All photos via the KHL’s Facebook Fan Page.

On Saturday, the KHL will host their 3rd annual All-Star Game in Riga, Latvia. Former Washington Capital Sergei Fedorov will be captaining one team at the game — a team that includes Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov, who has 16G and 15A as of the All-Star break, leading Traktor Chelyabinsk in scoring. Kuznetsov was nominated as a starter for the game by a landslide fan vote, finishing second overall in all voting.

Ahead of the KHL’s All-Star Game, Fedorov spoke to Sport Express’ Dmitry Kuznetsov about Kuznetsov. Below the jump, Igor Kleyner offers a translation of the interview, where former Cap Fedorov talks Kuznetsov’s scoring, overwhelming fan popularity, and offers some perspective on the choice that’s coming up for Kuznetsov — whether to continue to play in the KHL, or make the jump to the NHL.

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer also participated in a highly silly photoshoot to promote the All-Star Game, along with the other team captain and former NHLer Sandis Ozolins, which we’ve preserved here in a post for historical purposes. Please enjoy.

Dmitry Kuznetsov: I must ask you about the young Traktor’s talent Evgeny Kuznetsov. He got the highest total number of fan votes for ASG Team Fedorov. How do you like his game?

Sergei Fedorov: I like it. He skates very well, he has awesome hands. WJC in Canada demonstrated that he really improved his game over the last year. Great job. I am very happy for him, he has been playing a terrific hockey over the last few months.

Dmitry Kuznetsov: Should he depart for Washington, where you finished your NHL career, in summer?

Sergei Fedorov: He has his professional people who are going to help him make the right choice. But he definitely should not rush. At such age one has to be on the ice as much as possible, and he has this opportunity at Traktor. He became the team leader in a very short time. They have a good team in Chelyabinsk. So, as they say, better is the enemy of good.

Dmitry Kuznetsov:But you left for the NHL when you were twenty years old…

Sergei Fedorov: I was not rushing, it was a different situation. It was a serious step for me. Not only I wanted to play hockey in front of twenty thousand crazy fans, but also to have a normal life outside hockey. When I played with CSKA, we spend a lot of time with the team – if not all of the time. Eleven months a year. So my move was a logical one, even though I was very young.

Dmitry Kuznetsov: Were you 100% ready for the NHL?

Sergei Fedorov: Four preseasons with CSKA turn you into a powerful machine. Physically I was ready for the NHL. The rest I picked up on the fly. But now the Russians in the NHL are no longer exotic. These days, when you arrive there, you must stand out among your competitors if you want to become a star. Only then a coach will start making any plans based on you. I was a center, in the NHL now the managers tend to build their teams around centers, because it’s a playmaking position. Zhenya Kuznetsov is a winger, so there are some nuances.

Dmitry Kuznetsov: Who does he remind you?

Sergei Fedorov: I have been asked this question before, but I don’t know who he compares with.

Dmitry Kuznetsov: Is he similar to Mogilny?

Sergei Fedorov: No. Sashka was more powerful. He was stronger physically. And his skating manner was a bit different. Zhenya has a different style. He is very smooth, you can even say elegant.

KHL All-Star Game Promotional Photos

Feds is so glad he renewed his membership at the hockey-golf club.

Ladies.

Ah! But the nine iron is a foolish choice for this kind of ice surface. Everyone knows you should use a putter to go top shelf. 

Why yes, he is the captain of the All-Star Game! How did you know? 

Real hockey players are always ready to play, even when waiting at the dentist’s office. 

Speaking of the dentist’s office. 

Obligatory rookie photo pose. 

They never make it through a whole game without someone losing his temper and cross-checking the chessboard. 

Oh, here he goes. 

KHL training exercise. 

Liam Neeson stars in “The Sergei Fedorov Story.” 

Chess metaphor. 

“I must break you.”

Captions by Ana Hansen.

In September, you might might recall that in our post recapping Alex Ovechkin’s summer in Russia, we dropped the bombshell that Ovi rapped a verse in Sasha Belyi’s rap “Champion.” The filming of the video got a ton of attention in his motherland as MTV Russia even did a feature on it. Well, lo and behold, the music video was finally released to the masses on YouTube this weekend and below the jump you can check it out. Ovi’s rap starts at 2:55.

According to RMNB’s Fedor Fedin, he says:

Alumni of Dynamo
8 on the back.
In the All-Star game all attention is on me.

On the NatTeam since 17
Scored 100 points in a season
Gold medal in Canada in ’08

Among the ten best players of the decade,
Stick in my hands, Rap in my headphones,
Saying hello from Washington,
Together with Sanya Belyi,
For every champion

[And then a bizarre sound that sounds like the English words "Look out!"]

Ovechkin, who also recorded a song for his girlfriend in the summer of 2010, has long been a fan of hip hop. In the fall of that same year, Ovechkin was rumored to be in talks with Eminem to do a song with him. Though the story was later debunked, Ovi told Life Sports,”It would be such an honor for me, because I am a big fan of Eminem. I always have his CDs in my car, and I would be very glad to meet him. By the way, Eminem’s 8 Mile film is just great.”

For more on the video, make sure to check out Alex Ovetjkin.

Photo credit: Richard Wolowicz

On Sunday Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov returned home after Russia lost to Sweden in the 2012 Word Junior Championship gold medal game. Kuznetsov, who was named the MVP of the tournament and to the WJC All-Star team for the second year in a row, did not smile for photos or wear his silver medal after the game.

