I’ll be honest: I’ve done a lot of interviews in my life, but with Alexander Mogilny communicated only once – about eight years ago, when he played with veterans at the World Championship in Moscow in the new palace in the Park of Legends. Even then, Alexander had a large, thick beard. He spoke clearly, to the point. And I remember the comments: “Why do you have so few talks with Mogilny? He is the legend of legends. How interesting to listen to it!
And now I found myself on the same charter with the legends flying to Norilsk for a charity hockey game. I asked through a friend: “Maybe Alexander Gennadievich will give an interview?” But what if?” And I jumped in my chair when Mogilny agreed.
From this interview, you will learn:
“I see that Amour could take a series with Magnitogorsk”
— The season for Amur turned out to be contrasting – the team spent a long time outside the playoff zone, but then broke into the first round, where they fought well against Magnitogorsk (2-4 in the series). How are you finding this year?
— The governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, Mikhail Vladimirovich Degtyarev, said that he would pay great attention to the club. He actually kept his promises and arranged the financing. We recruited good players.
Why, unfortunately, did “Amour” sag a bit at the start of the season? Because the main players were injured. The same Alex Broadhurst missed most of the season. And he’s really one of the leaders of the club. Of course, it crippled us – they hoped so. But at the end of the season he came back and showed himself well.
A good selection was made… Well, yes, during the championship there were chatter: ups and downs. But in the end, the guys pulled themselves together, put together a solid winning streak, and earned their spot in the playoffs.
— Was there a moment with Magnitogorsk when Amur could have won a series, but didn’t take advantage of their chance?
— The first home match turned out to be a bit chaotic. “Amur” lost with a score of 2:3. And in the fourth meeting he confidently won (5:2). It seems to me that Amour could win two matches at home. The guys realized that they were capable of playing for a big club. And at times, they even dominated.
In my opinion, it was a wonderful and interesting series. And the sixth game in Khabarovsk (2:3 OT) could have gone in any direction. It turns out that Magnitogorsk scored. But the series was incredibly interesting. The fans had a great time and they’re missing the playoffs…I think this is just the beginning. The main victories of Amur are yet to come.
— “Amour” set itself a very shocking goal: to win the Gagarin Cup in 2026. This season showed that a step in the right direction has been taken. Is it difficult to attract the best players to the Far East? What changed? Why did they leave?
— First, Amour offered good contracts. It also means a lot. Plus the attitude towards the guys. And the organization is at the highest level.
Players understand that they can and should go to Khabarovsk. Yes, flights are difficult. But we have to adapt to this. Treat it well, recover.
And the 2026 goal – yes, we need to set big goals. Why not do that? You must try to reach out to them.
— So, a big KHL club could appear in the Far East? I take into account not only the game. Perhaps, for example, Khabarovsk needs a new hockey arena.
— This is of course a multi-faceted subject. A new arena is a complex process and a huge investment. And in our current arena, it seems to me that we can accommodate a few thousand more spectators. It’s true.
As for the attitude of the leaders and management of the region, they were clear: come to us, don’t be shy, you will be treated at the highest level in every way. I know that Amour will continue to develop in the same direction. I am happy for the fans of the club and all residents of the Khabarovsk Territory. They waited a long time, because Amur had not participated in the Gagarin Cup since 2018. In other words, there was a six-year break. Now people got to see these playoffs and enjoyed them.
— You contribute to the development of the Night Hockey League. After the Amur fires, are there more amateur teams appearing in your region? Is there a hockey boom?
— Hockey is developing, guys are also playing in amateur leagues. It is natural that a KHL club plays well: it takes the entire hockey industry with it. Children’s sports are on the rise. And the boom is just beginning when more and more children are enrolled in hockey sections.
“Kucherov plays smart, and that’s how hockey should be”
— Who do you prefer among the players in the National Hockey League currently?
“Our guys are performing very well in the NHL. We are all waiting and rooting for Sasha Ovechkin to get closer to Gretzky’s record and finally beat it in a year or two. I don’t know how long it will take him.
Our veteran Zhenya Malkin is absolutely beautiful. Well, Nikita Kucherov is a great guy, especially since he’s at the top of his game. I just want to wish him good luck. He is a wonderful player and professional. It makes me happy when he goes on the ice to perform miracles. I only wish him good luck.
— Kucherov is sometimes compared to Mogilny, because both forwards display very intelligent hockey.
– And that’s how it should be. Hockey is very difficult and you have to think about all aspects. And see your partner and properly assess the situation. And all this must be done quickly. Kucherov has it all. And he has nothing to prove. It’s a pleasure to watch him play.
– Alexander the Great – they used to call you that, now it’s Ovechkin’s nickname. Can you judge for yourself if it is difficult to score goals when you are already 38 years old?
– It’s very difficult. Especially when all eyes, all attention are on him. The record is fast approaching. He is close. But it’s so difficult!
I completely understand how difficult it is physically, but also emotionally. I can only wish Sasha good luck. She is an incredible person! Patriot of Russia. He is quite simply our pride. And we all wait, get sick, worry. The main thing is that your health does not fail you.
— Evgeniy Kuznetsov was sent to the AHL farm club six years after winning the Stanley Cup. The same thing happened to you when New Jersey sent you to Albany at the end of your career. How to react psychologically to this?
“I took it very calmly.” Some experience it at the beginning of their career, others at the end. Kuznetsov understood the situation, what was happening. He knew there would be a trade and ended up in Carolina. The agricultural club is a purely formal thing. It’s clear that no one intended to keep him there for long. I wish Zhenya success so that he gets back on the right path and continues playing.
Kuznetsov is an extraordinary hockey player, he has already proven everything to everyone. He still has many years of career ahead of him. I want him to succeed in life.
“A good player can grow in the Khabarovsk Territory”
— I will return to Love. How dependent are Far Eastern clubs on the foreign player limit? Did the reduction from five to three affect your team?
— It seems to me that this factor is important, yes. As practice shows, the best clubs welcome children when they reach adulthood and their talent is visible. They are leaving the Far East, that’s obvious. And it’s very difficult to attract good players. And with the financial aid, you can recruit enough good foreign players. Five is better, of course. When you have a choice, why not?
— At the same time, the MHL club took off in Khabarovsk – the Amur Tigers won the division and will play in the gold group. It’s a shame, however, that we lost to Dynamo St. Petersburg in the Kharlamov Cup play-offs.
— It’s good when talented young people grow up. This means the system is working. Everything is fine. Unfortunately, you’re right, the Tigers didn’t get as far in the playoffs as everyone hoped. As a fan, I wish the guys good luck. They saw that the goal was very close, they felt it – and next season they will be able to go even further.
I do not agree when it is said that a good hockey player can appear only in the central regions of Russia. This is not true. Our good children are growing up in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. And they prove that they can perform decently in hockey.
You can play anywhere, anywhere! Schools are now open in all regions. Much is being done to develop hockey and children’s sports. If you were born in the Far East or Western Siberia, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance. There are a lot of them – you need to work on yourself, work with the team on the ice and everything will work out.
Watch live broadcasts of the Fonbet KHL Championship playoff matches on the Match Group channels, matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru sites.
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.
