C Alex Galchenyuk - Sarnia Sting, OHL (2012 draft)

[Bjorn Le]

God you're a conspiracy theorist.

Larionov would advise if his clients are dual citizens to play for the non Russian team because NHL teams will see that as a plus. It's obvious why he does it.

 

[UvBnDatsyuked]

I see he has been pretty much everywhere playing hockey. Wisconsin, Italy, Russia and then Chicago the year before being drafted. Plays very Russian to me which I'm sure is his dads training influence.

Anyone know more about his training?

 

[Franck]

Peter25, Larionov is a players agent, his job is to look after the best interests of his clients, not the best interests of the KHL, the Russian national team or Russian hockey as a whole.

If he for some reason feels that the NHL is the best place for his clients to be, then so be it. He is not committing some act of treason, he is merely performing the job that his clients pay him for. If he put the interests of Russia, the KHL or anyone else above those of his clients, he would be a terrible agent.

God you're a conspiracy theorist.

Larionov would advise if his clients are dual citizens to play for the non Russian team because NHL teams will see that as a plus. It's obvious why he does it.

There are probably better and more lucrative endorsement opportunities for an "American" player as well, something that Larionov is most likely very aware of.

 

[Dares]

I really dont get these comments about NHL teams seeing that he is USA citizen and plays for USA as a plus......he will get drafted anyway, not like he is going back to Russia, obviously he would like to see himself drafted as high as possible and same time im sure he would like to be drafted by a good team
unless number is that important to him....but i think this is stupid saying that it is a plus.....kid needs to grow up, see the reality, hes playing in NA, has USA citizenship so theres nothing which will put any team off... his skill and play will put him in the draft exactly where he deserves to be
kid is 2 years in USA if im right, his english accent is that of russian that long in NA,grew up and learned the russian style, has belarussian/russian parents so dont think has a NA mentality as someone mentioned.
The only thing/reason what will make him pick USA over Russia is Larionov, not his USA citizenship, fact that he was born there, fact that he will live there for rest of his live, fact that he might think like an american.......he leaves it to Larionov, and that is a bad move
sure Larionov talks to him in russian and not english

 

[nafrelio]

So how did he play at the U-18s? I missed most of it.

 

[S E P H]

So how did he play at the U-18s? I missed most of it.

He didn't because US already had the team through the Development Program. His best chance is probably the WJC this December.

 

[Garl]

But he is a good player. Why would Larionov advise Galchenyuk to play for the US if Galchenyuk can also help Russian national team? That is, if Larionov really cares more about Russia than the US, which I doubt. I'm glad he is not involved with the KHL anymore.

Kasyanov is a guy who promised to sell Russian oil to the US below market price before 2004 presidential election if he was elected. This way he wanted to get the western support for him against Putin. Kasyanov has also defended Yukos and that mobster Khodorkovsky who siphoned billions of dollars out of Russia. Nowadays Kasyanov spends as much time in the US as he does in Russia and visits some dubious anti-Russian "think tanks" with geopolitical agendas. A typical traitor.

I'm not directly comparing Larionov to Kasyanov, but Larionov is not acting for the benefit of Russian hockey or even Russian hockey players (as they usually regress in Canadian juniors). All Larionov does is lure away best Russian juniors, advise Russians to play for the US instead of Russia and trash talk Russian hockey system. Constructive criticism is good, but I find Larionov's actions and words more destructive than constructive.

I think Larionov is still stuck in 1989. It would be good if he learned to love his home country again and quit being a traitor. He could learn some things from Fetisov who returned to Russia.

You facts are all wrong. Both on Larionov and on Kasyanov.

Larionov is working. You understand? So, he works in NA, that's his choice, and he probably invites some russians to NA, but what's the problem, you don't really think he has some grand plot of ruining russian prospetcs in CHL don't you?
Galchenyuk is a special case. 1st of all he is from Belarus, not from Russia. It seems that you're OK with Russia taking ukranian, kazakh and belarus players for their National Team, but somehow you riot when a belarus guy decides to play for States even though he's much more an american mentally than belarussian anyway.
Now, trash talk about KHL? Many people would like to do that, and KHL deserves a lot of trash talk, but since we don't have any TV-channel, major newspaper or even hockey news portal with independent view we only hear the same matra that everyhtings fine, everybody's working. So, what's the problem? Calling a guy a traitor just because he doesn't like some of KHL foundations? Where are we, in 12th century hunting witches and spellcasters?

The World isn't just black and white, and just good, working citizens and traitors.

Same for Kasyanov btw, I'm not a fan by any means, but he's just a politic that firstly was in Putin's team and then after Putin had a conflict with Khodorkovsky(because he tried to intervene in politics) Kasyanov's intersts suffered. That's all. He's just a guy with his own agenda which is different from Edinoross agenda.
His statement about oil prices came in 2005, not in 2004. And he has yet to be a candidate for President.
And Khodorkovsky had just too many ambitions, there are lot's of people like him, but they don't try to rule the country.

Sorry for OT.

 

[pouskin74*]

You facts are all wrong. Both on Larionov and on Kasyanov.

Larionov is working. You understand? So, he works in NA, that's his choice, and he probably invites some russians to NA, but what's the problem, you don't really think he has some grand plot of ruining russian prospetcs in CHL don't you?
Galchenyuk is a special case. 1st of all he is from Belarus, not from Russia. It seems that you're OK with Russia taking ukranian, kazakh and belarus players for their National Team, but somehow you riot when a belarus guy decides to play for States even though he's much more an american mentally than belarussian anyway.
Now, trash talk about KHL? Many people would like to do that, and KHL deserves a lot of trash talk, but since we don't have any TV-channel, major newspaper or even hockey news portal with independent view we only hear the same matra that everyhtings fine, everybody's working. So, what's the problem? Calling a guy a traitor just because he doesn't like some of KHL foundations? Where are we, in 12th century hunting witches and spellcasters?

The World isn't just black and white, and just good, working citizens and traitors.

Same for Kasyanov btw, I'm not a fan by any means, but he's just a politic that firstly was in Putin's team and then after Putin had a conflict with Khodorkovsky(because he tried to intervene in politics) Kasyanov's intersts suffered. That's all. He's just a guy with his own agenda which is different from Edinoross agenda.
His statement about oil prices came in 2005, not in 2004. And he has yet to be a candidate for President.
And Khodorkovsky had just too many ambitions, there are lot's of people like him, but they don't try to rule the country.

Sorry for OT.

1-agree
2-not agree
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6-agree
7-agree


not bad Carl and that 2% Mishaaa

 

[Slay]

It seems that you're OK with Russia taking ukranian, kazakh and belarus players for their National Team,

Your own "mentality" argument works best here. They are Russians by mentality but a lot of them actually are native Russians that ended up in other countries when USSR broke up (mainly players from Kazakhstan). I strongly doubt all those "ukranian, kazakh and belarus players" even speak the state language of those ex-USSR republics. Galchenyuk is the same, he speaks perfect Russian, they speak Russian in their family (by the way, that was the reason Yakupov's dad was hesitant at first for Nail to live with Galchenyuks). If his main language was English then we would talk, but otherwise he is as much American as Samsonov or Fedorov.

Better examples supporting your "mentality" argument would be Dmitrij Jaskin, Sasha Barkov and Leo Komarov who probably think on another language by now.

 

[Zine]

You facts are all wrong. Both on Larionov and on Kasyanov.

Larionov is working. You understand? So, he works in NA, that's his choice, and he probably invites some russians to NA, but what's the problem, you don't really think he has some grand plot of ruining russian prospetcs in CHL don't you?
Galchenyuk is a special case. 1st of all he is from Belarus, not from Russia. It seems that you're OK with Russia taking ukranian, kazakh and belarus players for their National Team, but somehow you riot when a belarus guy decides to play for States even though he's much more an american mentally than belarussian anyway.
Now, trash talk about KHL? Many people would like to do that, and KHL deserves a lot of trash talk, but since we don't have any TV-channel, major newspaper or even hockey news portal with independent view we only hear the same matra that everyhtings fine, everybody's working. So, what's the problem? Calling a guy a traitor just because he doesn't like some of KHL foundations? Where are we, in 12th century hunting witches and spellcasters?

