference
Atlant Mytischi - Mytischinskie Atlanty
Vityaz Chekhov - Russkie Vityazi
Dinamo Moscow - MHK Dinamo
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - Loko
Severstal Cherepovets - Almaz (Diamond)
SKA St. Petersburg - SKA-1946
Spartak Moscow - MHK Spartak
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod - Chaika (Gulls)
Khimik Voskresensk - Feniks (Phoenix)
HC MVD - Sherif
CSKA Moscow - CSKA - Krasnaya Armiya (CSKA-Red Army)

Eastern Conference
Avangard Omsk - Omskie Yastreby (Omsk Hawks)
Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg - Avto
Ak Bars Kazan - Bars
Lada Togliatti - Ladia
Metallurg Magnitogorsk - Stalnye Lisy (Steel Foxes)
Metallurg Novokuznetsk - Kuznetskie Medvedi (Kuznetsk Bears)
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk - Reaktor
Salavat Yulajev Ufa - Tolpar (Tolpar is a mithological flying horse)
Sibir Novosibirsk - Sibirskie Snaipery (Siberian Snipers)
Traktor Chelyabinsk - Belye Medvedi (Polar Bears)

MHL teams have already started their preparation towards the first season, which will start on September 4th with the match MHK Dinamo and CSKA-Red Army.
The following preparation matches have been scheduled:

31/07/2009: Ariada Akpars (Rus-1) - Bars Kazan
01/08/2009: Ariada Akpars (Rus-1) - Bars Kazan
07/08/2009: Bars Kazan - Chaika Nizhny Novgorod
08/08/2009: Bars Kazan - Chaika Nizhny Novgorod
14/08/2009: Chaika Nizhny Novgorod - Bars Kazan
15/08/2009: Chaika Nizhny Novgorod - Bars Kazan

There also two preseasonal tournaments, who will be played in Cherepovets and in Kazan, and you can find out informations here for the first one and here for the second one.

But a question surely crossed your mind. Who will be the MHL stars? Well, it might be not a true reply, but the KHL hosted the first MHL stars fotosession, which featured four players: Alexander Avtsin (MHK Dinamo), who has just been drafted by the Montreal Canadiens; exciting winger Alexander Khokhlachev from MHK Spartak (who has been called the new Kovalchuk), 1993-born; Arseny Kardailski from Mitishchie Atlanty and the solid defenseman Alexei Marchenko from CSKA-Red Army, 2010 draft eligible.

And here you go:
from left to right Avtsin, Khokhlachev, Marchenko and Kardailski

In MHL Hockey's second post we will discover the MHL logos...