Metallurg Magnitogorsk is one of the most-decorated teams in all of Europe, and General Director Gennady Velichkin has been the man behind all of the success since 1991.
Velichkin took time out of his schedule to answer some questions from NHL.com via e-mail. Of course, the main topic of discussion was the upcoming historic Victoria Cup game against the New York Rangers in Bern, Switzerland, on Oct. 1.
Metallurg Magnitogorsk is the reigning champion of Europe and next month will begin competition in the IIHF-sponsored, 12-team European Champions Hockey League.
NHL.com: What do you think playing in the Victoria Cup against the New York Rangers means to the players on the team?
Gennady Velichkin: "All our players were just kids when the last Super Series between Soviet teams and North American professionals was held (1990-91). That was a really great event, as well as the previous Super Series, and we still remember those times. For today’s players, the Victoria Cup game is the first sign that the members of the big hockey family on both sides of the Atlantic are moving toward each other again."
NHL.com: Considering it is truly just an exhibition game, do you want your players to just enjoy the moment, or is Metallurg out to win the game for pride and bragging rights?
GV: "If it is truly just an exhibition game, let’s put away the glorious name -- The Victoria Cup. An ordinary exhibition game cannot have such a big name, can it?"
NHL.com: The IIHF wants the Victoria Cup to become an annual tradition, do you agree that it could be and will it add value to the global game of hockey?
GV: "No doubt, it will. And, the IIHF’s intention to make the Victoria Cup an annual tradition is another thing that speaks loud: This is NOT just an exhibition game. It’s the beginning of a new history."
NHL.com: Do you think your players can compete at the level of the New York Rangers, or the NHL in general?
GV: "We’ll have a more or less clear idea of this at 10 p.m. Oct. 1, after the game is over. For now I can just say: Why not? Players both in New York and in Magnitogorsk are professionals. They can skate well, shoot well, they can play the offensive and the defensive. In fact, there will be many details that will decide: physical conditions, mental concentration, motivation, etc. The result is unpredictable and the chances are 50-50, I guess."
NHL.com: What does playing in this international game do for your organization in terms of marketing and fan support?
GV: "This international game is a great event in terms of hockey history first of all. We cannot create a big marketing program on the basis of one single match, I’m afraid. On the other hand, the name Metallurg is already well known in Europe since we’ve won several titles and trophies on the continent. So we have many fans in different European countries -- Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic -- and we hope to have many more after Oct. 1."
NHL.com: Can you give us a history of the franchise, such as championships?
GV: "Metallurg joined the top Russian league in 1992 and in about three years became one of the leaders of national hockey. In 1998, the team finished second in the regular season and won its first Cup of Russia. In 1999 our club had a "hat-trick." We were the best team in the regular season, won the playoffs and gained our first Silverstone -- the Euroleague trophy. In 2000, Metallurg finished third in Russia and won its second Silverstone; in a few months the team also became the European Supercup holder. There was another Russian championship in 2001. In 2002, Metallurg finished third. In 2004, the team was second in Russia, and third again in 2006. In 2007, Magnitogorsk regained the Cup of Russia after a six-year break. And, in January of 2008 our team won the European Champions Cup in St. Petersburg. This season, we’ll compete for another continental trophy -- the renewed Euroleague tournament starts in October."
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To be the Man you have to beat the Man (Ric Flair)
Calgary Flames forward Marcus Nilson has joined CSKA Moskva (Moscow) of the KHL. Details still have to be ironed out, but Nilson has already practised with the team and both sides are negotiating his release from Calgary's contract. Source
According to NHLPA director Paul Kelly on the 640 AM radio in Toronto the other day, Alexander Radulov wants to leave the KHL, despite only a few games in. Stay Tune.
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To be the Man you have to beat the Man (Ric Flair)
Dynamo Minsk 0-5 Torpedo
0-1 Aleksander Kharitonov (Galuzin)
0-2 Aleksei Kosourov (Podhradsky, Potapov) PP
0-3 Andrei Nikitenko (Varnakov)
0-4 Peter Podhradsky (Potapov)
0-5 Pavel Brendl (Kharitonov)
Shutout for Mika Noronen.
Vityaz 2-3so Dynamo Moscow
1-0 Vladimir Karpov (Boychenko)
1-1 Petr Cajanek 2 (Nepryaev) PP
1-2 Maksim Petushko SOG
SKA St. Petersburg 2-3 HC MVD
1-0 Marc Popovich (Brylin, Sushinsky) SH
1-1 Aleksei Ugarov (Antonenko, Tsvetkov)
1-2 Oleg Antonenko (Velikov, Tsvetkov) PP
1-3 Rinat Khasanov (Gorbunov)
2-3 Marc Popovich (Brylin, Sushinsky) Video
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To be the Man you have to beat the Man (Ric Flair)
Last edited by Hockey North Star : 09-14-2008 at 09:22 AM.
