The CSKA defender spoke about his summer vacation, passion for chess, training camps with Zvezda and ambitions for the new season.
— May and June are already over. How did you spend your free time, where did you have time to go to rest?
— May started well, with the victory of CSKA. Later I went home to Angarsk. I spent time with relatives, and then flew to Turkey on vacation. I sunbathed a little, but there was also active recreation, for example, volleyball and football.
I returned home to Angarsk, went to Baikal — this is our big pride. I rode quad bikes through forests, motorboats. Probably everyone knows what the dolphinarium is, and we have a sealarium on Lake Baikal. This is the world's first show of trained Baikal seals.
— What else did you do besides outdoor recreation? Maybe a new hobby?
— This summer I started to study chess deeply. I used to play just for myself, but now I study all the nuances with a coach. This summer I got into it, that's my hobby.
— Who instilled a love of chess in you? This is quite an unusual hobby for a hockey player.
— My grandfather taught me. When I was very young, he instilled a love for chess. I used to play with him, but it was entertainment, played with friends or in an app on my phone. Now I'm more interested in this.
— Preparation for the season has already started gradually. Zvezda and Red Army came out of vacations. How do you feel?
— Of course, I'm always glad to meet the guys. We share our impressions and stories that happened over the summer. These first days of the training camp are always the most positive, everyone missed each other. Rinat Hasanov (the head coach of Zvezda — note) had a birthday yesterday, we congratulated him. We had festive mood, everyone was happy to see each other, charged to work.
— For two seasons you have been getting playing practice in the main team. Do you have goals to spend the maximum number of games in the KHL this season?
— Yes, I got an internship. I will make every effort to gain a foothold in the squad.
— What can the fans expect from the new season?
— I would like to send love to the fans. The season is coming soon, we will be glad to see everyone in the stands. We look forward to seeing you at the matches, we will delight you with victories!