When he arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, Kuznetsov was greeted by SovSport correspondents and asked his thoughts about winning silver, beating Canada, and his plans for next year. Below the jump, I offer a translation.

SovSport: What’s your thoughts on the World Championships?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I wanted to come back home with the gold, but was unable to do so. It’s pleasant that we beat Canada in the semifinals. We had a great team that stood up for each other.

SovSport: Did luck play a big role in the final?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: The Swedes outshot us. That’s inarguable. We were able to even the game up a little in the third, but they again attacked more in overtime. Though they were lucky to score.

SovSport: Do you remember that chance you had when you hit the post?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I didn’t even know it hit the post. I only saw it after the game.

SovSport: What about that chance Nikita Gusev had with 30 seconds to go in the third period?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t want to comment. Everything happens for a reason. He understands it all and blames himself.

SovSport: The team went without wearing the silver medals…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I have never seen anybody wearing the silver medal. It’s a huge pity to lose in the final. Especially with the 0-1 score. Everybody said we had bad defense before the tournament and we were not able to score a single goal against the Swedes.

SovSport: Have you seen the Swedish video with the matryoshka?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It’s nothing special. We didn’t react. It’s some kind of childish antics.

SovSport: You flew to Frankfurt together with the Swedes. Did you talk with them on the flight?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, not at all. They won the World Championships and weren’t even drunk. They were like – not even happy. Like it’s the fifth straight title for them. And we didn’t talk – we’re not friends.

SovSport: Have you seen the Canadian media’s comments?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t speak English. I didn’t understand anything.

SovSport: Have you decided where you’re going to be playing next year?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: This is the wrong time to ask. But I have made my decision.

Kuznetsov’s elusive response to the question about his plans for next season, elicited several strong opinions from some of Russia’s biggest hockey reporters.

Pavel Lysenkov of SovSport

Slava Malamud of Sport-Express

“Canada, I can’t hear you.” (Photo credit: Elena Rusko)

One year ago in the WJC gold medal game, Canada held what seemed to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Team Russia heading into the third period. During the second intermission, Head Coach Valery Bragin pleaded with his team to respond, and respond they did. Russia stormed back– riding three assists by Evgeny Kuznetsov to win the gold medal game 5-3 and shock the hockey world.

But antipathy between the Russian team and North American fans and media was high, and the situation degraded even further after the Russians were kicked off their flight home for being rowdy.  Kuznetsov says the incident was “absolute nonsense,” but the tension has only gotten worse since.

Entering the 2012 WJC, Russia intended to prove that last year’s win over Canada was no fluke. Despite being the defending champions, the team still held underdog status. Kuznetsov, Russia’s captain and the only returning player from 2011, netted his second WJC hat trick in three games, pushing Russia to a 6-5 win.

After the game, Allhockey.ru’s Andrey Osadchenko spoke to Kuznetsov and filmed his entire Q/A with reporters. Below the jump, I offer a translation.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: We needed to kill the game off calmly, but, after all, [the Canadians] aren’t the Russians, they can’t be heroes.

Question: Zhenya, are you incapable of scoring less than three goals?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It just happened to turn out this way. My linemates did everything for me and I scored three.

Question: What happened with the score 6-1 in the third?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: You know, it’s Team Canada and we’re playing them in Canada. When they scored first, that second goal was really hard to take, but thank God we held on. We need to forget this game and move on. The Swedes are waiting for us and we need to prepare.

Question: In the third, did you feel tired?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: You know, in a game like this, it’s difficult to be tired because of your emotions.

Kuznetsov laughs off taunts from Canadian fans. (S/T to Valtteri Kivinen)

Question: Did you see Canadian fans leaving the arena when it was 6-1?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, I was focused completely on the game and it’s a pity that we’ve allowed so many goals. Honestly, we wanted to win 6-1. But it’s okay, we’ll move on.

Question: What can you say about Makarov?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Makarov’s done a great job. Valery Nikolaevich [Bragin] made a goalie change at the right time. Vasya [Vasilevsky] was nervous a bit, and I hope he’ll be OK. We’ll support him. He’ll make all the saves on Thursday.

Question: Do you think you gave Russia more holiday time?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t know, but I hope people will have a good time and will celebrate our win as it’s supposed to be celebrated.

Question: Do you understand that for many people in Russia, the World Junior Championships are over? Canada is beaten, your goal is achieved.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: We still have the main goal that we came here for. It will be a difficult game against the Swedes, but we need to go out there and win. We have a day off tomorrow. We’ll get some rest, we’ll prepare for the game hard and we will have a renewed force.

Question: Zhenya, Thursday will be your last game for the junior team. What are your feelings?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I haven’t thought about it yet. If we win I’ll have positive feelings. Otherwise… it’s impossible.

Question: Do you think your critics will shut up now? They said you can only score against Latvia.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I have no right telling them to do so. They’re mature people. I have no business in saying anything. Last year, I could say something, but now I have no business. They’re mature people, they may have their own opinion, live their own lives. I play for the team, it doesn’t matter to me if I or my partners score. The main thing is that we’ve made it to the finals. I don’t care who’s scored.

Question: Do you understand you’re public enemy number one in Canada right now? You offended them with your comments and now you’ve offended them with your play.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I never offended anyone…

Question: But they are offended…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I just said what is true here. I admit, I wanted to win very badly. I came here wanting to play against Canada.

Question: Is it important to you that you beat Canada in this stage and not in the finals?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Yeah.