The World isn't just black and white, and just good, working citizens and traitors.

Same for Kasyanov btw, I'm not a fan by any means, but he's just a politic that firstly was in Putin's team and then after Putin had a conflict with Khodorkovsky(because he tried to intervene in politics) Kasyanov's intersts suffered. That's all. He's just a guy with his own agenda which is different from Edinoross agenda.
His statement about oil prices came in 2005, not in 2004. And he has yet to be a candidate for President.
And Khodorkovsky had just too many ambitions, there are lot's of people like him, but they don't try to rule the country.

Sorry for OT.

American mentality? How many years has Galchenyuk lived or played hockey in America? He was basically raised in Dynamo's system. He's even doing his education from an on-line Russian school.


I think Larionov is advising him to be as 'American' as possible......not that I disagree, career wise its in his best interest if his main objective is the NHL.

Only thing I dislike about Larionov is how he complains about KHL yet never offers any alternatives.

 

[Bure]

How is Galchenyuk more American mentally, that makes no sense to me, have you ever heard any of his interviews, or when Yakupov says that he enjoys his time with the Galchenyuks because they cook Russian food.

 

[Bjorn Le]

How is Galchenyuk more American mentally, that makes no sense to me, have you ever heard any of his interviews, or when Yakupov says that he enjoys his time with the Galchenyuks because they cook Russian food.

Yeah, hes definitely Russian, and if he plays for the US it'll be for his hockey career not because he considers himself American like other children of Non-American hockey players who grew up partially or fully in the US.

 

[james bond]

As for Larionov, I wonder where his son would play if the opportunity ever arose.

 

[Garl]

Ok, I'm not going to argue. If Galchenyuk is indeed russian to the bone then federation must do smth. about inviting him to play for Russia.

However, from career stadpoint russian coaches usually don't like NA based players. So his chances of playing at WJC with US are probably even higher.

Your own "mentality" argument works best here. They are Russians by mentality but a lot of them actually are native Russians that ended up in other countries when USSR broke up (mainly players from Kazakhstan). I strongly doubt all those "ukranian, kazakh and belarus players" even speak the state language of those ex-USSR republics. Galchenyuk is the same, he speaks perfect Russian, they speak Russian in their family (by the way, that was the reason Yakupov's dad was hesitant at first for Nail to live with Galchenyuks). If his main language was English then we would talk, but otherwise he is as much American as Samsonov or Fedorov.

Better examples supporting your "mentality" argument would be Dmitrij Jaskin, Sasha Barkov and Leo Komarov who probably think on another language by now.

Belarus and ukranian players usually speak state lanhguages. As for russian mentality, you know exactly that difference in mentality between ukranians, belarussians and russians is kinda unsignificant compared to let's say american and russian.

 

[AmericanDream]

Yeah, hes definitely Russian, and if he plays for the US it'll be for his hockey career not because he considers himself American like other children of Non-American hockey players who grew up partially or fully in the US.

he isnt even Russian....

 

[Bjorn Le]

he isnt even Russian....

So your calling him American? He's more Russian than American that's fact. You think he wants to play for the US because he is patriotic for that country?

It doesn't matter ethnically who he is, and to be honest Russian/Ukranian/Belarus aren't all that diffrent, culturally, he's Russian. Speaks Russian at home, eats Russian food.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, if he plays for ther US, its for his career not becuase he's some Good Ole American boy who wants to represent his country.

 

[Jussi]

I think Larionov is advising him to be as 'American' as possible......not that I disagree, career wise its in his best interest if his main objective is the NHL.

Only thing I dislike about Larionov is how he complains about KHL yet never offers any alternatives.

