Neftekhimik Press Conference
23.08.2024
On August 23, a press conference dedicated to the start of the Fonbet KHL Championship of the 2024-2025 season was held at the Neftekhim Arena. It was attended by Neftekhimik Director General I.V. Larionov, Neftekhimik head coach O.Y. Leontyev and Reaktor head coach I.V. Fyodorov.
Igor Larionov: As you know, this season the pre-season training period has been shortened by the decision of the KHL. This season, Reaktor began the pre-season in early July, and Neftekhimik - on August 1.
The shortened training cycle required the coaching staffs of our teams to adjust the training process. We believe that a lot of work has been done in this regard and the hockey players will begin the championship in full combat readiness.
The club office, as usual, has also done the necessary preparatory work to create comfortable conditions for our teams.
This became possible thanks to stable and sufficient funding from SIBUR and Nizhnekamskneftekhim. On behalf of the athletes, coaching staffs, myself personally, and the fans, I express my deep gratitude to them for their help and support. A striking example of this is the major renovation that is being completed at Neftekhim Arena.
The renovation of the athletes' locker rooms, all bathrooms, and split systems is in the final stage here. By the end of this year, a new video cube that meets all modern requirements will be installed in the arena thicket.
The goal is to increase comfort for fans at home matches and improve the conditions for training and game processes for players of our Neftekhimik and MHC Reaktor, for young hockey players, and for visiting teams. SIBUR has invested 218 million rubles for these purposes.
I am sure that all the changes will be appreciated by the fans, and our players and the growing "stars" of Nizhnekamsk hockey will have an incentive to play even more effectively and efficiently. Thanks to the support of SIBUR, not only our arena is developing, but also all children's and professional sports in Nizhnekamsk.
A number of players left last year's team (goalkeeper Andrei Tikhomirov and Emil Garipov, defenders Ilya Khokhlov, Evgeny Kashnikov, Mikhail Sidorov, Ruslan Petrishchev, forwards Nail Yakupov, Nikita Setdikov, Rafael Bikmullin).
New players arrived. Defenders Bogdan Kiselevich, Roman Abrosimov, Luka Profaca, Vladislav Leontyev, forwards Vyacheslav Leshchenko and Nikita Rtishchev. We believe that the team has been replenished with quality players. We now have a strong blend of experience and youth.
Currently, 15 graduates of the Neftekhimik Youth Sports School play for the Reaktor MHC. Six Reaktor players continue their hockey careers in Neftekhimik. These are Nikita Khoruzhev, Raul Yakubov, Danil Sherstobitov, Rinel Fakhrutdinov, Viktor Sharpanov and Grigory Morozov.
With the transfer of the school to the Neftekhimik HC, we have developed a full-fledged hockey vertical: a team of masters - a youth team - a children's and youth hockey school. In the new circumstances, we needed a person who would coordinate the hockey vertical, focus our school and the youth team on training players for the team of masters.
Advisor to the General Director of the Neftekhimik HC, Honored Coach of the Udmurt Republic Sergei Nikolaevich Levashev, who has extensive experience, began this work. He is a well-known specialist in hockey circles. Worked in Izhevsk, Podolsk and in Omsk Avangard. He will oversee the interaction of the school, MHC Reaktor, Izhstal (with which our Club works on a contractual basis) and the team of masters.
His task is to increase the efficiency of the hockey vertical, improve the quality of all components. Therefore, we have developed a concept for this work so that as many local guys as possible are prepared for the Neftekhimik team.
Our plans also include improving the professional level of mentors, monitoring their work, holding seminars and much more. Our task is to contribute to improving the quality of work of the school's coaching staff and financial incentives for their payment.
We assign a very important role in our hockey vertical, the selection of players to the sports director. Recently, this position has been occupied by Anton Vladimirovich Marchinsky, who is a graduate of our hockey school. And has experience working as a coach and scout in Russian and foreign hockey clubs.
This year, as before, we will make sure that fans feel comfortable in the arena. For this purpose, many entertainment events and pleasant surprises are planned. On August 14, we began selling season tickets for the upcoming season. Taking into account inflation and the costs we incur for holding matches, we were forced to slightly increase the prices of tickets and season tickets.
On September 1, the team presentation will take place at the Baza Creative Industries Center. I invite you and all our fans to this event. We will try to make this holiday bright and memorable.
O. Leontyev: On August 1, we started the medical examination and, at the same time, the training process. The guys arrived in an optimal functional state, ready for hard work, so there were no complaints about them. Heavy loads began immediately, they took part in the Ufa tournament, where we took several players from our partner club, as well as several young players from Reaktor. We will also give a chance to young guys in the Magnitogorsk tournament. Everything is going according to plan, everything is in working order. We hope that this season we will please our spectators, whom we are eagerly waiting for in the stands.
I. Fyodorov: On July 8, the team gathered, we began the training process. We spent the first three weeks at the Almash base. I would like to personally thank Igor Viktorovich Larionov and the staff of the Almash base for the excellent conditions provided for the training process and recovery on behalf of the entire team. I would like to note that for the first time in the club's history, 19 local students from the Neftekhimik Youth Sports School were involved. The guys born in 2006 and 2007 were on trial. Among them, four field players and a goalkeeper signed full contracts. We played two friendly matches with Tolpar. Unfortunately, we lost. From August 12 to 15, we took part in the Magnitogorsk tournament. The team played well, we watched all the guys. Tomorrow at five in the morning, we are leaving for the tournament in Tolyatti. There, we will also look at a couple of players, we will give them another chance. We are slowly entering the season.