Question: Do you think you’ll avenge your earlier loss against Sweden? Last year, [Russia] beat everyone who beat them on the group stage.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Yeah, I know that in this tournament the same team has never won the same match-up twice. We’ll try to continue this tradition on Thursday.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Photo credit: Francois Laplante

Evgeny Kuznetsov has done a lot of spectacular things in his young career: he was the youngest player ever to be named to a KHL all-star game; he’s starred in a movie; he scored the game-winning goal to win Russian the Karjala Cup; and he got married at 19. Late Thursday night in Calgary, Kuzya had the game of his life notching an incredible three goals, six assists, and nine points in a 14-0 thrashing of Latvia. It was the second most points ever scored in a World Junior Championship game.

After the game, Allhockey.ru’s Andrey Osadchenko spoke to Kuznetsov and filmed his entire Q/A with reporters. Below the jump, I offer a translation.

Question: Zhenya, first of all, congratulations on the victory. Second, do you believe in superstitions?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, not really.

Question: Everything didn’t go smoothly in the first period. Then Grigorenko looked to get badly injured. How did you react?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Misha seems to be okay, thank god. Of course I was frustrated he got injured and couldn’t continue to play. But we won and everything is okay.

Question: Did his injury have any affect on the game? Did you guys want to exact some revenge?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, we did not. Everybody understands that you can’t take penalties. You can get suspended two or three games for that. It would hurt the team.

Question: How do you compare this tournament with last year’s WJC? Do you draw any parallels?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, that one is in the past and this one is new and we need to build everything over again.

Question: Do you know how many points you had?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Maybe nine, I was told here. Just one shy [of the record], but that’s not a problem.

Question: Is it important for you?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Most importantly, my partners scored. That’s the most important thing.

Question: Did you take the puck from the hat-trick?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No.

Question: Why?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t know, I didn’t think a lot about it. Again, it’s not important who scored, we won and that’s it.

Question: How did you feel playing on the CSKA line (after Grigorenko’s injury, Kuznetsov played on two lines, one with Apalkov and Kosov and one with Gusev and Kucherov – the so-called “CSKA line”)?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It’s good to play with anyone but when we talked to each other, some crazy plays started to work and I enjoyed it. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it before, I felt great playing with those linemates. Everybody played well. We have no weak players.

Question: It looks like you’re back to center. What do you think about that?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It’s difficult to judge. We’ll talk with the coach tomorrow, and he’ll tell me how to play and… This game’s in the past, we need to start thinking about the next one.

Question: Why did everything start working today? In the first two games, [Russia] had 3 goals each and the offense didn’t really click. Today, it looked like everything worked.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t know, it’s difficult to say. For me personally, it’s kind of a tradition. Last year, I first scored in the third game of the tournament, tonight I hoped… It’s a very pleasant feeling that I was able to play like that.

Question: Last year, you had four goals and eleven points. Now, you have three and nine. Are you going after a record?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Two more will make it nice.

Question: Are you saving them for the Swedes?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No. It doesn’t matter how many goals I score or assist on. Team wins and everything else… you shouldn’t give a damn about it.

Question: The Candians are talking seriously about you now. They mocked us that we only scored three goals in each of the first two games. Now they fear you.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t remember what they said. What’s his name… Bob McKenzie, right? Say hi to him for me. I watched a show. I didn’t understand everything, but he praised everyone and he didn’t say a lot of good things about [Russia]. It’s not a problem. I think we proved tonight that we can score, score on an empty net, score hard-working goals and, most importantly, we allowed no goals tonight and helped Vasya [Andrei Vasilevsky] again. As they say it here, “shutout.”

Question: You follow McKenzie, but do you follow Canada’s play?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I was amazed they didn’t select certain players, but they play the same way all the time. They’re always good. Especially playing at home, in front of a whole arena, they’ll be tough. But they always play the same way and it’s very difficult to play against them.

Question: Did you know that Russia now has the same goal differential [as Canada] but has allowed fewer goals? Russia leads this year’s WJC in fewest goals allowed.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, I just found that out now.

Question: [Analysts] have said that Russia’s defense would be the one true weakness of this team, but so far we have been the best…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: That statement is a weakness of who said that, not ours. I was confident in our goalie, that he’d play well. Both of our goalies — even the third — can play. The entire line needs to play defense and tonight we showed that we can execute the coach’s plan. Just as he said, “everybody returns, everbody helps out.” It gives the result. We can’t give up on defense.

Question: Zhenya, when was the last time you won with such a high score?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I don’t really remember this big of a win. I actually haven’t had a hat trick in like four years. Yes, a long time. It was a big win… every win is good. Sometimes it’s more pleasant to win 1-0 than like this.

Question: You live in the same hotel as the Latvians. Did you talk to them before the game?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No, we didn’t. They’re great guys, I can’t say anything bad about them, they were fighting, they gave their best effort. I think they’ll win the next game they play and will be okay.

Question: Do you say hi when you meet them?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Of course. You say hi to any hockey player. It’s mutual respect.

Question: Did you know about Forsberg’s record on the bench?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Yeah, I was joking like, “Throw me out there! I have one point left!” It really was only that. I was unable to do it, but that’s not a big deal. The most important thing is we won.

Kuznetsov smiles during the weekend of his wedding. (Photo credit: Chelyabinsk.ru)

If you’re a loyal reader of RMNB, you know a lot about Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov. You know he’s won a gold medal at last year’s WJC, he currently leads the KHL in game-winning goals, and he had one of the best years ever recorded last season as an 18-year-old in Russia. You’ve seen the movie he starred in when he was 12, Hockey Nomad Goes To Russia, and you giggled when you saw pictures from his wedding this past summer at Traktor Arena.

