CSKA defenseman Vladimir Grudinin told Izvestia newspaper about his missed World Junior Championship gold, his debut in the national team and his play in the KHL and VHL.
- How did you react when Roman Rotenberg compared you with Messi after the games with the Czech and Sweden teams in the European Tour?
- My teammates joked and laughed. That`s all. Of course, it`s nice to be compared to such great people. But I think I still have a long way to this level, but I have to go to it.
- Did you discuss your game with Rotenberg?
- After the last match of the Karjala Cup Roman Borisovich came to me. He praised me. He said that I had a good game and that I played well.
- Do you have an understanding why you, a defenseman, were compared to an attacking player?
- To be honest, I do not know (smiling). Maybe because of my movement, my skating skill. This is probably more visible to Roman Borisovich.
- Do you follow Messi`s game?
- I would like to keep track of hockey (laughs). I am not very fond of football. I watch more NHL and KHL matches and highlights.
- Do you have any favorite defensemen you are trying to imitate?
- Mat Robinson used to play for CSKA earlier. He is about the same height as me. I liked his style of play. In the NHL, I sympathize with such players like Caile Makar. I try to take something interesting from them.
- Do you like to fight on ice?
- If there is a moment to carry out a bodycheck, I try to do it.
- Can you remember how you got from Angarsk to the CSKA system? Was it hard to adapt?
- It was when I had been at the age of 14; I played in HC "Ermak" under the leadership of Vladimir Ivanovich Baranov. After the final of the national championship in our age, I received an offer to move to CSKA. There players born in 2003 were coached by Rinat Ravilievich Khasanov, who is now the head of the Red Army club. I graduated from CSKA School with him and moved to the MHL. And my transfer to the CSKA School was not difficult, because I transferred with my friend from Ermak club, Daniil Nichukhrin. Therefore, it was easier.
- Did you meet with Dmitry Voronkov in Angarsk?
- In the national team, Dima and I were recently at the Eurotour. But we kept up friendly communication at Ermak, before he left it for Ak Bars, and I for CSKA. We trained together in Angarsk before the last season. He was out of the town this year as he went to rest late after the World Cup. Maybe we can practice together again next summer.
- Who made the biggest impression at the Eurotour? With whom was it more difficult?
- We tuned for each opponent separately. I played against Sweden and the Czech teams. Both are good opponents, so we played pretty focused, but confidently to win. I can't single out anyone in particular.
- In the match against Sweden, you started with Yegor Savikov, and in the match against the Czech Republic you started with the already experienced Semyon Chistyakov. Did it make any difference for you to play with a guy you were going to the World Cup with soon, or to play with an experienced player?
- Surely, an experienced partner can tell you some little things. But I don't see a big difference. You can always find a common language with a good partner. You tell him what to do, and he will tell you what to do. That`s why there were no problems with Yegor Savikov.
- With whom did you play against in recent CSKA games when you started getting 5-7 minutes a game time?
- It's different: the shifts can change, especially after a power play. But mostly I played with John Gilmour. During games, he tells me what to do. I try to understand him, although my English is not very fluent. Anyway, playing with Gilmour is a really good experience for me.
- What impresses you about the KHL?
- The level of professionalism is very high. All the teams are strong, they run and fight. You have to give it your all. And all the games are equally hard.
- It is believed that next year you will be drafted at least in the second round of the NHL Draft. Have you already been approached by any clubs?
- I heard that talks with other teams were going on after New Year date. Scouts came to me, sent me questionnaires, and there was a mini-dialogue.
- Did your parents influence your decision to play hockey?
- Like almost all athletes, my path began when my parents brought me to hockey club. I don't remember anymore, but my dad told me that I liked it right away. I am grateful to them for that.
- Did they stay in Angarsk?
- Yes, they live and work in Angarsk. My sister lives in Moscow. She studied at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration and after her graduation she works for a construction company.
- You had a chance to play in the JHL at the old CSKA arena located on Leningradsky prospect that is now being torn down and rebuilt. Were there any special emotions from the realization that this is its last season in its original form?
- Yes, even though I didn't play in the last Red Army games in this arena because I missed the JHL playoffs due to the fact that I had already started training with the national team for the Junior World Championships. But during the regular season, of course, it was felt. There's even nostalgia now for a stadium with that history. But I think it's all for the best. We will build a new arena, so the guys from the youth school, the first team, and the fans could feel more comfortable.
- Why did we lose to Canada in the World Junior Championship final, even though you managed to score there?
- We had a very solid team, a united fist, a family. Everyone played together for each other. I think we had a good game against Canada; we lacked just a little bit to win. The goals were not to say that it was a curiosity, but we could not have led to them. However, we conceded them in the second period. In my opinion, we were stronger and we should have won that final.
- What have you learned from Zvezda and CSKA when you started playing at the senior level?
- Everything comes from the little things. Every little detail can make a difference. If you don't notice those little things, your coaches and partners will tell you. That's what hockey is all about. And if speaking globally, the higher the level, the faster you have to think, move, and make decisions. That's something you have to improve on, because you're playing with real professionals.
- Is it easier for you to adapt in CSKA due to the fact that the defensemen in Sergei Fedorov's staff have recently been managed by Vladimir Chebaturkin, who was your head coach at Zvezda?
- Vladimir Alexandrovich tells me everything, as well as other coaches. It's a pleasure to work with him. But the whole staff works with us on equal terms.
- Does Sergey Fedorov often talk to you individually?
- If Sergey Viktorovich sees something, he will tell us right away. There are no problems. It is important to follow the coach's instructions. If the coach gives advice, it is good advice. I listen to them.
- During the last European Tour, the Russian national team was ill affected by the turnover of the coaching staff, when Oleg Znarok left Helsinki the day before the start of the Karjala Cup because of his illness, Oleg Bratash had to leave after the first game, and eventually, Sergey Zubov was your coach in the last two games?
- There is one system of play in the national team. It is clear that if the coach changes, this does not confuse the team, but introduces some incomprehensibility. All the same, there is one single, unified system. That's why there were no major changes in the game.
- Will the Eurotour games give the youth team an advantage in the upcoming Youth World Championship games? Will the fact that the Super Series with the Canadian national teams has been canceled be a problem?
- Of course, it would be better for the team if we had an opportunity to play against the Canadians before the World Cup, to try ourselves against them and see what we can do with them. The Karjala Cup is a great experience for young players, especially those who played at this level for the first time. Each of us will get some useful information from this tournament for ourselves.
- You are now the youngest defenseman in the history of the national team. Did you get a lot of congratulations on this?
- At our club, almost everyone came up to me, said something good about it, congratulated me, and joked about it. That`s all.
- What do you expect from the World Youth Championship? How do you rate your chances of winning it?
- Of course, I want to get there. It is my goal, a dream. All the guys will go there for the gold.
