The CSKA goalkeeper told about the start of the season, the competition with Ivan Fedotov, his sister, who is also a goalie and shared his impressions of living in Moscow.
- Adam, the start of the season wasn't easy for the team and for you personally. All the clubs are fighting in every match and it is hard to predict the results of the season. Did you expect the competition to be that high?
- I knew it would be high, there are a lot of strong teams in the league now. We had a lot of complex games that we had to play better. There were a few losses that we could have avoided. But we are working hard, paying a lot of attention to tactics to find that system, that hockey that our fans will like and bring us wins. We got off to a good start this month and we'll be happy if we get even better.
- How do you keep your game tone while constantly competing with Ivan Fedotov?
- It's good to compete with such a great goalie. He had a great start in the season, Ivan played much better than I did in the first few games. He played a lot of games, and there was nothing for it but to follow his good play. But I kept working, trying to get better than him, to play in more games. But at the end of the day, we're a team, we do everything for the team to win. If he plays well and we win, I'm very happy. If I'm helping the team win, I'm also happy. We compete in practice, he wants to reflect every puck, I want the same thing. That way we make each other better, help each other improve.
- How do you communicate with Ivan off the ice, what relationships do you have?
- Maybe we don't communicate that much off the ice. But we talk all the time in the locker room, in the gym, asking about each other spending weekends, about the family. We have a very good relationship. Ivan is a great and hardworking guy.
- How do you work with Sergei Naumov?
- He's always looking for things to improve. We practice an hour and a half on the ice almost every day - just goalies. We also watch videos all the time and look for things we need to work on. He can be tough and demanding, but Sergey makes us stronger.
- This season you've had four shutouts, you had not more than three in the past. What helps you to keep your goal line intact?
I think I'm doing a little better in the top games this year than before: I try my best, I play reliably, I make no mistakes. When there are no mistakes and the team in front of you plays well, it is possible not to concede a puck. But there are bad games, too, where I concede soft goals. Towards the end of the season, the most important part of it, you want to play at the top level all the time. That's my task right now: to be more confident and better in my worst games. Of course, it's good when you have shutouts in your stats, especially when the team wins with a 1:0 score, like in the games against Siberia and Avtomobilist. It's great to keep a clean sheet when the team needs the goalie's reliable play to win.
- How difficult is it for the goalie to psych yourself up to overtime, after all, the game is much more dynamic with only six players instead of ten?
- When a team plays three-on-three, you have to be more focused. You have to be ready for anything: The game can go from one goal to the other very quickly. In overtime, you have to make really important saves so the team keep the contest alive and win. Of course, the game in overtime is different than regulation time, but it's interesting.
- What about the penalty shots? The recent game against Vityaz was very productive, but in the penalty shootout you turned all five shots aside.
- You might say that in that game I thought I had to play much better and more confident than during the regulation time. In the end, we won that game. And you forget about the five conceded pucks. But before the penalty shootout, I felt like I had to do my best for the team to win.
- Let's run the "time machine" and move back more than twenty years. Why did you choose hockey? How old were you?
- It was thanks to my brother. He's two years older than me. His friend started playing hockey and called my brother to the rink. So, I went with my mom and dad to watch the training. I was about five years old at the time, and after one or two weeks, I started training myself. Thanks to my brother.
- Did you immediately dream of becoming a goalie?
- I wanted to play between the pipes very early. I think it happened almost immediately after I started training. My brother practiced hitting the puck and balls at home all the time, and I was the goalie. But my dad said no and didn't change his mind for a long time. From about six to eleven years old I played one game in a goal, then one in a defense because my dad wanted me to be a defenseman. But when I turned eleven, I told the coach I wanted to be a goalie and since then I played between the pipes all the time.
- Did you have any cult figures?
- I can name Henrik Lundqvist. Actually, it's hard to remember all of them, I liked many.
- In Stockholm, the climate is a bit like in Moscow. You had to train or play at the outdoor ice rink?