In part two of our monster translation of Soviet Sport’s feature story on Kuzya, Pavel Lysenkov asks some more personal questions. [Read part one of the interview.] We find out why Kuznetsov picked number 92, what Alex Ovechkin gave him as a wedding present, and what he was like as a child in school. Evgeny also makes many more references to Washington and how he’s preparing to uproot his life at some point and come to North America.

Pavel Lysenkov: Did you pick your jersey number 92 to honor the year when you were born?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No. When The MHL’s White Bears started, they made the sweaters for us. Almost all of numbers were gone. The only ones left were numbers 90, 91 and 92. So some other guys who were a bit older took the other ones, and I got this one.

For Sbornaya, I wore 25 and 7. I also had 17. If I go to the NHL, I will take a different number. Which one? I am not telling you!

Pavel Lysenkov: When you were asked about the wedding date, you said June 3rd. Anything significant about that date?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It just so happened to be a Friday. It’s more convenient to do it on a weekend. We had lots of people from Moscow, other cities. Everybody liked it.

Why did Ovechkin come to our wedding? Some friends were on vacation with him. They invited him to Chelyabinsk. I called him. “Sanya, come to our wedding. You’ll see our city.” We organized a tour for him, took him to the OMON shooting range.

I think Alex liked it. So did we. Everybody was chasing him: “Ovechkin’s in town!” In the streets people would stop him: “Oh, we know you!” Sanya enjoyed it. And then they would say “You are in that commercial!” Not everybody recognized him as a hockey player.

Pavel Lysenkov: Did he give you the most unusual wedding gift?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: He gave us a customary envelope with money. [Ed. Note: and now you know what to bring to a Russian wedding!] But the cossacks gave us a cedar tree. “A rare tree, on the Red List of Threatened Species.” So I said “Then where did you manage to get it?” – “No, no, everything is legit.”

My wife and I planted it. Now it’s growing in the yard in front of our building.

Pavel Lysenkov: You said: “The simpler the wedding, the better.” And then had it in Traktor’s hockey arena!

Evgeny Kuznetsov: That was decided two weeks before the ceremony. They kept trying to talk us into it. They treat me so well in Chelyabinsk, I could not refuse. And I did not regret it.

There had been no weddings in the Traktor’s arena before ours. But now there is a crazy wait list.

Pavel Lysenkov: How did you meet Nastia?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: She was taking her two brothers to the ChTZ hockey school – that’s where Chelyabinsk Palace of Children is.

I saw her there, but we did not really interact much. But two years later, during the summertime when I was in America, I sent her a message on VKontakte [Russian social media site]. We talked, the we started going out. Six months later I proposed.

Pavel Lysenkov: When you were just 18 years old?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I told my parents right away: “I am not going to mess around. I will decide right away on who I want to live with.” I am a one-woman man. And I want to build my family early. We already are thinking about children. We would like four! To gather them all in the evening. I’ll be sitting in a rocking chair with a cigar. Show them my medals, hockey sticks, gloves: “That’s your daddy!”

Pavel Lysenkov: When are you expecting your first?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: It will all be decided in the summer. If we leave for America, we’ll have a child right away. If we stay in Chelyabinsk, we’ll wait for awhile.

Pavel Lysenkov: Does Moscow shock you? Traffic jams, ruckus…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I am used to it. I am in the capital so often, I am all right with all that. I am preparing myself for the life in a megalopolis if I am going to leave for Washington.

Now I understand why people live in Moscow. There is everything here. You want entertainment for your child – go watch the elephants standing on two legs and hula hooping. You want to buy wonderful candy that is not available anywhere – find it on the internet, and they will bring it to your home. You want toilet paper with your photo – there you go. In Moscow, there is everything you can wish for.

Pavel Lysenkov: A dream city?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: If I were to finish my career – in 20 years at the earliest! – I would move somewhere in Switzerland. I would build a house somewhere on a river bank. I would buy a yacht. I would sail and relax. Also, I would open a hockey school in Chelyabinsk. My wife and my children. I don’t need anything else.

Pavel Lysenkov: You don’t have to be in Switzerland to sail…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: They have a good climate. And no chance of a war. Would be foolish, the whole world keeps their money there.

Pavel Lysenkov: You are just like Vyacheslav Bykov. He was also born in Chelyabinsk, but lives in Switzerland.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Aha, exactly. I will never forget Chelyabinsk. It’s my home town.

Pavel Lysenkov: How did you do in school?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I was getting 3′s [Ed note – "3" is a "C"] just like everybody else. But no one was putting any pressure on us. They could see that we were tired after hockey. We were getting special treatment. Traktor’s Anton Burdasov is a year older than me. He was getting a 3 in biology for watering plants during classes. You can ask him – he walked around with a watering can!

I always had earphones on and sat in the back of the class. When there was something interesting, I would listen to the teacher. But if it’s chemistry, which I don’t understand at all?! The teacher was strict, she called us names. But you have to sit through the class for 45 minutes and write various nonsense in your notebook.

Pavel Lysenkov: How was your discipline?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Perfect. I behaved. If I skipped classes, I hung out in the cafeteria. My home room teacher would come down – Kuznetsov is eating with his friends. So, everything is all right.

