Russian goalie for the NHL club Toronto Maple Leafs Ilia Samsonov said he was working with a psychologist.
This season, 26-year-old Samsonov played nine games in the NHL, in which he won six victories.
— To what do you attribute this poor start to the season?
— I think it’s more psychology. I don’t see any problem with “physics”. Sure, you can poke around, look for problems, maybe burn out after the first round. But it’s like digging through dirty laundry. I think I am well prepared physically. I don’t feel any problems in the game. Problems in the head. I stopped believing in myself a little. But if you look at it this way, then in the season, except for the matches with Tampa, everything went well for me. And because of these two matches, everything was lost? If you worry about two games that didn’t go well, you won’t be an NHL goaltender. We have to let the situation go. We will most likely play the playoffs with Tampa, so we need to forget about unsuccessful games and move on. Of course it leaves a mark. But only for me. It doesn’t affect the team. I had to work with a psychologist and delve into myself. Such situations teach much more than winning matches. Now I would start winning and achieve nothing. I’m not talking about star fever, I’ve never had it, but we still wonder how we feel about life. You even begin to philosophize.
– Does not affect?
– How can this influence? We won the two matches in which I was substituted. Thanks guys. They covered my ass, to be honest. Yes, it’s a failure for me. But I don’t play for myself, but for the team. The main thing is that we won. My stats are bad, but on the other hand, they don’t always reflect the game. I train a lot, I work hard. Everything will come. It’s part of our hockey life.
— Do you have a psychologist in Toronto?
– We did it, but I work with another guy. He works with the goalkeepers of the Swiss championship. It was recommended to me. We communicate in Russian, it’s somehow easier for me in my native language,” Samsonov said according to Sport24.
Sport24
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.
