Neftekhimik Coaching Staff
19.07.2025
Under the leadership of Igor Grishin, the Neftekhimik coaching staff has begun preparing for the new season. Players with two–way contracts have already undergone an in–depth medical examination on July 17 and 18, and on July 19 they will have two on ice training sessions a day.
Igor Grishin:
– Three assistants came to Neftekhimik with me. They are valuable specialists remained from last year’s team: Alexei Mitroshin, goaltending coach; Alexander Urakov, Strength and Conditioning Coach; and video coach Alexander Smirnov.
I did not know Alexei Yuryevich personally, but I had heard about his professionalism. The very first meeting confirmed all the best reviews. I am sure that we will quickly find a common language, and our cooperation will be fruitful.
We talked a lot with Aleksandr Yuryevich during the vacation and found that our views on hockey and the physical training of players completely coincided. This is very important for achieving a common goal.
Aleksandr Vasilyevich is an experienced specialist who has worked for various national teams. We have known each other for a long time, and I have always been impressed by his creative approach and ability to generate new ideas. I am glad that such professionals remained in the Neftekhimik team.
Now about the newcomers.
Maxim Aleksandrovich Krivonozhkin will be responsible for the forwards' play and the implementation of the majority. We have been working together for a long time and understand each other perfectly. Our views on the game coincide. He is already an experienced specialist demonstrating a high professional level. Four seasons of working together allowed us to build not only professional, but also trusting relationships.
I met Aleksei Gennadyevich Pepelyayev before the start of last season and am very pleased with our cooperation. He is a man of incredible energy, with a huge desire to develop and improve. He is completely immersed in his work and is responsible for the play of the defensemen and the minority.
Denis Koroteyev has worked with us for the last three seasons at Khimik and Dynamo St. Petersburg, being responsible for physical training and demonstrating the high efficiency of his methods. In the upcoming championship, his responsibilities will be expanded: he will work together with Alexander Yuryevich Urakov and train players who are temporarily not included in the main squad. In addition, he will assist Alexander Vasilyevich Smirnov, maintaining contact with us during matches.
It is now fashionable to divide coaches by role, by areas of responsibility. But, ultimately, the team's performance is the result of the joint work of the entire coaching staff.
I am pleased with our team. We are all charged with energy, set for fruitful work and are looking forward to the start of the new season.