Pavel Lysenkov: Where do you go to school now?

Evgeny Kuznetsov:Ural State University for Physical Education. Majoring in hockey. [Ed note: Here's the Wikipedia article about the school]

Pavel Lysenkov: You mentioned once that you drive Range Rover and Porsche…

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No. I sold my Porsche and bought a Range Rover for my wife. I drive an Audi R8. I believe you should buy good cars if your finances allow. Don’t try to economize. You have one life, live it well and don’t try to put all your money away in a treasure chest, so it can al turn into worthless paper later. It happened in the 90s. everything turned into candy wrappers.

I want to live well and enjoy it. Look at how much time I devote to hockey. I see nothing but pucks and sticks, my bed, and chicken with pasta. You have to relax. Give presents to your family and yourself.

Pavel Lysenkov: Do you ever catch anybody looking at you with envy, when you drive around relatively poor Chelyabinsk in your luxury car?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I wouldn’t say it’s a poor city. A lot of people know who is driving the car. My license tag number is 092. People smile, honk, give me thumbs up.

Pavel Lysenkov: Maradona used to say he never locked his car in Argentina – and no one tried to steal it. Would you do that?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: No way! I am not Maradona. I am Kuznetsov.

Sovetsky Sport customary questionnaire

Pavel Lysenkov: Favorite music. Who would you like to see in concert?

Evgeny Kuznetsov:Philipp Kirkorov.

Pavel Lysenkov: Why?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I like his songs. Actually, I would like to go to disco Retro FM. I like old music, 80s and 90s.

Pavel Lysenkov: Radulov likes Valery Leontiev.

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I was kidding about Kirkorov. I only like some of his songs.

Pavel Lysenkov: Favorite dish?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Russian cuisine. Pasta. But not Po Flotsky [Ed note: pasta with ground meat and onions].

Pavel Lysenkov: Drink?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Freshly squeezed orange juice.

Pavel Lysenkov: TV Series?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Realnye Patsany [Ed. Note – Real Kids, a Russian reality show parody)

Pavel Lysenkov: But you said you are friends with Stas Yarushin from Univer. [Ed. note: a Russian sitcom]

Evgeny Kuznetsov: He is the best! No contest. He is also from Chelyabinsk.

Pavel Lysenkov: What is your ringtone?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I change it every week.

Pavel Lysenkov: Actor?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Steven Seagal.

Pavel Lysenkov: Why?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: He is just a crazy person.

Pavel Lysenkov: A star athlete?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Not hockey, okay? Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps. They broke all the unbreakable records.

Pavel Lysenkov: Favorite subject in school?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Music.

Pavel Lysenkov: Seriously?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Oh, how I sing! Always went to the grand piano. They were begging me “Kuznetsov, please shut up. Don’t ruin the song.” I have a horrible ear [Ed note: in Russian, “a bear stomped on my ear”]. But I sang anyway.

Pavel Lysenkov: What do you do in spare time?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I play NHL-2012. I always choose Washington. I sold every player already and bought all the new ones.

Pavel Lysenkov: Have you won the Stanley Cup yet?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Four times!

Part one of the interview.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Evgeny Kuznetsov speeds down the middle during Traktor’s game against Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Photo credit: Vitaly Gubin, Traktor PR Service)

Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov, currently sitting in the top 15 in both goals and points (12g, 12a), was named a KHL All-Star for the second time on Monday. Unlike last season, Kuznetsov was overwhelmingly voted in as a starter this year by fans and will represent “Team Fedorov” of the Eastern conference. The 19-year-old Traktor Chelyabinsk forward finished second overall in total votes (33,800), trailing only Mikelis Redlihs of the Western Conference’s “Team Ozolins.”

To put Kuznetsov’s immense popularity in perspective, consider that he garnered more votes than reigning MVP Alexander Radulov, Roman Cervenka (the KHL’s leading scorer), Vladimir Tarasenko, and Russian National Team Captain Alexei Morozov.

Recently, Sovetsky Sport’s Pavel Lysenkov did a lengthy feature story on Kuznetsov, who some have called the new face of the KHL. Like most interviews with Russian players, the story starts off with questions about Vityaz Chekhov, who was recently beaten by Traktor on the scoreboard and tried to beat them back with their fists.

Most importantly to Caps fans, Kuznetsov discussed his possible NHL future, his contract situation, and who he idolized as a kid. Below the jump, I have the translation.

Evgeny Kuznetov: It’s difficult for Vityaz and Coach Nazarov to prove themselves anymore. What’s left for their enforcers? They need to fight somebody. I think every club in the KHL should have a tough guy. Let them fight each other. That’s useful. You get a “policeman” on the ice and everyone sees they shouldn’t touch the other players.

Pavel Lysenkov: Have you seen what Gimaev said to Sovetsky Sport? “[Russia] has to keep Kuznetsov until the Olympics”.

Evgeny Kuznetov: Right now my agent is negotiating with Washington. I am going to meet the team representatives when I am at the World Junior Championships in Calgary. I have no idea what kind of offer I am going to get. For now I am not going anywhere. I still have another half season to go on my contract with Traktor.

Pavel Lysenkov: National Team head Coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov also said you should not go.

Evgeny Kuznetov: I would stay in the KHL for 15 years! But in Russia they’re not used to giving out such long contracts. Who would pay a young player the money Ovechkin is getting in Washington? If I were offered a KHL contract like the one Ovechkin has, I’d sign it without a doubt! And I would play for Traktor until the end of my career. Wherever you get paid is a good place to be. That’s our job. But I have a dream to test myself in the NHL.