– Artem Serikov, Bulat Shafigullin and Alexander Dergachev missed the tournament in Bashkortostan. Luka Profaca was also injured during the tournament. Will they be ready for the start of the championship?
O. Leontyev: I hope that all the guys you named will be ready for the start of the championship. Our medical corps works great. Naturally, hockey is a traumatic sport, anything can happen.
- How would you rate the team's performance in recent matches? Are there any specific aspects that should be focused on?
O. Leontyev: We had an experimental lineup in all games at the tournament in Ufa. The goals of this tournament were to test the youth, identify strengths and weaknesses. We also looked at the opponents. The goal of the tournament was achieved.
- This year, you extended contracts with almost all players whose contracts were expiring. Can this be considered the main success of the current off-season?
I. Larionov: We have two- to three-year contracts. We consider this a good job.
- Compared to the previous season, have you made any changes in the training process?
O. Leontyev: Yes, we add something in every preseason. We have a basic base. Naturally, we make changes. Hockey is changing, becoming more attacking, aggressive. Taking this into account, we conduct training and tactical sessions.
- How is Luka Profaca adapting? After all, it is a new league for the player.
O. Leontyev: The guy is 22 years old. This is his first such challenge. In my opinion, he only played for San Diego in the AHL. All the guys who come to us, regardless of where exactly they came from, join our friendly team. He has no problems with adaptation. He likes everything, so I think everything will be fine for him.
- Neftekhimik has started the championship with a protracted series of defeats for two seasons in a row. What needs to be done this season so that he does not repeat the fate of the previous two?
O. Leontyev: Not to step on the same rake. We need to draw the right conclusions, strengthen those weak lines.
I repeat, all the teams in the East have strengthened very, very much this season. We are preparing, we expect it to be tough. We will accept the fight and I think we will be ready.
– Nikolay Meshkantsov left the team. After the first friendly matches, you positively assessed his line with Gizyatov and Stolyarov. Who are you planning to use in the same line with the guys of 2007?
I. Fyodorov: Due to family circumstances, Meshkantsov had to leave our team. We are still looking. We took Andreev for a tryout. The guy of 2007 played well in the last game in Tolyatti. Marchinsky, it seems, is also "coming to life". Whoever is better will be in the second line.
– Will you enter the new season with Lyubalin, Rukhlyadev and Kolymayev?
I. Fyodorov: Yes, I want to say that our goalie line showed themselves worthy in the tournament. And Kolymaev is coming our way. Even at school, the guys of the eighth year have shown themselves well. We will gradually pull them up. Perhaps even this year, during the training process.
– How would you rate the young players? Are there any that you have already liked?
O. Leontyev: Everyone has a chance to make the team – both the young and the newcomers. Everyone is working, giving their all. We will be glad to see everyone who makes the team. Therefore, now everyone has an equal chance to make the team. Both the young and the newcomer. We are waiting for the tournament in Magnitogorsk. Based on the results of this tournament, we will finally form the team for the season.
– What goals do you set for the team for the upcoming season?
I. Larionov: The goals will probably be the same. First of all, it is the quality of the game: interesting, active, attacking. A game that everyone likes. If we talk about the results of the entire championship, then we need to get to the playoffs and get a foothold in the first round.
– In July, there were rumors about Neftekhimik's interest in Sergei Shmelev. Would there really be interest in the player?
I. Larionov: Yes, indeed. After he finished playing for Salavat, we looked at this player, looked at his strengths and weaknesses. But, probably, the financial conditions did not suit us.
– At the tournament in Bashkortostan, you categorically expressed your opinion on the new KHL rule, when a team removes its goalie in overtime, and if it misses, it is left without points. Will we see Neftekhimik with an empty net in overtime this season? Or is it still not worth risking a point?
O. Leontyev: It is not worth it. You understand that by the middle and end of the championship, when it gets hot, then you will have to take risks. But I think it is naive to just risk an earned point. Then let's award three points to the team that won the overtime. In general, I think that we should switch to a three-point system. It is fairer. Many support this option.
- This summer you strengthened the coaching staff by signing a contract with Alexander Vasilyevich Smirnov. What will be his duties?
O. Leontyev: Alexander Vasilyevich is a top-class professional. We are very pleased that he is on our coaching staff. This is a godsend for us. We are very happy that he is working with us.
- Has the team become stronger, meaner?
I. Larionov: Of course! This is why we are doing everything in our power. We expect to achieve more with this team.
- This summer Anton Vladimirovich Marchinsky became the sports director. As I understand it, this position appeared for the first time in the club. Why did you go for it?
I. Larionov: It can be called differently here - general manager, now sports director. Anton Vladimirovich has worked as a scout for the last two years. He proved that he is a high-level specialist. We have strengthened this area of activity. Indeed, his activity has brought a lot to our team. We hope that we will see this both in the team's play and in the result.
- We talk a lot about Marchinsky. We are wondering, does he have enough authority among his other fellow sports directors?
I. Larionov: When there is competition between directors, they show the result with their actions. This should affect the team's play. I will say again that Anton Vladimirovich is a high-level specialist. He has brought and will bring a lot of useful things.
- This season, Reaktor has changed significantly. How would you rate the team's restructuring?
I. Fyodorov: I rate it positively. The guys, so far, are pleasing. Everyone was under serious stress, everyone withstood it. They are also pleasing in their play. The final tournament in Tolyatti, where, as they say, we will slam the door. We will see in the season what and how.
- After the game with Tolpar, they said that they were unhappy with some players. After these matches, several new players appeared. Are you happy with the current roster?
I. Fyodorov: The coach is always dissatisfied with something, the coach always wants the best player. Selection is ongoing, it never stops.
