Athletistic analyzes the interview with the defender of the Canadian club and looks at the reaction in Russia.
A little texture
Zadorov has lived in North America for a long time. Unlike many other Russian hockey players, from his youth he played in the United States and Canada, refusing to play in the KHL. As Zadorov himself admitted, playing in the NHL was his dream.
A significant part of the interview was devoted to politics. Zadorov directly admitted that he did not like the political situation in Russia at all, which is why he did not want to come to his native country. According to the hockey player, in the midst of politics, his already difficult relationship with his parents deteriorated.
We disagreed on the subject of SVO
“I didn’t go to Russia this summer. And I didn’t go last summer. Why? I’m disgusted. Am I going to go to a restaurant on Patriarch’s Ponds when bombs explode 2,000 kilometers away about me? That’s the main reason, yes, I’m ashamed.
This is not the only reason. I don’t want to go there, and then the mobilization will begin, and I won’t be able to fly out of the country, I will lose the season,” Zadorov said.
Zadorov also spoke about how Russian NHL hockey players perceive the start of a special military operation in Ukraine.
“We created a general discussion with other Russian NHL players. I don’t remember exactly how much time passed, but at the very beginning we organized a discussion. The initiator was Sergei Bobrovsky. He got everyone together and wrote: “Guys, we need to stick together. The situation is difficult now. We need to decide what to do.” There we all began to come up with different things. Perhaps it was me who suggested that some kind of statement be made by all Russian hockey players in the NHL. Then, I thought it had to be done. Because it doesn’t matter who has a document, who doesn’t have a document, who has a visa, who is in the United States – with a bird permit. We still all followed the situation in Russia. I was with my agent, with the AJLNH (NHL Players Association. – Editor’s note Athletistic) – these people help us with these administrative formalities. We did not know what would happen next . Maybe our visas would all be canceled or only Canadian visas would be taken away. Canada was even stronger against the CBO (the wording was changed in accordance with Roskomnadzor requirements) than against the United States. world did not understand what kind of world the Russian people and Russian NHL players were in now. kind of statement should be, what we should say.
But we divided ourselves into two camps. The first is what should be said about those eight years, what should be included in the application. On the other hand, it is an adequate camp. Two days later I posted. Why did you decide to speak out? I think it’s correct. I have spoken before, I have always spoken and I still will not shut up. I think maybe someone will hear my words, think about it again and change their mind.
Veterans criticized
Russian hockey veterans Alexander Kozhevnikov and Sergei Fedorov got it from Zadorov. Zadorov admitted that he was very surprised by the rhetoric of Fedorov, who once fled the USSR to play in the NHL.
“Fyodorov was an outstanding hockey player. But now I have a negative attitude towards what he says. I was also shocked when reading his statements. But he still remains an idol. In the childhood, the “Russian Five” for all our hockey players born in 1990-x, it was something transcendental. I was always a fan of Detroit back then.
I have only one explanation: when a person has been in this field for so long, they have nowhere to go. Or his opinion changes. These are other questions for him – why and why. Many veterans of Russian hockey do not know what they are saying or writing. There you can only point the finger at everyone,” Zadorov said.
The Calgary defenseman also rated Kozhevnikov’s interview. Previously, Kozhevnikov repeatedly criticized Nikita, saying that he did not understand anything about politics.
In response to this, Zadorov suggested that others write the texts for Kozhevnikov.
“How do I like Kozhevnikov’s comments? I’m sure others write this for him. In general, other people write comments for veterans, and for him too. No, of course, sometimes he gives interviews himself, but many comments were written by others,” Zadorov said.
Bomb effect
It is not surprising that in the current political situation, Zadorov’s interview had a huge resonance. As expected, Match TV dedicated an episode of the show “There’s a subject!” » to “renegade”. I’m not going to repeat what was said there: anyone who wants can find it.
Veterans themselves have also spoken out. The most active of all was Kojevnikov, who did not mince his words.
“Zadorov is just talking nonsense! Where does he live? That’s where we have to start. He’s spouting dirt on our legends, saying that someone is supposed to write for me. He knows everything! I wonder what kind of intelligence service he works for. “Look who took the interview from him: a bastard foreign agent who deliberately provoked such questions,” Kozhevnikov quotes the Championship.
Former head coach of the Russian national team Vladimir Plyushchev condemned Zadorov.
“Zadorov lives there, in distant America, according to their rules, and their rules dictate many aspects. Today, many people have settled there: for example, people from the cultural elite, some of whom don’t mince their words either.
Nikita, I repeat, plays by her rules, the person is a little unaware of what is going to happen. No one likes changelings, no one has ever respected them and never will. They will be used and thrown away as waste.
Zadorov wants to show himself to be more American than the Americans themselves. “As a person who has experienced and gone through a lot, I know how it ends sometimes,” Plyushchev quotes “Championship”.
One of the main anti-Westerners in Russian hockey, Andrei Nazarov, did not stay away.
“I watched an interview with Nikita Zadorov. I thought the guy matured when he started earning good money playing in the NHL. But, judging by his words, there is still a garden of children there. Everything was clear with the interviewer for For a long time he has been recognized in our country as a foreign agent and pursues his own interests.
Zadorov, for example, talks about Russian oligarchs. What, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers, the Soros, the Trumps, the Musks and their successors don’t rule the world and America? Trump was actually the President of the United States and wants to run for a second term. Musk also dictates his own rules, giving orders left and right.
Let’s all grow up and calm down: money rules the whole world. It has always been this way, it is this way today and it will be this way in the future,” quotes Championship, Nazarov.
Maxim Sushinsky gave a more moderate assessment of Zadorov’s words. At the same time, he urged not to get personal.
“In no case should you throw mud at people who won Olympic titles and medals for the country. You see, everyone has their own opinion. They have their own opinion, Zadorov has his own. Everyone can express his position without affecting others.
I spoke – okay, well done, but you can’t get personal. Especially when it comes to respected people. One day Nikita himself will be a grandfather, we are all human beings, we are not getting younger, but getting older. I always support those who have their own point of view, but one should never offend or insult those who have a different position,” Sushinsky is quoted in the Championship.
Instead of an afterword
Actually, it’s great when there are different opinions and people can express them. Some will like Zadorov’s interview, but others won’t. But we must not forget that pluralism of opinions is the basis of everything. People should have the right to express their views. And then it will become a topic of discussion.
Anton Mozgovoy, Athletistic
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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.
