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.