Vitali Yachmenev: so many Russians in NHL is good for our hockey

Have you been following the NHL regular season and playoffs?
Yes, I try to watch at least game recaps. I am really happy for the boys from the Capitals and the Lightning, as well as for Vladimir Tarasenko.

Did you ever think Artemi Panarin would be so effective in his debut season?
I don’t know for sure, but I can applaud his performance this season. He got lucky too; Blackhawks are a team with a lot of quality players. Plus, his style fits so well in the vision of Joel Quenneville.

There were many of those who said that he would not be able to make it through a roster as stacked as Blackhawks’.
Like I said – there are plenty of talented players on their roster; Blackhawks are an experienced team with two Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015. However, Panarin got to show his skills early on, and I think he is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy; stats show that he is the best rookie in the entire NHL this season.

What about Yevgeni Kuznetsov? Did he surprise you with his stellar season?
No, absolutely not. This season, he is a terrific center; in fact, he even accumulated more points than longtime Capitals leaders, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Okay, let us now switch to Tampa Bay Lightning and their Russians.
Vladislav Namestnikov has yet to reach his prime, unlike Nikita Kucherov, who this season outshined Lightning’s biggest star in Steven Stamkos. Kucherov’s rookie deal is expiring soon, and it will be interesting to find out what is in his future. Nikita Nesterov keeps getting more and more ice time, and it reflects the trust of the coaching staff in this promising defenseman.

Let us also reflect on Valeri Nichushkin.
His injuries derailed his momentum, and he no longer had the trust of the coaching staff. We will have to wait and see how he performs later; he has all the tools to be a star in the NHL.

This year, a lot of Russian players had a great season in the NHL. Is it a sign that the league is once again becoming ‘Russianized’?
I think so. For some time there were not too many Russian stars in the NHL; plus, a lot of KHL teams paid decent money. However, right now there is an influx of new generation of quality Russian hockey players in the National Hockey League.

It is often said that those who went over the pond are looking for their dream to come true.
That is exactly right. However you spin it, NHL has existed for 100 years while KHL is only 8 years old. We are striving to be the best hockey league in the world, but it is impossible to achieve that within the span of 5-10 years. Sure, KHL is getting better and better, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.

There are lot of talks about Nikita Zaytsev and Alexander Radulov leaving KHL. Do you think their desire to be in the NHL is justified?
Of course. Radulov has NHL experience and is familiar with the North American style of play. As far as Zaytsev goes, he is heading to play for the Maple Leafs that had a largely bad season, therefore, it might be easier for him to become a fixture on their roster. 

Do you think it is fair to deny Russian players the right to go to the NHL? 
We should allow them to do that .The fact that there are a lot of our compatriots in the NHL is for the betterment of Russian hockey. Of course, not all of them will be able to participate in the World Championships, but they will be free for the World Cup of Hockey. In three or four years, they might return to Russia to share their hockey knowledge with the younger players.

How about junior leagues?
It is hard to say; there might be different scenarios. Still, young players need to consider every risk before going there, and it is also due to the fact that MHL is getting better as well. There are even cases when a young player is pulled up to the main roster, so everything needs to be considered before making the decision about going over the pond.

Was it easier for the players of your generation to adapt to the NHL?
I did not go straight to the big leagues – before that, I spent two years in one of junior leagues. This time helped me adapt to the North American hockey. The most difficult thing was, of course, the language barrier. What I learned in school was not enough to chat with the teammates and understand what the coach was saying. I was the only foreigner in the team, and I was able to grasp basics of English rather quickly. 

It is widely considered that Russians who came to the NHL in the 1990s strongly influenced the style of hockey played back then. Do you agree with this statement?
Yes. Not only Russians, but Europeans in general; they brought in a style based on passing and combinations.

How about the Detroit’s Russian Five?
They were a heavy influence too. I played against them, and it was hard as hell. Their puck control was something else; their chemistry – out of this planet. They won two cups for the Wings, and of course, their influence is still felt throughout the league.