Oleg Leontyev: «We will play offensive style of hockey»
13.08.2024
The 2023/2024 season was the first for Neftekhimik under head coach Oleg Leontiev, when he did not make the playoffs. Nevertheless, Neftekhimik has taken into account the experience of the last championship and knows how to avoid this in the future. In the interview KHL.ru Leontiev spoke about how he reacted to the change in the timing of the season, evaluated the newcomers, outlined the task of Neftekhimik for the upcoming championship and explained why he wants to play attacking hockey.
"I think the calendar for the 2024/2025 season will be better than the previous one".
– Oleg Yuryevich, in what condition did the team approach the start of pre-season training camps? Are you satisfied with the physical conditions in which the players came out of vacation?
– All the guys came in optimal physical and functional shape, I am satisfied. Right from the beginning of the training camp, we began to have serious loads – everyone can withstand and tolerate them normally, it pleases.
– Is the fact that this year's preseason started a little later than usual a plus or minus for your team?
– All the guys are engaged individually before the training camp, they are preparing. Yes, there used to be a little more time to prepare, but I hope that this will not affect the team in any way. An interesting experience, let's see how it all goes. All clubs are in the same conditions, so no one will have any preferences.
– How did you react to the extension of the season? This made it possible, with the same number of matches in the regular season, to make the calendar more uniform.
– In the last two seasons, there has been a busy calendar – there have been cases that you played two matches in two days, or you played two games away and, having arrived in Nizhnekamsk, immediately played at home. Of course, it's difficult for the guys, but everyone stood up. This season, I hope the calendar will be calmer and the players will have time to recover. This is the most important thing. And the training process is always going on – there will be time to make adjustments during the season, if necessary. I think this calendar is better than last year's.
– If we talk about changes, the new championship will have the same limit for foreign players – five players. Does such a decision benefit Neftekhimik?
– As far as our budget allows, we sign foreigners or expensive Russian players. Therefore, this topic is irrelevant for us. You know, a good legionnaire and a top Russian are roughly comparable in price. We have a slightly different direction, we are trying to find younger, motivated players and develop their best qualities. At the same time, there will be veterans in our team, it will be a fusion of youth and experience. You can't build a team on young people alone, as well as only on veterans. The balanced composition only benefits the team.
– Right now there are three foreigners in the club – Klok, Dea and Profaka. That is, now the club does not have the task of filling all five legionnaire positions?
– For me, there is no difference at all between foreign players and Russian players. It is much more important that the hockey player shows on the ice. Moreover, the choice of foreigners is not very large now, the market is quite meager – in most cases, people go to the KHL only from North America. And there is a great demand for top legionnaires, the grandees of our League have views on them. Therefore, to take a foreigner just for the sake of taking… For example, we signed Luca Profac – I am sure that he will show himself and make progress. We don't have such a big budget to fight with top clubs for foreign players.
– Also, changes in the rules will come into force in the new season. Is there a new rule that you liked the most?
– Last season, they introduced a rule that you can't stand outside the gate – I like that. Although we are not standing outside the gate at all according to our tactics. Anything that makes hockey more dynamic, I only welcome any changes to the rules. The audience likes a fast game, a lot of chances and goals. We are always in favor of changes that make the game more entertaining.
"The start of the championship should be sure that the team plays relaxed".
– Let's go back to last season – for the first time under your leadership, the team did not make the playoffs. Do you have an understanding of what was the key to such a result?
– Everything is combined here – and the start was unsuccessful, and the leading players were injured, this also left its mark. Plus, the end of the regular season, where we performed well, and we missed a few points, and the competitors had a very strong final stretch of the championship. It all came together, and it didn't work out to get into the playoffs. Although from October to November the team's drawing and quality of play satisfied us, but the start was missed. In some matches, you seem to lead the score, but you miss the victory in the end. We know the reason and understand how to avoid this in the new season.
– For the second year in a row, the team failed to start the championship – and if it managed to get out the season before last, it did not work out last year. Can we say that the first couple of months of the season will be the most important for Neftekhimik?
– Of course, the start should be confident so that the team plays more relaxed, believes in itself. It so happened that two seasons in a row turned out to be unsuccessful in terms of starting. And the main thing is to rally the team, find a fighting spirit, a core, unite the guys with a common goal. And then everything will be fine.
– What do you see as the team's growth points right now? What is worth working on especially in the offseason?
– It's hard to say now – to do this, you need to watch the team at least in friendly matches, because it's difficult to notice anything in the training process. All advantages and disadvantages are manifested only in game conditions. Probably, we have become more experienced, because many guys have already played in the KHL, signed several experienced players. Therefore, I hope that in the test matches we will see what we need to work on and approach the season in optimal shape.
– If we look at the statistics, then one of the components that sagged in the team during the season is a minority: only Vityaz and Sochi, who were the first to lose their chances of the playoffs, are lower. Why?
– We missed a lot in the minority in the first matches, when there was that same series of defeats. As a result, there was a large margin, and in terms of reliability percentage, the minorities could not reach their level, because a lot was missed in the beginning. During that period, we conceded more than four goals on average per game, and some of them were outnumbered. That's why it happened, we'll work on it. But most of us were not bad.