Pavel Lysenkov: Do you watch games of that league?

Evgeny Kuznetov: Yes, of course. It’s impressive that they squeeze so much out of half-chances. Mediocre players grind it out and score goals just on their character. In the NHL you’ve got to do everything very fast. In the KHL, the game is more finesse.

Pavel Lysenkov: What did Alex Ovechkin say when he hung out with you at your wedding party?

Evgeny Kuznetov: “Don’t worry. Come to the NHL and everything will be okay.” I went to Caps’ Development Camp after the draft last year. I went into the locker room and walked around for a week with my jaw on the floor.

Pavel Lysenkov: Why?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I came without a uniform. A man measured me with just a look. Then I returned from the hotel and the uniform of my size was already hanging there! After the training session, I started hanging it up. The equipment guy waved and said, “Throw it down! I’ll pick it up myself!” There’s professionalism everywhere. All you have to concentrate on is playing hockey.

Pavel Lysenkov: Is the KHL different?

Evgeny Kuznetov: In Traktor, they also help us handle our luggage. But in America you don’t even see these people [handling equipment]. You can go to Vegas with your wife. Or catch some sun rays in Miami. And return in time for the game. I know, many guys do that. But here – there is some lack of trust in the players. You must be with the team the day before a game.

Pavel Lysenkov: You know North America well.

Evgeny Kuznetov: So far, I’ve been there like 10 times. I played in Canada. I lived in New York. The first time I flew there I was 14. I just got my international passport! My mom put me on a plane, and my uncle godfather picked me up in New York. I played for a local team with a Russian coach. I walked around Manhattan. Bought souvenirs. I went to McDonald’s, and ordered by myself. Then I put 25 cents in a public phone, called my uncle and told him where I was standing and he picked me up. The weather was a bit of a let down. It was raining for the first three weeks. I wanted to swim in the ocean. My godfather said, “Let’s go to the beach”. All the Americans were hiding under their umbrellas. I ran right into the waves. They were thinking there goes some crazy Russian kid. But then some followed me. The water turned out to be pretty warm.

Pavel Lysenkov: Who do you like among hockey players?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I follow a lot of players. What they do during the game, how they hold their stick for a faceoff. You try to pick up few tricks. Malkin and Datsyuk of course are top class.

Pavel Lysenkov: Have you met them?

Evgeny Kuznetov: No. Alexander Semin played in Chelyabinsk at one point. But he probably doesn’t remember me. I was little, about eight years old. They lived at the boarding school for the kids from out of town. I was spending all my time at the stadium. Went right by the school and to the rink.

Pavel Lysenkov: Did you ask for Semin’s stick?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I asked other guys from Traktor’s squad for their sticks. Nobody gave me one. I became their teammate in like eight years.

Pavel Lysenkov: When you were 12, Canadians made a movie about you. How did they know you’d be a famous player?!

Evgeny Kuznetov: Canadians sent a letter beforehand saying they need Kuznetsov. I played in Omsk then. It was shot in about two weeks. The entire movie is three hours long and it’s about hockey in Siberia. One and a half of that is about me. They were interested about everything: how do we make pelmeni; how the kids are playing hockey. We were walking for 30 minutes in -22 degrees Fahrenheit from the camp to the rink, while the Canadians were running behind us with a camera. They first noticed me when I was nine in a tournament. We played in Mahnitogorsk. The whole “Romazan” [Ed. Note - Former Metallurg arena] was watching. The locals were invincible, but we smashed them 12-2 in the final. We were given a cup like a table lamp. The Magnitogorsk guys were give a trophy that looked like a Stanley Cup, along with uniforms, shoes, and sticks. They gave me 600 rubles for being the top scorer. And a medal. I scored like 20 goals then. Nobody else was even close! I was so disappointed that I wanted to cry.

Pavel Lysenkov: What were you dreaming about when you were 12?

Evgeny Kuznetov: I wanted to be Jaromir Jagr [Ed. note: Sigh].

Pavel Lysenkov: Wow!

Evgeny Kuznetov: When Jaromir came to Avangard in 2004, all of Omsk was crazy about him. First, we thought at the training, “Who is that clumsy guy skating?” But then he went out on the ice for the game. And everybody just gasped. I couldn’t get an autograph then. I have photo from that year. I took a picture of him with my cellphone camera from up close. I printed that out then. It’s now hanging on the wall in my house.

Pavel Lysenkov: So you never met him?

Evgeny Kuznetov: Why? During the previous KHL All-Star Game, I said hello to him. I stood near him. I was quiet. I saw Jagr smiling when I scored on the breakaway. “Great job,” he said.

Pavel Lysenkov: You played on the line with Sergei Fedorov.

Evgeny Kuznetov: When he went to Detroit in 1991 I wasn’t even born yet. When I look at guys like him I see how i need to work. I read Sovetsky Sport when Fedorov gave me three pieces of advice. One of them – only go to the NHL as a mature player and don’t get lost on a farm team. If you’re not ready, you better stay. Achieve something in Russia, it will be easier for you then. When Ovechkin went to NHL, he was big like a wardrobe [Ed. Note: Not to be confused with the one and only Wardrobe in the history of hockey]. You couldn’t push him out. Malkin achieved everything in Magnitogorsk. Kovalchuk showed himself playing for Spartak.

