If you forgot the statistics, then Vasily Atanasov received 2,561 votes when he was chosen by fans for the KHL All-Star Game. This is the best result among all those in the league. Pineapple, as head coach Igor Larionov and other Torpedo guys call it, even surpassed the league’s top scorer Nikolai Goldobin (2421). And only Dynamo Minsk goalkeeper Alexey Kolosov (2299) and Dynamo Moscow striker Nikita Gusev (2151) scored another two thousand.
This season, Atanasov scored 26 points (13+13) in 27 games. And before the match between Torpedo and Vityaz, I learned that scouts from three NHL clubs came to the match at once – Pittsburgh, Seattle and Carolina. What did they forget in Balashikha? Who do they want to see? I’m sure Pineapple!
“The aim of our game is to take risks.”
— Vasily, what did they give you after the match in the Moscow region?
– So, the fans came and during the skate they presented me with a portrait of myself drawn in pencil. And the inscription: “Of course, Vasya! Well, who doesn’t know him?! It was a pleasure!
– Torpedo is so popular that even when you visit, you are idols?
“It is very visible that a large team of fans come to each city to follow us. Remember even the match against Dynamo at Petrovsky Park, where we won with a score of 7:1. So many people supported us! And this is felt very well on the site.
— “Torpedo” has not been stable lately. And you take a risk by leaving young masked players in reserve – Silaev, Artamonov.
“The aim of our game is that you have to take risks. And not just with the team, but also on the ice. You opt for aggravation, interesting moments may result.
Well, when some guys don’t play, you can’t plan it, it just happens that way. It’s good that we can meet again at the right time. We are starting to play more correctly in defense and attack. We know how to find the gate keys.
— What was your first reaction when you found out you were going to the KHL All-Star Game in St. Petersburg?
“We were in Nizhny, my father called me and said: “That’s it, now you are definitely going there.” And before that he called, he controlled everything: “You have so many voices! Until Now you are fine!”
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And so, of course, I am happy to go to St. Petersburg, to see my parents, relatives and friends. They live there with me.
— Which competition will you participate in at the All-Star Game? What is your main asset?
– We’ll see, I don’t know yet. I haven’t thought about it yet, I have plenty of time.
“Tchaika’s matches will be sold out”
— What is the most important thing for Torpedo as it approaches the middle of the championship? Are you not physically collapsing? Avoid getting hurt?
— There are no particular nuances in this regard. There always have been and always will be injuries. You just need to experience them correctly, to be able to immediately return to the game, trying to help recently injured partners. In this sense, everything is more or less normal with us. And these guys add freshness to us.
— You don’t have a strategy for who will make the playoffs? In the West, everything is very confusing.
— Of course, we want to climb as high as possible in the rankings. At the same time, we do not select our opponents ourselves. It turns out that’s what’s happening.
— Is it a shame that Torpedo won’t play a match in a football stadium this season?
– Well yes, it would be my first experience. And so one day I want to try it. Yet, 45 thousand spectators. I went to this football stadium once, the scale is impressive.
— There is a theory that young people from “Chaika” should play in the old hockey stadium of Nizhny Novgorod, so that when the city has a new arena, the guys will be encouraged to get there and take a step into their career. Do you agree with this?
— I recently played in the MHL myself. Of course, young people also want to play in the new stadium, so many fans will also gather for Chaika’s matches. So that each game has its own incredible atmosphere.
— Will people go to the “youth team”?
– Certainly! Remember what kind of crowd gathered at our playoff games. How long did it take for tickets to sell out? In three minutes ?
– But these are the Kharlamov Cup qualifiers.
“They’ll still make the playoffs.” And a lot of KHL, if this happens, will be able to play for Chaika – Silaev, Artamonov and Vinogradov. So, “The Seagull” will once again be a hidden favorite.
“Kruchinin and Bokun are our main DJs”
— Who is the main DJ in the Torpedo locker room?
— Lesha Kruchinin and Danya Bokun.
— Mikhail Krug played for you after the victory. How is his hit “Kolchchik” perceived by young people?
– Yes, it’s okay, everyone knows these songs. Although Artamon (Nikita Artamonov) is too young, he doesn’t know all the hits. In general, everything is played out in our locker room. I won’t name my favorite songs. I’m a music lover in that sense.
– What is your hobby ? What do you read in your free time? What films do you watch?
“Now I’m moving away from books a little. But I watch TV series. I recently finished watching one, called “The Hundred.” Cool, very interesting. And now I’m looking for a new series that will hook me. If readers have any suggestions, I’ll take a look.
— Recently, in Khanty-Mansiysk, where you played, the “OLIMPBET VHL – Silk Road Cup” “Russian Classics” took place. How important is this event for the league?
– I think it’s very cool. Additionally, I looked at the weather in Khanty-Mansiysk – it is already possible to play there in cold weather. I know that many fans in the city love hockey and they happily came to watch this game. There is huge support in the stands! In general, when you organize “Classics” in such cities, they are doomed to success.
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.
