After his first press conference in Moscow, one of the NHL’s top forwards, Kirill Kaprizov, took the time to speak one-on-one with his compatriot and our correspondent Dmitry Lukashov. Yes, they both grew up in Novokuznetsk.
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– Kirill, when you were finishing the season in Minnesota, you told local reporters that now you wanted to take a few boats and go fishing with some friends. How did your vacation start?
– At first I rested a bit in Dubai, my brother flew me there, I also had friends. I saw them and rested a little. Now I have arrived in Moscow, but already on June 2 I will return home and spend the whole month of June there.
As usual, we will gather with friends, in the evening we will play football in our native Kuzedeevo. I live there with my parents and I feel very well outside the city. We take a bath there.
“Who’s drowning her?”
– Yes, at least someone. But usually, for some reason, mom. We walk, stroll, go home, and she has already done everything. And yes, my friends and I constantly go boat fishing there. Two or three hours by car, and you find yourself in very picturesque places.
– Is it true that you want to work seriously with a sports coach in the summer? Are you going to change anything in your training after the season where you knocked out 100 points?
– Yes, we have been studying for three years with Dima Yashankin, who worked in the Russian team at the Olympics, was responsible for the guys’ physique.
– He’s cool, we liked in Beijing.
– I absolutely agree with you. I am very happy for him, and I think he has changed me a lot in terms of physical well-being and preparation. So don’t change too much. We are on the right track and we will stick to our methods.
– You didn’t hide that at the start of the season you were really hated in North America when, after signing a big contract, you couldn’t score many goals. Was there a lot of pressure?
“At first it was uncomfortable, of course. You are sitting alone at home, staring at the ceiling and different thoughts are going through your head: “E-smear, what to do?!”.
– So they come to the idea that it is time to return to the KHL.
Well, I didn’t get to that point. But you come to the locker room, and the guys are always supportive. They say not to pay attention. With the same Dima Kulikov you can talk.
– Russian defender “Minnesota”.
– Yes. He said, “Don’t worry at all. It’s going to be fine”. Thank goodness the goals happened to come back quickly.
– What is that feeling when you knock out the hundredth point for the championship?
– When I scored 100 points, I gave an assist at that time. Nothing, but it was fun. It was also announced around the stadium that I had distinguished myself so much. And the fans immediately started cheering. I’m usually shy at these times. He reacted calmly, but this is a joyful event in life.
– We were looking forward to how you will play in the Beijing Olympics. But the NHL pulled the tap at the last moment and NHL players were not allowed to participate in the Winter Games. Was it a tragedy for you?
– I already won the Olympics in 2018, but we always want more. All the guys wanted to go to Beijing, and that didn’t just apply to the Russian team. Everyone dreams of participating in the Olympic Games.
Of course, it was uncomfortable. But what can you do? It’s a sport, so we decided, we couldn’t do anything. That’s life…
– You have a great connection with the Norwegian Mats Zuccarello in Minnesota. You call him Tsuki. What does he call you?
– Yes, I don’t know, he just calls me Cyril. He’s a good guy, very funny. Anything can come to anything. We have a good relationship with him, we understand each other very well. Tsuki sees the field amazingly and makes such backchecks that I have never seen in my life. It works very well in defense when running backwards. And I think in the next seasons we will have an even better understanding of each other.
– An American blog joked about your habit of controlling the puck in someone else’s zone when running in circles: “What’s a tornado want to throw?” Have you ever practiced this maneuver in Russia?
– It seems to me that I did not do much at CSKA. When you start flirting, they will definitely tell you about it. And when the game is on and you’re feeling good, then why not spin it? Moreover, the fans are chanting at the moment, the stands are lighting up and shouting: “Come on! Come on!” Well, I give.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
