Before “Metallurgy” Nikita Grebenkin after the fourth game of the Gagarin Cup final with Lokomotiv, he told that he had decided to continue his career in the National Hockey League.
Metallurg won the Gagarin Cup by defeating Lokomotiv in four matches. Ural goalkeeper Ilya Nabokov was recognized as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
– What is your secret?
“Everything happened on time for us.” And the cylinders were on time, and the rest, and the flights. It all comes down to the little things. Nothing happens like that. This led to the Gagarin Cup.
—When was the last time you had cylinders?
— We did them before the series with Spartak.
— In the playoffs? Come on! How to play under load?
– Confident, cheeky, aggressive! Hard and positive!
— Who is the best in cylinders in Magnitogorsk?
– All my wishes. The whole team!
—Who did you put in the ball?
– And you choose yourself. You can even go to a player and offer them something. The biggest hunt was that of Dima Silantiev (68 kg).
— Are you satisfied with how you spent these playoffs?
— We won the Gagarin Cup, and that’s the most important thing. It’s great that this happened. But for me, the playoffs turned out to be very difficult. There were some pains and injuries. That’s why I couldn’t show my best in the playoffs. You yourself understand how a person played in the regular season, but in the playoffs he became different. Nothing is happening. But it’s good that there were guys who carried this rocket. And we nourished them with a few words and confidence.
– Are you going to “Toronto” ?
– I just don’t know… I still have a contract with Metallurg. How can I advertise?
“But you’ve already decided everything.”
– Yes, I have already decided to go to Toronto. And I’ll head towards the base.
— It’s impossible to get into the top 6 there. Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares are there…
– I’m not a confident person. But very confident. I think this should help me.
— Are the Maple Leafs in contact with you?
— We have a few phone conversations, there are video link conversations, where they give advice on my game, on all kinds of nuances. How to approach the puck, how to remove it… It’s very interesting.
— We believe you will become the new Kirill Kaprizov in the NHL.
“We have to work, don’t stop.” It’s good that I’m moving step by step towards something.
—And if Magnitogorsk hadn’t loaned you out, would you be a different player now?
“I thought about it for a long time. And I came to the conclusion: it’s good that it happened like this. That I was first sent to Orsk, where I played four matches. Then an option was found with Khabarovsk. It was very cool,” Grebenkin told .
Grebenkin was selected by Toronto 135th overall in the 2022 draft. During this regular season, the forward scored 41 points (19+22) in 67 games, adding 6 points (3+3) in 23 playoff games .
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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.
