In Avangard, events in August developed rapidly. First of all, the Omsk club announced that they were saying goodbye to Korban Knight – the Canadian centre-forward in the first link has bought out the contract and will continue his career in Switzerland.
But fans of “Hawks” did not cry for long – almost immediately “Vanguard” announced that they had signed a one-season contract with the 31-year-old Canadian striker. Ryan Spoon. He played in the KHL for Dynamo Minsk and Avtomobilist, scored 162 (47+115) points in 194 games and won 53.2% of faceoffs.
Replacing Knight seems like a reasonable solution, and Spooner himself is a great guy who I spoke to right after he had his medical in Omsk and checked into a hotel after his first training with the new team.
From Spooner’s interview you will learn:
“If Knight had decided to stay at Vanguard, I wouldn’t be here”
“Ryan, what are your first impressions of Omsk?”
— The arena is cool, the staff is excellent. I haven’t had the opportunity to see the city yet. But I like what I saw. I am happy to have moved to the Omsk club.
– As head coach Mikhail Kravets said, you can play for Avangard already at the Blinov Cup – on August 23 or 24. Is it true ?
‘I haven’t heard of it. Tuesday I rode with the team for the first time. I felt good, so I think I could get a message from the coach with more information. Will I play or not – we will find out soon.
– You moved to Avangard as soon as it became known that Korban Knight was leaving the team. Are these events related?
– Everyone understands that the limit on the number of foreign players has changed in the KHL – there can only be three per club. If Knight had decided to stay at Vanguard, of course, I wouldn’t be here.
We have the same agent. He called me at the beginning of August and asked me if I wanted to come to Omsk. I answered yes.
– Was it an invitation from one of the top clubs in the KHL that you haven’t thought of in a long time?
— Yes, you are right: Avangard is one of the leading clubs in the KHL. So I quickly agreed.
– I’m glad that Kravets considers you the unconditional center of the first link?
– Yes, but at the same time, the main thing I want is for the team to benefit. And it does not matter the position – in the center or on the edge, or even on the defensive. Whatever the coach asks, I will do it.
— Last season, you scored 47 (19+28) points in 64 league games for Dynamo Minsk. But why do you have the -24 utility?
– If you paid attention, then I had -15 for being on the ice when the opponent scored against us in an empty net. We played 6v5, trying to save the game, but we missed the game. Without it, I would have had -9, and that’s a different picture.
“McDavid is sometimes silly in training”
– Vladimir Tkachev will become your partner in the first link. What do you think ?
– I haven’t been able to spend much time with him and talk yet, because a lot of guys had the day off on Tuesday. But I played against him, even when he was playing SKA. Even then, I remember him. Competent player, very good. And a very capable striker. I think it will be extremely interesting to play with him on the same line.
– The second partner of the line is Reed Boucher, with whom you played together for Sarnia (OHL). You’ve known it for 100 years!
– Yes, 13 years have passed since we played together. And in the 2012/13 season, I already switched to the Boston system, while Boucher stayed in Sarnia and scored 62 goals in 68 league games. Can you imagine? Reid is such a player that if he gives the puck away he will definitely score it. My task is to give him good passes.
– And after all, Nail Yakupov, the first draft pick, played for Sarnia.
– In the 2011/12 season, we only played together for four to five months. But the main thing I remember about Yakupov is that he is a great prankster. Cool guy who always knew how to make the team laugh.
Did he cut his ties in the locker room?
– No, none of that. But Nail still looked happy and cheerful. He always laughs and makes everyone around him laugh. The person is positive.
– You also played for Edmonton with Connor McDavid. What are your impressions of the best hockey player in the world?
– It happened that in training we were given some exercises, and McDavid did not want to do something at full power, so as not to embarrass his teammates, so as not to plunge us into complexes. Connor really is a great player. But sometimes he didn’t give his best in training. Il filonil, so that the partners do not feel uncomfortable.
– You played for Avtomobilist, where you were the top scorer. Did you manage to chat with Pavel Datsyuk?
