Interview with Grabovsky
Jan 13, 2007 10:36:43 GMT -5
Post by ropoflu on Jan 13, 2007 10:36:43 GMT -5
Initially posted on HF boards:
www.rushockey.com/events.php?i=nhl&stream=nhl_interviews&id=570
By Gennady Bogslavsky of SovSport
(January 9th, 2007)
Translated by Yura Zyuzin of Russian Hockey Digest
The 22-year-old Belarusian center of the Hamilton Bulldogs who is in his first season in North America received a somewhat unexpected call-up to the Montreal Canadiens not too long ago. While, despite impressive play, Grabovsky's stint with the big club was brief, he did have an opportunity to share his thoughts.
-By the way, this is not my first game in Montreal. My debut for the Canadiens was back in September during the preseason. It was then that I dislocated my shoulder. Today I played tentatively at first, fearing a repeat. But then I calmed down and started showing my game.
Was the call-up to Montreal unexpected for you?
-Yes, I was not waiting for such. I was getting ready for another one of Hamilton’s games. The coach of the farm team, Don Lever, had already given me instructions, how to play… While on the subject, this helps me very much. It turned out that I wasn’t ready for North American hockey from a tactical standpoint. Lever is teaching me how to play a simpler game.
How is your season in Hamilton working out?
-I already have 28 points – 10 goals, 18 assists. In the beginning I was uncomfortable, I had a streak of bad luck when I didn’t score for seven straight games. Hockey in the AHL is to my liking, but I play with Andrei Kostitsyn, and we have a complete understanding of each other. We now score a lot together… I got settled okay in Hamilton. The town in itself is boring, but Toronto is nearby, and we go there often.
Did it help that you were placed on a line with Samsonov and Kovalev?
-No doubt! Its Russian hockey, we understand each other extremely well. Moreover, to play with veterans of the Russian National Team… they find me with passes all over the ice. It’s like in Hamilton – it’s easy to play with Kostitsyn, but one can wait all day for a decent pass from the Canadians and still not get one.
It’s considered an honor for a rookie to score a goal in their NHL debut. Such was achieved by Kovalev, Perezhogin, Malkin, Ovechkin… You, on the other hand, had your first goal cancelled.
-Such can only happen to me. (laughing) A unique situation! This incident will probably become part of the Canadiens’ history.
In the second period you beat two defenders and almost scored. What got in your way at the end?
-In Hamilton I usually shoot and score in such a situation. But here I decided to deke the goaltender. It was a mistake, for some reason got a little unnerved.
You had a lot of movement, sparking the team…
-With little use. A forward without goals – not a hockey player.
After this game can you say that you are capable of playing in the NHL?
-I will tell you at the end of the season. It’s too late for me to catch up to Malkin as the most productive rookie (smiling) - but I will certainly try to get a roster spot in Montreal.
www.rushockey.com/events.php?i=nhl&stream=nhl_interviews&id=570
By Gennady Bogslavsky of SovSport
(January 9th, 2007)
Translated by Yura Zyuzin of Russian Hockey Digest
The 22-year-old Belarusian center of the Hamilton Bulldogs who is in his first season in North America received a somewhat unexpected call-up to the Montreal Canadiens not too long ago. While, despite impressive play, Grabovsky's stint with the big club was brief, he did have an opportunity to share his thoughts.
-By the way, this is not my first game in Montreal. My debut for the Canadiens was back in September during the preseason. It was then that I dislocated my shoulder. Today I played tentatively at first, fearing a repeat. But then I calmed down and started showing my game.
Was the call-up to Montreal unexpected for you?
-Yes, I was not waiting for such. I was getting ready for another one of Hamilton’s games. The coach of the farm team, Don Lever, had already given me instructions, how to play… While on the subject, this helps me very much. It turned out that I wasn’t ready for North American hockey from a tactical standpoint. Lever is teaching me how to play a simpler game.
How is your season in Hamilton working out?
-I already have 28 points – 10 goals, 18 assists. In the beginning I was uncomfortable, I had a streak of bad luck when I didn’t score for seven straight games. Hockey in the AHL is to my liking, but I play with Andrei Kostitsyn, and we have a complete understanding of each other. We now score a lot together… I got settled okay in Hamilton. The town in itself is boring, but Toronto is nearby, and we go there often.
Did it help that you were placed on a line with Samsonov and Kovalev?
-No doubt! Its Russian hockey, we understand each other extremely well. Moreover, to play with veterans of the Russian National Team… they find me with passes all over the ice. It’s like in Hamilton – it’s easy to play with Kostitsyn, but one can wait all day for a decent pass from the Canadians and still not get one.
It’s considered an honor for a rookie to score a goal in their NHL debut. Such was achieved by Kovalev, Perezhogin, Malkin, Ovechkin… You, on the other hand, had your first goal cancelled.
-Such can only happen to me. (laughing) A unique situation! This incident will probably become part of the Canadiens’ history.
In the second period you beat two defenders and almost scored. What got in your way at the end?
-In Hamilton I usually shoot and score in such a situation. But here I decided to deke the goaltender. It was a mistake, for some reason got a little unnerved.
You had a lot of movement, sparking the team…
-With little use. A forward without goals – not a hockey player.
After this game can you say that you are capable of playing in the NHL?
-I will tell you at the end of the season. It’s too late for me to catch up to Malkin as the most productive rookie (smiling) - but I will certainly try to get a roster spot in Montreal.