– Did you follow the last Gagarin Cup draw? Have you noticed any new trends in the KHL?
– I will not be a pioneer here, everyone who follows hockey can see this – the league is getting younger, there is more movement and speeds. The entertainment is only growing from this.
– Were you surprised that Metallurg, with young players in the leading roles, outplayed the systemic and monolithic Lokomotiv in the final? Does this mean that the style of playing with an eye on defense in the KHL is becoming a thing of the past?
– I watched the final matches – the game was bone to bone, equal hockey, and in all four matches the difference in the score was one goal. Yes, Magnitogorsk won, but Yaroslavl also played very well, I liked it. But I don't think that the main key to Metallurg's victory was attacking hockey – you can't play in this style all season, you need balance.
– When you first signed a contract with Neftekhimik, you said that you plan to instill an attacking style of play in the team, and it works out. Can we say that last season's Metallurg is a kind of prototype for Neftekhimik, which you and your team look up to?
– It probably happens that way. Magnitogorsk has always played attacking hockey, and we try to act in a similar style. Both the audience and the players like it, it adds a zest to hockey. Why do people come to the stands? To see goals, not 1-0 and a rollback into a blind defense. We will try to play spectacular hockey.
– If we talk about the style of play of the teams, then in the last two seasons, Torpedo, Severstal, Spartak, and the same Magnitogorsk have attracted the attention of fans and specialists. Is it appropriate to put Neftekhimik on a par with these teams in terms of playing style?
– I think so, we are trying to play the same way as these clubs, and we will continue to do so. Now there is a certain trend in the KHL for an attacking style, I think that the future is behind it – it will always be interesting to watch such hockey, such a championship.
"It's hard to say goodbye to all the players – they become like children to you".
– Let's talk about breeding work in the off-season. Considering that the training camp has started, can we say that it is currently completed?
– To be honest, probably, yes, it is completed. There may be another signing, but that's not for sure. As it is, all our positions are strengthened, there is an understanding with whom we will go into the season. Of course, if an option arises, we will never give up the opportunity to take a quality player.
– I would like to hear your opinion about several players. Ozolin, Abrosimov, Leontiev and Leshchenko – of course, you worked with them at Neftekhimik. Did Kiselyevich attract you more by experience? Will it be a kind of mentor uncle for young defenders?
– Yes, he should become a mentor for young guys both in the training process, in the locker room, and in the game. He is not quite at the final stage of his career yet, he is in good shape. Judging by how he spent last season for Avangard, he can still play at a high level, and I see in training that he is in decent condition. A professional, decent man – we are glad that Bogdan is now in our team.
– Luca Profaca is one of the most mysterious acquisitions of this offseason.
– It's more a player for the future. He has a good movement, a good start to the attack, a sharp throw. A fighter born in 2002, he must quickly adapt to our League. I am sure that he has a great future ahead of him – he will progress and help us.
– What is your interest in Rtischev? According to experts, the player is talented, but he didn't get many chances in the KHL – only 43 matches in 5 (!) seasons.
– He makes a good impression in training, let's look at him in the test matches. While there are no questions for him at all, he works with great dedication. He was a promising young guy at one time, and I am sure that at this age he should make a leap in hockey development to continue his career in the KHL.
– As for the losses, which of the departed players was the hardest to part with?
– Yes, with everyone – they become like children to you. Over these seasons, you get used to them, they become your family, you get used to them. Personally, it's not easy for me to part with everyone.
"In order to reach the playoffs, you need a team that will lay down their bones for each
other" - Is Neftekhimik's goal for the upcoming season to reach the playoffs?
– This is our minimum task. And there, according to the situation, the further we go, the better.
– In an interview KHL.ru you said, "I want to achieve more as a coach than just getting into the playoffs." What is it exactly?
– Any coach and player, of course, wants to raise the Cup over his head. Yes, this is the goal, but so far there is something. Resources are needed to qualify for the Gagarin Cup. So far, our task is to reach the playoffs.
– There is an opinion that Leontiev and Neftekhimik have already earned at least to overcome the first round. What should work out for this?
– In order to get into the playoffs and then go further, you need to create a combat-ready team that will be ready to fight for each other. Then you can solve big problems. Everything comes from the locker room, from the overall work and team spirit. There should be a friendly team that will lay down their bones for each other.
– In the 2022/2023 season, there was an example of Admiral, who knocked Salavat Yulaev out of the playoffs and fought Ak Bars on equal terms. At the same time, hockey of the Far East was characterized by not the most flattering epithets. Are you ready, if necessary, to abandon the attacking style in favor of the result?
– To be honest, I would not like to give up the style that we preach – I like it, the players and fans like it. I don't want to leave him. Sometimes, yes, you can use some more closed schemes. But I'm a stickler for attacking hockey.
– There is a well-known hockey cliche that "Defense wins cups." Do you agree with this, or has the situation changed recently?
– No one argues with this – in order to claim high places, there must be reinforced concrete defense. But there is nowhere without an attack. First of all, the right balance is important. Is it better to win 7-5 or 2-0? 7:5 is better for me (smiles). Attack, but don't forget about defense – five in front, five behind, as they say.
Source: KHL portal
