Arkady Rotenberg: "These players are the future of our hockey"

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation board's chairman Arkady Rotenberg commented on the team's Euro Hockey Tour squad.

- How would you rate the coaches' squad decision?

- It is not the job of the board's chairman to rate the coaches' decisions. We have full trust in our coaches, and if they felt it was needed to call up these certain players, it was the right thing to do. Also, I look at this squad through the eyes of a fan, just like other citizens of our country who support the Russian national team.

- What will be the main thing in the Czech Republic: the performances or the results?

- The most important thing is to look at our candidates. I have no doubt that all of the players called up will give everything to show the coaches that they are capable of playing for the national team. Any call up to the national team is a huge opportunity for the player to go up another level.

- In this squad, players like Alexander Radulov, Sergei Mozyakin, Danis Zaripov and others haven't been included. How high is the chance of these young players keeping themselves in the national team?

- The average age of this team is 22 years. These players are the future of our hockey. If these guys will keep on performing for their clubs like they are today, regularly taking points and progressing, they will replace players who will finish their careers in 2-3 years' time. We are very happy that we have such players. A selection of them will make up the new Olympic Russian national team, and I am not tired of saying that we are working on our two year plan for the Olympic Games. Even if only 3 or 4 players from this squad make it to Korea, it will still be a success. All of the top national teams pay a lot of attention on to their youth prospects: at the World Cup in North America, there will even be a special under 23 team. 

- However, there is a posibility that such a young unexperienced team will not perform well in these Euro Hockey Tour games.

- From the result's points of view, we are not taking any risks. By calling up these guys we are not only giving them a stimulus, we are demonstrating to our other players that if you play well for your clubs, you will be noticed. The Russian national team is not a closed organisation, any Russian hockey player can play here. There is only one criteria: you must play well with a desire for perfection. Those who perform well and fit the coaches demans will stay here.

- Is this team not too young?

- On one hand there are 14 debutants, on the other there are players like Alexander Syomin who is a two time world champion. For Alexander, this will be a good stimulus after a poor start to the season.

- Maybe it would have been better to improve the line combinations for the upcoming World Championship?

- Our coaches got a lot of information at the two previous Euro Hockey Tour stages. There will be enough time for improving lines, we have the Euro Challenge coming up as well as matches with Sweden and Finland. You can't miss out on the chance to take a look at our young players either.

- Debutants Anatoly Golyshev, Sergei Shumakov and Maxim Shalunov have scored a lot of KHL goals this campaign. Was goalscoring a major part of the criteria for being called up to the national team?

- Goals are the most important thing for forwards. Our analytics, scouts, medical and scientific-methodical servicemen have taken into account all indicators and data. We will make more concrete conclusions about these players after the two matches in the Czech Republic.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation