Igor Grishin: «This is a good thing for us»
31.10.2025
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin speaks with the media before the road trip.
– The team had a four–day break. Is this a benefit for the players, or is it better to play every other day?– It is very difficult to play every other day. We have had a very difficult month overall with twelve games. That is the most games of the season, especially in November. A four–day break before this month, I think, this is a good thing for us. We caught our breath a bit, the guys switched from game and practice mode, and got a couple of days off. Overall, I think we will enter this month with renewed emotional energy. We will try to maintain our emotional rise for as long as possible.
– How is Damir Zhafyarov doing? When can we expect him back on the ice?
– He is here, we just have not taken any risks yet to avoid aggravating his injury. We hope Damir will be back soon.
– Maxim Fedotov took to the ice yesterday. Should we expect him in the upcoming games?
– Maxim is not training with the team yet, but I hope he will start working with the guys during the trip. I do not know, it is unlikely we will see him in away games. The fact that he is starting to train with the team is already good. I think Max will be ready when we get back after road games.
– We signed Ivan Nikolishin yesterday. What role will he play on the team, and how do you plan to use him?
– We signed Ivan because we are currently experiencing a slight problem with our center line–Aleksandr Dergachyov is injured. So Ivan will try to fill that role. We will see what happens next, because I think he is not just a center, but a two way player—he can also play on the wing. We are counting on him. He is a skilled player, and that is already evident in his first few practices. I hope everything goes well for him and he helps the team.