Vityaz 2-1 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
1-0 Aleksander Golts
2-0 Aren Spaylo (Verot) SH
2-1 Andrei Telyukin
Canadian mystery man Aren Spailo’s fifth goal of the young season, a shorthander, is the winner. Who is he? — there’s no record of him anywhere that I can find.
Avangard Omsk 3-6 Traktor
0-1 Pierre Dagenais (Nikolishin, Skachkov)
1-1 Aleksei Kopeikin (Alexandrov, Pestunov)
1-2 Pierre Dagenais (Piganovich, Skachkov)
1-3 Vadim Shakhraychuk (Kvasha)
2-3 Maksim Yakutsenya (Nikitin)
3-3 Jaromir Jagr (Nikitin, Klepis) PP
3-4 Vadim Shakhraychuk (Kvasha) SH
3-5 Andrei Popov (Skachkov)
3-6 Evgeni Galkin (Kvasha) PP
Oleg Kvasha had three assists. And his teammate, Martin Grenier, went berserk for the second time this season and got another five-minute major and game misconduct.
Dynamo Moscow 3-2 HK MVD
0-1 James Pollock (Krovopuskov)
1-1 Karel Rachunek (Kalyuzhny)
2-1 Maksim Pestushko (Nepryaev, Afanasenkov)
3-1 Denis Denisov (Tarasov, Tolpeko) PP
3-2 Sergei Moskalev (Derlyuk, Mosalev)
Dynamo Riga 4-1 Torpedo
1-0 Marcel Hossa (Hartigan, Novak) PP
2-0 Juris Stals (Galvins) PP
2-1 Aleksei Kosourov (Podhradsky)
3-1 Aleksei Shirokov (Nizhivy)
4-1 Marcel Hossa (Cipulis) EN
Slovak Marcel Hossa, notches two more goals 7 on the year.
Lada 3-2ot Ak Bars Kazan
0-1 Tony Mårtensson (Pervyshin, Zaripov) PP
1-1 Denis Bodrov (Rachinsky) PP
2-1 Anton Krysanov (Panov) PP
2-2 Danis Zaripov (Morozov, Nikulin)
3-2 Konstantin Panov (Bodrov, Petrov)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 3-0 Amur
1-0 Aleksander Galimov (Vasicek, Irgl)
2-0 Zbynek Irgl PS
3-0 Ivan Tkachenko (Churilov)
Alexei Yashin fails to get his 1,000th professional point.
SKA St. Petersburg 0-1 Metallurg Nk
0-1 Dmitri Dudarev (Koledaev) PP
Dinamo Minsk 0-2 Spartak Moscow
0-1 Sergei Akimov (Yunkov)
0-2 Stefan Ruzicka (Dokshin, Lyamin) PP
A shutout for Martin Grusek
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To be the Man you have to beat the Man (Ric Flair)
Barys Astana 3-2ot Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
0-1 Andrei Ivanov (Sokolov) PP
0-2 Ruslan Bernikov (D. Makarov, Ivanov) PP
1-2 Ilya Solarev (Zhalaunov, Starchenko) PP
2-2 Kevin Dallman (Spiridonov, Glazachev) PP
3-2 Kevin Dallman Stumpel) SH
2 more goals for Kevin Dallman who has scored in 3 games in row.
SKA St. Petersburg 4-0 Sibir
1-0 David Nemirovsky (Sushinsky, Brylin)
2-0 David Nemirovsky (Sushinsky, Ekman) PP
3-0 Nils Ekman (Esche, Popovik)
4-0 Maksim Sushinsky (Nemirovsky)
Robet Esche 2nd shutout of the year. Maksim Sushinsky 3 point night 1 goal 2 assists.
Khimik 1-2 Salavat Yulaev
0-1 Aleksander Perezhogin
0-2 Aleksander Radulov (Taratukhin) PP
1-2 Andrei Strakhov (Luchinkin, Koroteev)
Vityaz 1-4 CSKA Moscow
1-0 Alexander Golts (Spaylo)
1-1 Anton But (Kuhtinov, Saprykin)
1-2 Sergei Shirokov (Khomutov) PP
1-3 Aleksander Soglubov (Goncharov, Wallberg)
1-4 Denis Parshin (Shirokov) SH
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To be the Man you have to beat the Man (Ric Flair)
Russia 2008/09
Magnitogorsk has enviable track record
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