Part two of the interview.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Ninteenth century author Charles Caleb Colton once wrote that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Before writing that, the guy must have hopped in his red-painted time machine and traveled to DC to watch Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin hang out together. Why? Because the Sashas — a sterling example of “brothers from another mother” — have so much in common. Same nationality, same first name, same DVD box set of Gilmore Girls in their living rooms. Same hats, same holey jeans, matching friendship bracelets (one suspects).

So when Ovi recently was presented with his own wax figure at Madame Taussaud’s, Sasha Minor was understandably a little bit jealous. Let’s go to the videotape!

Reporter: What if somebody makes a wax figure of you?
Alex Semin: It’d be super!

Reporter: Where would you want it to be made? In Krasnoyarsk?
Alex Semin: [After several seconds of thought] To be honest, I don’t care!

And that concludes the most forthright interview Alex Semin ever gave. For contrast, Stephen Whyno of the Washington Times and our own Igor Kleyner teamed up today for an interview that yielded this new Sasha classic: “I don’t really pay that much attention to the referees.”

Translation by Fedor Fedin. S/T to the Tumblr Tatianasn.

Photo credit: Orange County Register

Teemu Selanne is one of the greatest hockey players ever to lace up skates. His 642 career goals rank him in 12th place of all time. He’s led the league in goal-scoring three times during his career, and he won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Put simply, the man knows how to score goals and win games. So when Teemu started talking about Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin with Alisa Volbidaht of Sovetsky Sport, we paid attention.

During the long Q/A, the Finnish Flash gives his opinion on Ovi’s recent “benching,” what the Great Eight needs to do to regain his scoring touch of years’ past, and who he thinks will win the Rocket Richard trophy.

The interview, published in Wednesday’s issue of the Sovetsky Sport newspaper, is translated below by RMNB’s Fedor Fedin.

Selanne’s Comments On Ovechkin

Alisa Volbidaht: You recently played against Alexander Ovechkin. Many Russian fans think our best forward is degrading. He’s predictable, he only has one move. Do you agree?

Teemu Selanne: Ovechkin’s play, of course, still has fire in it. Everybody wants to stop him. He has some tough nights. Well, in every game he’s getting defended very tightly. If you give him freedom, he’ll use it. What’s happening right now with Ovi is not a big deal. He just needs a breakthrough. Find a way to get open and score. He needs to change something in his game. I’m not worried for him. Ovi is a great forward. Great players know how to get the job done.

Alisa Volbidaht: What’s your advice for him?

Teemu Selanne: Relax and enjoy!

Alisa Volbidaht: Ovechkin in a game against the Ducks was so relaxed that he swore at Coach Boudreau, who benched him late in the game.

Teemu Selanne: Emotions are always high. Especially when the game isn’t coming to you. But those are just words. It happens in hockey. The words are forgotten, the deeds are remembered.

Alisa Volbidaht: Was Bruce Boudreau right in benching him?

Teemu Selanne: I don’t know what was going on between them. I simply believe that the best players need to be the best, and they need to be on the ice during critical moments. I was shocked when I didn’t see Ovechkin. But that’s none of my business.

Alisa Volbidaht: Have you ever had a conflict with a coach?

Teemu Selanne: No. Sometimes I express my opinion. Sometimes they disagree. That’s it.

The Rest of the Article

Teemu Selanne: When I give interviews to the Russian media, I first of all thank my coach Boris Mayorov, who worked with me during the early 90′s in Jokerit. I immensely respect him. He taught me a lot.

Alisa Volbidaht: Mayorov now contributes to our newspaper.

Teemu Selanne: You’re lucky. He played a big role in my successful NHL debut. Mayorov is very smart, especially in hockey theory. He knows the game well and helps young players reach their potential. He told me not to go to the NHL too young. I went to Winnipeg only at the age of 22.

Alisa Volbidaht: Boris Alexandrovich [Mayorov] said that you have a big collection of cars.

Teemu Selanne: I only have 20 left. My fleet is disappearing!

Teemu Selanne, Selanne’s Maybach and Cam Fowler.

Alisa Volbidaht: If SKA offers you a contract, which car will you drive from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg?

Teemu Selanne: I’ll probably drive my Maybach.

Alisa Volbidaht: So is this a deal? I’m calling St. Petersburg!

Teemu Selanne: I didn’t say I’ll sign a contract! I’m too old to play in Russia. Maybe I’d think about doing that earlier in my career. But now – no for sure. It’s difficult to go around the world with four kids. My sons like Anaheim.

Alisa Volbidaht: Have you ever been to Russia?

Teemu Selanne: I have only played in Moscow. I liked your capital city very much. It reminds me of New York City.

Alisa Volbidaht: Do you know any Russian words?

Teemu Selanne: All the bad words.

Alisa Volbidaht: Any good ones?

Teemu Selanne: Dobry vecher ["Good evening"], S Novym godom ["Happy New year"],  Krasivye glaza ["Beautiful eyes"]. Alexey Zahmnov taught me Russian. We were roomates playing for Winnipeg. I learned the unprintable words from him as well.

Alisa Volbidaht: In Anaheim, Ruslan Salei, who died in the Yaroslavl tragedy, was your teammate.

Teemu Selanne: Oh… That was one of the most sad days in my life when I found out Salei was actually on that plane. There were rumors that Ruslan was not on board the Yak-42, that he went to Minsk earlier. But… Salei was a great guy. We played together a lot. Simply… a heartbreaking tragedy. Life is often unfair.

Alisa Volbidaht: Have you had any flight incidents?

