Andrei Mironov on 'The Russian Factor' and lots of other things about NHL/Avs/KHL

[AustonsNostrils]

Very interesting interview with Mironov who thinks the Avs treated him shabbily.

https://thehockeywriters.com/avalanche-mironov-return-russia/

Click to read more...

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

the avs gave him a spot on the team which he failed at, got out worked and out played and then sent to the ahl.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Mironov would've been a franchise player if not for the lack of young female masseuses on the Colorado payroll

 

[Scott Stevens]

Damn it. Now the Hart(Chocolate-chippochov) and Norris(This putz) will have the wrong names on them. If only they had been treated fairly. When will the nhl stop the anti Russian and only anti Russian antics?

 

[kp61c]

of course they would be self-serving and hypocritical. it's not russia. the guy sounds a bit naive, no wonder he didn't fit there.

 

[RandomAvsFan]

If only he was actually good at hockey. Comes off spoiled and delusional in his interview.

 

[LordNeverLose]

of course they would be self-serving and hypocritical. it's not russia. the guy sounds a bit naive, no wonder he didn't fit there.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Mironov would've been a franchise player if not for the lack of young female masseuses on the Colorado payroll

He just couldn't get loose enough!

 

[LordNeverLose]

Avs trainer must've been out of steroids

 

[Avs44]

Sounds like miscommunication on both sides. Mironov by all accounts struggles with English, and it also sounds like he didn't have much of a social life so that must have been tough too. Someone on the Avs board said it best - Mironov came over expecting NHL time; the Avs expected an NHL player. Neither got what they wanted. He clearly wasn't good enough, even on a team running some pretty crappy defenders. I imagine he came over with the expectation of immediate play time, and wasn't willing to put in any additional work in a league he doesn't put much stock in (the AHL) to get to the NHL. I think it's fair enough all around. Mironov would rather play in the KHL than the AHL, and the Avs are here to do what's best for the overall team not the individual.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Avs trainer must've been out of steroids

The truck delivery of meldonium never arrived

 

[Helistin]

He keeps contradicting himself.

I repeat: I decided to get back to Russia. Many players dream about playing in the NHL, but I decided to get back home and play in “my” league. This is what I need today. I want to play hockey, it’s just not my job, it’s my whole life!

And then earlier in the interview.

AM: I will dissolve my NHL contract. I can get back at any moment. The rights on me will stay with the Avalanche until I’m 28, then I’ll be a UFA. As soon as the Avalanche free me I’ll get back to Russia and start negotiating with KHL clubs.
PL: The KHL deadline has passed, you can’t play for Russian clubs up to next May 1.

And

AM: It’s not totally up to me. But if I’m called I’ll give my heart out to show my best side for the national team. I’d accept any call to the first or even the second national team. I perfectly understand that I didn’t have a good season, that I didn’t win an NHL spot. Should I play in the WC? Let the coaches decide.

Again.

AM: What patience did I lack? Not to play one month and a half in the AHL? Should I have played there even if I’m absolutely sure that there’s nothing for me to do there? I wouldn’t play in the NHL anyway, if all of the defensemen were injured they would just call another player and not let me play myself.

Makes no sense.

 

[Stephen]

Sounds like miscommunication on both sides. Mironov by all accounts struggles with English, and it also sounds like he didn't have much of a social life so that must have been tough too. Someone on the Avs board said it best - Mironov came over expecting NHL time; the Avs expected an NHL player. Neither got what they wanted. He clearly wasn't good enough, even on a team running some pretty crappy defenders. I imagine he came over with the expectation of immediate play time, and wasn't willing to put in any additional work in a league he doesn't put much stock in (the AHL) to get to the NHL. I think it's fair enough all around. Mironov would rather play in the KHL than the AHL, and the Avs are here to do what's best for the overall team not the individual.

I think that's a good way to put things. There aren't many Russian defensemen in the NHL in general these days, maybe a dozen total. I wonder if a lot of it has to do with some kind of language barrier in terms of receiving coaching and instruction, especially when you come in mid career to a situation where there aren't many other Russians to help with mentorship, etc. Makes it more difficult for an "average" Russian defenseman to break through, not counting the prodigies like Provorov and Sergachev where there's more junior adjustment and teams invested in bringing them along.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

There aren't many Russian defensemen in the NHL in general these days, maybe a dozen total. I wonder if a lot of it has to do with some kind of language barrier in terms of receiving coaching and instruction, especially when you come in mid career to a situation where there aren't many other Russians to help with mentorship, etc.

The Avs have Zadorov and Varlamov, I wouldn't imagine language was as huge a barrier as it could have been without any Russians to help. I've traveled to other countries with and without translators, even having one person bilingual with you can make the entire difference and cause things to be smooth.

To me this screams of a guy who was constantly told how good he was before he came but once he arrived something wasn't clicking. Instead of putting in the work to make it happen he got frustrated he kept getting called up and down. Why hang around in a foreign country if you're not quite good enough and you could go home where you're comfortable and play similarly competitive hockey relative to the AHL.

 

[cgf]

of course they would be self-serving and hypocritical. it's not russia. the guy sounds a bit naive, no wonder he didn't fit there.

Yeah him not understanding the American culture of saying nice things even when you’re sucking it up, seems to have been the major source of misunderstanding here. He was getting called up because his agent was nagging the team, and he was being told he was doing well because that’s what they say to everyone; I get why he misunderstood that to mean he was doing fine and his poor play wasn’t a problem.

Though one can’t help but wonder if he’d be pouting about how mean the Avs were if someone did just sit him down and explain that he was playing badly & needed to get used to the angles n structure of the NA game before being able to help the team.

 

[Cellee]

This is what happens when Russia sends pros to a third rate tournament.

They get cocky.