From an article in the latest issue of Jääkiekkolehti:

Larionov is advising these kids what's best for their careers (to become NHL players). Why he's recommending the NA path to Russians is because it requires harder work and is thus more rewarding. He says when the kids in Russia get their first big paycheck in KHL, they become complacent and stop developing themselves, happy with their paycheck.

Larionov became disenchanted when the year he worked at SKA St. Petersburg. He got frustrated at not being able to actually do anything. When he had any ideas, no one knew who to present them to. That's also why he turned down the Sochi GM position, he wouldn't have been able to make enough decisions to actually influence things.

And in case it hasn't come to everyone's attention, Peter25 is a born and bred Finn who idolizes anything Russian/Soviet is more pro-Russia than the Russian posters themselves.

 

[Toydarian]

I have not seen Galchenyuk play, can anybody comment on his style of play. Is he a sniper, playmaker, defensively responsible, good skater, etc? How does he compare to Seguin, or Nugent-Hopkins?

 

[Canuck71*]

I have not seen Galchenyuk play, can anybody comment on his style of play. Is he a sniper, playmaker, defensively responsible, good skater, etc? How does he compare to Seguin, or Nugent-Hopkins?

Marian Hossa clone almost. He has the wheels, lethal wrist-shot, magician hands, and what I noticed a lot this year was his ability to use his size to drive to the net and beat defenders on the outside. He's not afraid to go in the corners but he needs to be stronger on the puck at times. He is definitely more of a pure sniper so don't let his stats of 31G-52A fool you into thinking he's more of a playmaker. He should probably have around 50 goals considering the amount of great scoring chances he was able create night in night out. Definitely a sure fire top 5 pick in my mind.

 

[Zine]

Larionov is advising these kids what's best for their careers (to become NHL players). Why he's recommending the NA path to Russians is because it requires harder work and is thus more rewarding. He says when the kids in Russia get their first big paycheck in KHL, they become complacent and stop developing themselves, happy with their paycheck.

Obviously a BS comment by Larionov with the intentions of making his agent business look better.

If anything, leaving for NA too early ruins careers. It's been the case with every player apart from a small handful.

If I remember correctly (during the Kabanov situation), even Kovalchuk and Ovechkin advised youngsters to stay in Russia until NHL ready.

 

[Jussi]

Obviously a BS comment by Larionov with the intentions of making his agent business look better.

If anything, leaving for NA too early ruins careers. It's been the case with every player apart from a small handful.

If I remember correctly (during the Kabanov situation), even Kovalchuk and Ovechkin advised youngsters to stay in Russia until NHL ready.

Larionov's opinions>>>>every poster's here. And Kovalchuk's and Ovie's.

He said Russian youngsters are not learning to work hard for their success and development like in his days. North American rinks and life style are better suited to groom NHL players. Also said he'd be happy if just a few players of his agency could get to experince of playing at Sochi, so to call him "unpatriotic" would be moronic also.

 

[Peter25]

Larionov's opinions>>>>every poster's here. And Kovalchuk's and Ovie's.

Why?

He said Russian youngsters are not learning to work hard for their success and development like in his days.

Nobody practices as hard today as the Soviets did. Larionov is right that the Russian junior should practice harder but it should happen in Russia where the coaching is better and more suitable for them.

North American rinks and life style are better suited to groom NHL players.

For Russians the CHL route has historially been worse than to stay in Russia. There are countless of examples.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Any chance Galchenyuk becomes an Alexandre Daigle? Any character/passion/attitude issues to be aware of?

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

Galchenyuk totally reminds me of a Marion Hossa i like that comparison, but Hossa was pretty bad defensively when he was young, Galchenyuk has is defense more in order. Im gonna predict he posts 95-100 points next year and Yakupov will hit 100+

 

[Bjorn Le]

Galchenyuk totally reminds me of a Marion Hossa i like that comparison, but Hossa was pretty bad defensively when he was young, Galchenyuk has is defense more in order. Im gonna predict he posts 95-100 points next year and Yakupov will hit 100+

In the OHL? Galchenyuk should hit over 100 while Yakupov should be somewhere near 120.