Teemu Selanne: God has blessed me. [Teemu knocks on wood]. Flights are not one of my favorite ways to spend some time. It is probably the worst part of sports.

Alisa Volbidaht: You have five goals and 14 points in 14 games. You’re one of the NHL’s leading scorers again. How do you feel?

Teemu Selanne: It’s cool. The older I get, the more fun I have playing. Don’t take this game against the Rangers into account. We had almost no energy. But I really enjoy playing hockey.

Alisa Volbidaht: Jaromir Jagr is shining in Philadelphia. He’s 39. He’s scored 15 points, and tallied six goals in 14 games.

Teemu Selanne: Oh, Jaromir! My good friend and a great player. I’m very glad that the old guys can still keep up with the youngsters.

Alisa Volbidaht: Do you have enough in tank to have a whole year of that?

Teemu Selanne: Sure! The key is to believe it!

Alisa Volbidaht: We do. Right now you’re beating Perry and Ovi in the scoring race.

Teemu Selanne: Goals and points come if you play well. They are not that important by themselves. The main thing is team wins.

Alisa Volbidaht: Who will be the NHL’s top scorer this year?

Teemu Selanne: Interesting question… Many guys can. We talked about Ovechkin – he gets better with every single game. Toronto’s Phil Kessel has played great. I don’t think there is one player who is going be much better than the others. Let’s wait for the surprises.

Alisa Volbidaht: Maybe even Selanne?

Teemu Selanne: Anything can happen [winks].

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Kuzya multi-tasks while talking to the media Tuesday.

The KHL is currently taking the week off so that the Russian National Team can participate in the upcoming Karjala Cup, an annual tournament held in Finland where the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, and Russia all face off against one another. 19-year-old Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov was invited to play on the National Team and joined his teammates in Novogorsk, Moscow Region to prepare for their first game Thursday.

Despite the fact that the team is filled with stars such as Alexander Radulov and Vladmir Tarasenko, Kuznetsov — who was working out at the time — was mobbed by journalists during his media availability. In interviews to both Sovetsky Sport and Sport-Express, the gifted and versatile forward discussed his NHL plans, gossiped about the latest KHL news, and mused on what it will be like to play center again during the four day tourney.

Below the jump, check out my translation of the interview.

Question: Did you see what happened in Minsk with former Traktor coach Andrei Nazarov on Sunday?

Answer: Not yet, but I heard about it. I didn’t think it was a big deal. I think this story is overblown.

Q: You don’t see a coach going at the stands with a stick much…

A: The fans should blame themselves. They need to be respectful and not throw bottles at players on the ice. It was not pretty. And I understand Andrey Viktorovich. He’s an emotional person. You don’t need to blame it all on the coach because we are people. Everybody loses their temper sometimes.

Q: What do you think about the policy of the coaching staff directed to make the national team younger?

A: I’m all for it, because I’m the youngest [laughing]. Of course, I want to see more young players on the team.

Q: Did you hear that they wanted to try you at the center position [during the tournament]?

A: For me it’s more interesting and even more comfortable to play at center.

Q: But you’ll have to play more defense!

A: And that’s what I like!

Q: You’re the youngest player on the team. You’ll most likely have to pick up pucks after the training session…

A: That’s not a problem. The veterans here don’t push the youngsters around. We’re not living in the 80′s.

Q: Do you follow the Capitals, the team who drafted you?

A: I have a routine I follow so I can’t stay up late. But I do look up the score and see who scored goals.

Q: When are you going to leave Russia for the NHL?

A: I’ve made a decision. I know where and how I will spend the next few years of my hockey career. But I won’t talk about my plan. It would be uninteresting if I did so.

Q: Have you spoken with Dmitry Orlov who plays with the Capitals’ affiliate in Hershey?

A: Yes, we’ve talked over Skype a few times. He says that “things are okay over here”. It’s much more difficult to make it to the NHL for defensemen. There are a lot of players on one-way deals.

Q: Team Russia plays the Finns on Thursday. Mikael Granlund, who scored an interesting goal against the Russian National Team during last year’s World Championships, plays there.

A: I could make a joke about that, but I’m not of an age where you can say whatever you want to the media anymore. I will only say that I have a bet with [Traktor forward Petteri] Kontiola – the one who loses pays for dinner.

We need to beat Finns and Swedes right away. They need to know who the Russians are. We need to beat them with any players on their roster. Because if we lose once or twice, we’ll have a complex. That’s psychology!

Q: Everyone was surprised by Traktor’s great start…

A: I was surprised as well [laughing]. The key is that we are good on defense. It has helped the result so far.

Q: What are your thoughts on the World Junior Championship in Calgary?

A: I need to make the team first.

Q: WJC Head Coach Valery Bragin said you’re the only one who has a guaranteed spot on the team.

A: What if I play bad? Nobody has a guaranteed spot.

Q: Many people say that Russia hasn’t had such a strong roster as this in quite a long time.

A: Players who play in the Canadian junior leagues need to show something in the KHL first. Everybody talks about them as the top players for the next draft. I don’t want to offend the guys but I don’t think the level of hockey there is higher than in the MHL. I was offered a chance to go to the CHL myself. Many thanks to my Russian agent Valery Guschin who talked me out of taking that step. I’m just happy I didn’t go there. What would I do there? Clean windows in McDonald’s? I can do it here as well [laughing].

Russia will face Finland on Thursday, Sweden on Saturday and the Czech Republic on Sunday.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.