“Miroshnichenko has overcome cancer, Vanka is in full combat preparation.” What difficulties did our guys go through before the NHL Draft

“Mintyukov was developed in Canada, so he became the team’s top scorer”

– Three Russians selected in the first round of the NHL Draft – a good result?

– Year after year is not necessary, but in principle the result for our hockey is not bad. Although it could be more.

– Were you surprised that defender Pavel Mintyukov was chosen under the tenth number? After all, we are used to the fact that NHL clubs prefer to take talented forwards from Russia.

— Those who follow youth hockey deeply cannot be surprised by this. It’s just that no one in Russia was particularly interested in Mintyukov. Pavel was part of the deal when Dynamo fired Kagarlitsky from St. Petersburg and in return gave three young players to SKA. So Mintyukov was the most talented of these three. So I’m not surprised that he was immediately taken in the draft.

– How to explain that Mintyukov, having missed an entire year abroad due to covid restrictions, gave a crazy season, scoring 62 (17 + 45) points in the OHL?

– Yes, simply because the guy played there. He was allowed to develop in the Spirits, taught. Unfortunately, we don’t. And in Canada, coaches are closely involved in the preparation of players. Mintyukov adopted the import project for minors. The club chose him deliberately. That is, Pavel was already going to a specific team, where they were waiting for him, to the coach who was counting on him. I went to a specific post. And in his year, he always stood out. So he opened up now – he became the team’s top scorer.

– Why in Russia his goalscoring qualities did not manifest themselves in any way? In Moscow, Pavel did not shine with performance.

– Our defenders rarely become goalscorers at this age. First, there are far fewer games. Second, at the junior level, everyone plays pretty much the same. Giving more time to the best does not exist. Third, in our country, almost half of the points for assists at youth level are simply not counted. Why? I don’t understand myself.

– What are Mintyukov’s prospects in the NHL?

– Pavel won’t be arriving in Anaheim soon. He was already drafted into the CHL, so by law he is required to play in the Canadian junior league until he is 20 years old. Even the Anaheim Farm Club is still closed to him. Mintyukov’s strengths are the power play, which needs to be developed further. But at the same time, the defensive game should be tightened. So let him work on it in Canada for now.

“Miroshnichenko is a big and powerful striker with a crazy shot beyond his years”

– Did you expect Ivan Miroshnichenko to be selected with a higher number?

– Vanka is in his place. The risks were very high for him, so he went lower than expected.

– Did the fact that Miroshnichenko has a contract in the KHL with Avangard until 2024 influence the choice of Washington?

– How long he will play in the KHL, nobody cares. No one was going to bring Ivan to Washington right now. The disease has set him back a little. To put it simply, the guy was battling cancer. But now Miroshnichenko has fully recovered, passed all the tests. Roly in full preparation for combat.

– What are Ivan’s chances to play in Omsk for the main team?

– It’s hard to say, when he only spent a year in the VHL. Besides, I think it was too early there. Miroshnichenko should have continued playing in the MHL, where he would have received more playing time, and his role in the team would have been different. He would develop better.

What are Ivan’s strengths? And what should be added?

– Miroshnichenko is tall and powerful beyond his years. He’s a power forward with a crazy shot, who’s very good at navigating under the net – he finds the puck and shoots from any position. Hardworking, efficient. There are, of course, flaws in skating and balance. But these are details, there are many more advantages. He had already adapted to the VHL, after the New Year, before his illness, he started playing in the top teams.

“Yurov in the KHL is not allowed to show himself. He needs to play more.”

– What are the chances for Daniil Yurov to be in Minnesota in a year?

– The best. I personally spoke with Daniil, I know he dreams of playing in the NHL. Here he will work his contract at Metallurg and go there.

– Is he ready for this? After all, judging by the statistics, Yurov has not shown anything special in the KHL so far.

– Yes, because he was not allowed to show himself. He really didn’t play anywhere. They strip him and put him on the bench as the 13th striker. How can you show something? The guy is 18, he needs to play. And it doesn’t matter at what level, even in the MHL, in the VHL. But in our country, nobody thinks about player development. So people go abroad – to train.

– Magnitogorsk coach Ilya Vorobyov believes that Yurov still lacks physical strength.

– So where will physical strength increase if the striker sits on the bench all the time while his partners are fighting on the ice? It’s all nonsense. No one needs to be on the team. Hockey must be played. Wherever your abilities and strength allow. Then there will be growth. And then after all, some of our coaches say about the juniors: “Let them smell like gunpowder in the KHL. What do you feel sitting on a bench?

– I agree. Watching hockey from the outside, young people get used to the fact that the outcome of the game does not depend on them.

– Go further. They get used to making a lot of money doing nothing. That’s what’s bad. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how Yurov will progress next season. It all depends on how much he will play.