Embargo on talents

What a pity that Russia in sports constantly wants to "wipe his nose" ...

Even before the World Hockey Championship in the Czech Republic, it became known that the Player of St. Petersburg SKA Artemy Panarin agreed on a two -year contract with Chicago Blackhouks, where he will get the opportunity to develop side by side with Taves, Kane, Sharp, Keith, Hossa. Not so long ago, we were glad for Evgenia Medvedev, who at the age of 32 abandoned the possibility of continuing a calm career in Russia and chose to spend at least one season behind the ocean. Plotnikov, Soshnikov, Burmistrov, perhaps Tikhonov and Zaitsev, are also about to sign agreements with NHL clubs. In the nineties or early two thousandth, they would not surprise anyone like it (recall at least the "Malkin case"). But in the current realities, for many, this causes some surprise and misunderstanding. And if you take into account the golden rain that pours on the players of Russian KHL clubs, this can generally be regarded as a kind of feat.

Against the backdrop of a bright demonstration of the difference in the levels of the KHL and the NHL in the final of the Czech World Cup, the option with leaving for the ocean involuntarily sees the right choice for Russian hockey players. Many thought that this was influenced by the fall of the ruble course, but it turned out that everything was not so simple. Recently, Vyacheslav Fetisov said that Russian hockey players should not be released to the North American Leagues under 28 , encroaching on one of the fundamental human rights - the right to freedom of movement and choosing a place of residence. But there was a time when it was impossible to imagine any NHL team without Russians. They were appreciated and loved, they were admired by fans and partners. And there was nothing for - that sparkling hockey, which was shown by Mogilny, Kovalev and others, left no one indifferent. And it was impossible to overestimate their contribution to the game of NHL clubs and in general to develop the league. All Russophobia of the coaching staffs was inevitably punishable by dismissal.

And what a supercard of Russia had in Nagano! Even when many refused to play it, with those who arrived, Russia took second place, losing to Gashek's genius at the time of inspiration. Not Nhlovtsy in that team was only the third goalkeeper Oleg Shvets from Severstal. And this was perceived normally, there was no unhealthy course on "their own". Yes, and it is unlikely that anyone would have turned the tongue to call Fedorov and the brothers Bure "not ours." Their game in the NHL was closely monitored by Russian fans. Salt Lake City and Turin also left quite good memories. But then Gonchar and Markov’s defenders, Snipers, paved up, and the highest quality at that time the “homebody” played in Ak Bars. But they were "ours"! ..

For ten years, much has changed, and Ovechkin, in order to stay “his”, already needs to wear a T -shirt with Putin and make loud statements. And Demarchs Kovalchuk and his choice in favor of "light profit" were fed as a national feat. These guys can be completely capable, the motives of their actions are quite clear to the Russian people. And to figure out that somewhere in the "enemy" league, the conditional Tarasenko got through the thorns, no one will now. And to rejoice that the "traitor of the KHL" Evgeny Kuznetsov finally finds himself, no one will become either. The horizons of the fans narrowed to the limit, and the priorities were simplified.

A fresh example is the tremendous progress of Nikita Kucherov, who this season showed (and continues to show) a directly breathtaking result. And, oddly enough, Nikita (by chance, by the way, selected in the NHL draft), having a good press and support of the fans behind the ocean, is not very popular in Russia. Very few Russian fans know about the existence of such a player. After all, the victories of his “Tampa” (in which he plays with his namesake Nesterov and Vlad Vicernikov) and his personal contribution to them is covered less than the departure of Pittsburgh, Detroit and especially Washington. Some forwards always have a reservation in the Russian national team, even if high-quality defenders are needed there. They are waiting, they pray for them, create a stir. And they cannot cope with the load of their own star status and lose to the Olympics , where the best of the best gather. You can sing praises to Russian victories at the world championships as much as you like, but it is worth some of the participating countries to gather a fairly large number of NHL players under their banner, as the Russian team immediately begins.

Russia is always trying to compare ourselves with Canada, where hockey is akin to religion and cities grow around hockey boxes, as in the Middle Ages they grew around bridges

Russia is always trying to compare itself with Canada, where hockey is akin to religion and cities grow around hockey boxes, as in the Middle Ages they grew around bridges. In the USA, Finland and Sweden in each town you can engage in hockey. This is not in Russia. The guys, which shone in the NHL in the nineties, were pupils of Soviet hockey. Yes, there were a lot of bad things in that country, but in its own way it was good with the allocation of funds for medicine, education, and industry. Well, for youthful sport. In any case, not as these days. And now we have almost lost the hockey resurrection, where we paid off Larionov and Kamensky and dozens of other stars. Thank God that Yaroslavl, Chelyabinsk, Magnitogork, Kazan, Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan-on enthusiasm, contrary to circumstances. And I would like thanks to . But not “thanks” to the fact that, by criminal negligence in a plane crash, a team with young guys who probably wanted and could achieve something is dying ... And the fact that Malkins, Ovechkin, Tarasenko and Kucherovs are still looking for the collapse of domestic hockey in Russia, cannot but rejoice. But such talents should develop where they will be appreciated, for daily work, and not for past merits and one well -held season. It is labor that turns talent into a global superstar. Only now such players are many times less ...

I am glad that Vladislav Tretyak, like Boris Mayorov, did not support Fetisov’s initiative . But the fact that in mid -June at the next meeting of the board of directors of the KHL Vyacheslav Fetisov can be approved as his new participant, now causes some fears ...

What a pity that Russia constantly wants to "wipe his nose". The victory over the US team was fed by federal television channels as a victory over a strategic enemy. The enemy, in general. The players were extolled. The country was pumped up so that after the final, the "patriotic" fans called the same players "fingering millionaires." No one came to the airport to meet the team after it returned. Yes, they themselves flew to the closed terminal, for some reason deciding that the second place is a shame and there is nothing to rejoice here. This is wrong. If you support, then support it to the end. After the final of the World Cup with Spain in 2010, the Dutch were met as national heroes. When the players sailed on a boat, people jumped into the canal with joy and sailed after them. All Brazil in 2014 after the defeat of 1: 7 from Germany cried, frustrated and sincerely spared its players. And the Russian "fans" thoughtlessly extolled those who "tore America", and then with inspiration hawl their own lovers - also quite sincerely ...

I did not watch the final of the World Cup. At this time, the Canadian Canal broadcast the Anahaim - Chicago match. In the second break, the result of the finals announced casually, and the fans were glad for Crosby, who became a member of the triple Golden Club. Here you have the attitude to the tournament won by Canada, as in training. Without pumping the country to win over the "red car", as we used to think ...