- Yes. In my team, where I played from 6 to 16, there was always one indoor and one outdoor ice rink. All the younger teams skated regularly at the outdoor ice rink; I think I practiced there twice a week for sure. But I never played Russian hockey. Although I like this sport, I would like to try it.
- Your sister also plays hockey as a goalie, how is she doing?
- She plays in the main Swedish women's hockey league. Now she plays for a team that is having a difficult period: they have played about 10 games and haven't scored yet. It is hard to be a goalie on a team like that, there are a lot of defeats. But she is a great goalie. She is 7 years younger than me, so she has a long and good career ahead of her. She works hard, you could say she competes with me and wants to be better than me.
- Do you often discuss hockey with her?
- Yes, we discuss. I think she watches almost every game when I play, she likes to follow my teams. And she always has something to say about my game. We talk almost after each match.
- Have you already got used to Moscow?
- It's a beautiful city. It's very big, so sometimes it is hard to get around because of the traffic. But there are a lot of great places to walk around, to have dinner. I really like Stockholm, which is also a big city. So, I feel at home in Moscow.
- Do you have any favourite places?
- Yes, I have. With our Swedish players we go out to Patriarch's Ponds for a walk and dinner. I would advise my friends who will be in Moscow for the first time to go to Red Square and walk around and look at the buildings.
- There isn't much free time during the season, but what do you like to do when you have it?
- If we have time, my wife and I go out for coffee and croissant, and then we go for a walk with the child. He is 2.5 years old and he really likes to be active, walk around and look around. In the evening we can go somewhere quiet for dinner so the child can be with us. Usually, I want to spend that time with the family.
- If you were a tour guide, where would you take tourists in the Sweden's capital?
- There's a street called Stranvegan, it's by the water. It's a great place to walk along the esplanades, there are a lot of interesting places, great views. There is a lot of water in Stockholm. I really love this city. I spent my whole childhood there. It's very big, but you also have the opportunity to go outside the city, enjoy nature. You can go to the islands by boat.
- You play in CSKA with the number 36, and in the national team with the number 39. Why such a choice?
- I played under No. 39 in Jurgården. When I came to Kazan, it was already engaged. And I chose number 36, I always liked numbers from 30 to 40. But I don't have any special history.
- You played for Sweden at the World Championship in Riga. What is the difference between playing for the national team and for the club?
- It was a difficult and unsuccessful tournament; we did not perform well. In the first two games we lost to Belarus and Denmark. It was a very difficult start. I think in tournaments like those, where there are a lot of players from KHL, the hockey is similar to what we see in the league. It was very hard to play against Russia, where there are a lot of good players. You have to be a hundred percent ready every second, otherwise, you will concede a goal. I like playing for my country. If I am invited, I will be glad to play.
- This season is special, it's an Olympic season. What does it mean to you?
- It's hard to say what the tournament will be like because it's not entirely clear if players from the NHL will come. At the moment they should be, but that could change. I think Russia will be the favourite in any way. If players from the NHL do go to the Olympics, I think Sweden will have a good team and along with Canada and the US, we will also be among the favourites. If only players from Europe and the KHL will go, I don't know what kind of team Sweden will be. The last World Championships did not work out well for us. I think that with NHL players, Russia, Sweden, Canada, and the USA will pretend to win. Of course, I wish Sweden to win. But if my team loses, I will cheer for Russia. I see how much hockey means to the Russians and how they want to win.
- You've already got used to the club. How do you feel about the CSKA fans, do you feel that they give you a lot of energy?
- I'm happy we have such support. The season start was difficult for us; we didn't play our best hockey; we didn't score a lot of goals. But always when we play at home, they support us, drive us forward. The fans help us and we feel their support.
BLITZ
Favourite away city?
Sochi
Favourite rest?
Walking. Talking to my loved ones.
Favourite hockey attitude?
Believing in myself.
Your hobby?
Golf. I enjoy playing it.
Favourite food?
I won't name the meatballs. I like sushi.