– Frankly, Datsyuk didn’t spend much time with us in the 2021/22 season. At the beginning of the season there were specific training sessions with him, but then it was not so often possible to see him.
But I remember Datsyuk when I was 26-27 years old and we played against each other. It was clear to the naked eye that he was an incredible player, and for some reason they called him the Sorcerer. He’s very smart, he’s good with the puck. One of the best hockey players in this regard. It was nice to see him again when I was performing in Yekaterinburg.
“Taking a passport from another country is a person’s choice”
– What can you say about your scene at Dynamo? How do you like life in Minsk?
— Minsk is one of the nicest cities where I have lived and played. I spent three years there, it was an incredible experience. My wife has been there with me for three years and she is also absolutely thrilled. On the one hand, it’s a bit of a shame that we weren’t going back. On the other hand, I am very happy with the new challenge and new opportunities that will now allow me to continue my career at Avangard. Well, Dynamo Minsk is a great experience I had.
– Were you offered citizenship there to play for the Belarusian national team? And are you going to ask for Russian nationality, as is now the custom in the KHL?
– If people want to get a passport from another country, it is their right and their choice. I know some guys have done it before, like Brennan Menell. It helps them keep their jobs in the KHL better, sign good contracts. Because the league has imposed a limit on the number of foreign players and you cannot have more than three for a club.
I won’t say that I have delved into this question. But if you want to play in the league for a long time, it would probably be a good idea to get a Russian passport.
Are you going to do it yourself?
– I think not. That’s not my goal yet, and I don’t currently envision such an opportunity for myself.
— You have already found accommodation in Omsk. Where is it more difficult to rent an apartment – in Russia, Belarus or Switzerland? After all, you played for Lugano.
– In this respect, everything is about the same. They simply give you the contacts of a real estate agent who does all the work for you. It is not worth getting tired, and there are no special difficulties here.
– What kind of rider does a Canadian who comes to Russia have? What are your living conditions?
– I am not so pretentious in the matter. The main thing is that the apartments are spacious enough. Preferably in the city center. Be clean, beautiful and comfortable.
— Omsk reminds you of the idea that Jaromir Jagr himself lived and played here for four years?
– Jagr has played for many clubs in general, and it’s hard to follow his entire career. Well what can I say, Jagr is cool. In the 2012/13 season, we were together in the Boston system. That’s where I remember him.
“You won’t hear scary stories from me on a podcast”
— Should a foreigner learn Russian while playing in the KHL?
– I cannot say that this is the main and necessary condition. But life becomes easier when you know the language of the country where you work. And when your Russian teammates see you trying to speak and learn Russian, it commands respect. Because you make some effort, show your envy.
When I was playing in the NHL, I met Russian guys who didn’t speak English very well. But when you live a year or two in North America, you immerse yourself in the environment, and in any case, you make some progress in the language.
– And what kind of trend is it when a legionnaire plays in the KHL, then comes on podcast to Paul Bissonette to tell him a bunch of stories about our country? According to a recent interview, Zach Boychak said that in Sibir he was delayed by the KGB salary.
“It’s hard for me to speak on behalf of Boychuk, and I didn’t play in the KHL five or six years ago. There are guys telling stories that happened in 2013-2014. But I wasn’t there and I can’t judge for myself their veracity.
Based on my personal experience after three seasons in Belarus, a year at Avtomobilist and my debut at Avangard, I can only say good things about the KHL. I haven’t seen any madness here. So don’t expect terrible stories from me.
— You’re giving an interview wearing a Guns N’Roses T-shirt. In Russia, we also like this group. Can you name the four main rock stars of your career, whom you met in the same club? I am of course talking about hockey players.
– Yes please. They are Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, as well as Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. All were my teammates. They are all NHL superstars. Even though I had many high level partners in my career. But this four stands out. I don’t know how they do it, but they play every game out of 82 in the league at the highest level, giving their best and making it much easier for their teammates.
– I wish you also to be a rock star on the stage of the Omsk Arena, making a full house every time.
– THANKS! I hope so!
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
