Pupil “Neftekhimika” and two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning Mikhail Sergachev on he congratulated the fans on the 55th anniversary of the Nizhnekamsk hockey club.
On Monday, the 55th anniversary, Neftekhimik hosts Chelyabinsk Traktor in the Fonbet KHL championship match. Watch the live broadcast of the match now on the channel, as well as on the sites sportbox.ru and matchtv.ru.
— Congratulations to my hometown club on its anniversary. Of course, I remember the first time I went on the ice. It was very cold so, my green helmet… I probably still have it. The first week, like everyone else, I walked to the side, but the guys had already been skating for about six months, so I arrived late. But nothing, I trained for six months, in the summer my parents bought me all the uniforms, and the following year I came better prepared and started playing normally. I thank Neftekhimik for this opportunity.
— Today, in Nizhnekamsk, a gymnasium was opened, to the emergence of which you contributed. How was this idea born?
— The idea came a long time ago. I remember when we lost to Ak Bars at the age of 12-13, I found out that the guys had been training in the gym for a long time. At that point we were running around the stadium, doing squats and push-ups. We didn’t have the opportunity to go to the gym, but we really wanted to. When the opportunity arose, I accepted this task and Neftekhimik provided a huge hall, for which I thank the club. We ordered exercise equipment and upgraded everything. It’s cool. I hope this helps the guys get faster and stronger and win more matches. They will have more opportunities to express themselves and gain access to the KHL.
— The Sergachev sector has existed for two years. Do you feel the love of hockey is changing in your hometown?
– Yes of course. We see the reaction of people, their love for hockey and for Neftekhimik. It’s really good. People in the industry send me a lot of videos with thanks and congratulations. The main thing is that the sector fills up and everyone wants to get there. It has become a place of attraction. I plan to improve the hockey rink at school No. 31 in Nizhnekamsk and arrange cozy changing rooms there. I hope it will become an interesting place for people to play outdoor hockey in comfortable conditions. It will be cool. As a kid, I loved coming after practice and playing on the open ice. Well, in general, I intend to instill in people a love of sports, not necessarily just hockey. I want them to take care of themselves and their bodies. As they say: “a healthy mind in a healthy body”.
— What wishes do you have for your home club and your city?
— For Neftekhimik, the main thing is not to stop and continue to develop young people in the same spirit, not only at the KHL and MHL levels, but also at the youth sports school level, because all the talents are there . I am pleased that the sector has been allowed to help and participate in this development. We will continue to help. I hope Neftekhimik will have a bright future. “As a fan of the club, I am very happy and congratulate him on his birthday,” Sergachev said on .
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.
