“Love “I had one of the strongest seasons in history. The team not only reached the playoffs, but also managed to impose a first round fight on Magnitogorsk Metallurg, the future winner of the Gagarin Cup At the same time, the management now faces the task of not only maintaining this position, but also taking a step forward so that the goal of bringing the Gagarin Cup to Khabarovsk in 2026 no longer seems so funny. Amur General Director Vadim Pokotilo told a correspondent what Amur is currently doing for this.
— Vadim Anatolyevich, during the press conference after the end of the season, you said that you wanted to keep 80% of the current squad. How do you assess the breeding campaign at the moment?
— Obviously, 80% is a figure of speech; we did not calculate this number with a calculator. The fact is that our priority was to sign new contracts with the core of last year’s team, the leaders of our youth team and to strengthen individual positions in a targeted manner. I think we accomplished this task with a solid “B”. In March and April, without waiting for the expiration of previous agreements, we signed new contracts with 19 players, including hockey players from the youth team. I made 4 qualifying offers. In May, they strengthened the roster with Devin Brosseau, Alex Galchenyuk and Ilya Talaluev. They invited a very promising young goalkeeper, Damir Shaimardanov. It turns out that of the 33 players on our roster today, only four are newcomers. We kept the composition not even at 80, but at 90%.
— On the other hand, the top scorer, Egor Korshkov, left the team. How significant was his loss and why was it not possible to keep him?
“Our head coach, and the club management supports him in this, proceeds from the fact that the result is determined not by individuals, but by the team. So there was no tragedy. Yes, Egor played a big role in our result last season, thank you very much for his play, but Devin Brosseau and Alex Galchenyuk can replace him. We count on them as one of the team leaders.
In essence, the negotiation process with Yegor Korshkov never began. Immediately after finishing the playoffs, we had a frank conversation and Egor informed us that he would leave the team. Details of a possible new contract were not discussed. This once again shows the difficulties that Far Eastern clubs face in the selection process. Sometimes it’s not enough to simply offer good or even excellent conditions. Factors of geographical distance, family wishes and other interests come into play. But I think our club is on the right track and in a few seasons this trend will change.
— At what stage is the team recruitment process? Should fans expect any new signings?
– In fact, we only have one place left in the squad. Negotiations with one of the foreign players for the top 6 attack are going very productively. I think we will sign a contract soon. In principle, the team building can be considered complete at this stage. In this sense, we are completely ready for the season.
— What is the situation with the training of technical staff?
— The other day we decided on the candidacy of a coach to work with the attackers, the other positions were closed. The “newcomers” have already started to be announced, notably physical trainer Denis Bogdanov, returning from Traktor. By the way, a native resident of Khabarovsk. Also today they announced a contract with goalkeeping coach Oleg Filimonov. We will announce the remaining members of the technical staff soon. This issue is closed for us.
— Recently, there has been a lot of speculation in the press regarding possible changes in the club’s management. Can you comment on them?
“We don’t pay attention to rumors because we know how often they appear in such situations. Our task is to do our job and prepare the team for the new season. This is what we do, with calm and total dedication.
“Amur prepared for the last championship using a new method – the team spent the entire pre-season training camp at the Russian team’s Olympic base in Novogorsk, Moscow region. What are your plans for this summer?
— We will work in accordance with the Regulations: on July 15, players under bilateral contracts, including a number of young people from the youth team, will meet in Khabarovsk. On August 1, we will move to Moscow, where the rest of the hockey players will join the training camp. We do a microcycle of training there, then we fly to a pre-season tournament in Astana, then Chelyabinsk. We will release a detailed training camp schedule a little later. This issue is also closed for us.
— “L’Amour” has loudly declared its ambition to become one of the best clubs in the championship in recent years. Last season’s sporting result confirmed that the club is on the right track. How much time do you think there is still to go?
– In fact, I believe that it has no final meaning. It’s just constant movement in the right direction. In recent years, thanks to the leadership of the Khabarovsk Territory, we have managed to keep ourselves financially on our feet. Today, “Amur” is one of the most scrupulous clubs in the League in terms of fulfilling obligations to players and employees. The psychology of the club itself has changed: now we set ourselves only the highest goals, and last season showed that we are growing as a team. We are working hard to develop the infrastructure, this also applies to updating the necessary equipment and improving conditions in the Platinum Arena. Last season we completely renovated the locker room and gymnasium of the main team, and now renovations are underway in the Amur coaches’ room, in the youth team locker room and throughout the block arena club. Generally speaking, work on preparing for the new season is in full swing and does not stop for a minute. I am convinced that we are on the right track.
— What is the team’s goal for next season?
“The new chairman of the club’s board of directors will set the task for us for the season. Now we are waiting for this appointment and after that we will interact with the new leader. But it is already obvious that our minimum task is to do better than last season.
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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.
