What happened with Nikita Filatov?
- Thread starter wings5
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JacketsFanWest
Registered User
Filatov couldn't be sent to juniors when he first came over to North America. There was all sorts of issue with getting a transfer. Once Sudbury finally got everything clear for him to play in the OHL, it was the end of November and Filatov was scoring a little below a point a game in the AHL. It made no sense for him to be sent to the OHL when he was doing so well in the AHL.
Here's the Filatov Watch thread from 2008 from Sudbury fan forum: http://forum.icedogfans.com/showthread.php?t=3400. It has some articles that explained what was going on. Filatov was cleared by the Russians to play in the NHL or AHL, but not junior hockey.
Part of the problem was things did come easily in the beginning, so there was no motivation for Filatov to actually change what he was doing. When he struggled, he blamed other people, rather than realize that what worked in junior hockey wasn't going to work in the NHL.
His NHL hat trick is often mentioned as to his potential, but that came during a high scoring game that was not anything typical you would see usually in the NHL. Expecting that type of scenario to happen regularly is crazy, but I think Filatov's ego got inflated from that and he wanted it to always be that easy.
In the AHL, he was getting so many points by cherry picking, by floating and on the power play. He didn't have to work all that hard to average a point a game, but that also didn't help get him ready for the NHL.
Had he been sent to the OHL where he would have been able to float, cherry pick, slack and put up tons of points, how would that have helped him develop? He would have been playing against weaker competition.
The NHL was the best place for him to actually face competition and see that he needed to get better. And he was improving. The incident that was the beginning of the end of Filatov's NHL career was the hit during the game against the Sharks. Maybe he had a concussion from that hit, but his style of play became so much more timid after that. Up until then, he seemed to try to play more of the NHL style game. After that, he was all perimeter.
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http://www.sports.ru/hockey/1040802659.html
Here's a recent and very candid interview (in russian), where Filatov talks about gambling, debts and other issues. Admitting that he didn't work hard enough and wasn't ready to handle the situation. Also stating that any talks of Hitchcock ruining him are nonsense.
Basically taking full responsibility and ownership himself.
At least that's what I get based on my internet translation skills.
Very commendable and seems he has matured quite a bit. Good for him that he has learned from his mistakes and gained valuable insight. Still probably too late to salvage his career unfortunately.
Here's a recent and very candid interview (in russian), where Filatov talks about gambling, debts and other issues. Admitting that he didn't work hard enough and wasn't ready to handle the situation. Also stating that any talks of Hitchcock ruining him are nonsense.
Basically taking full responsibility and ownership himself.
At least that's what I get based on my internet translation skills.
Very commendable and seems he has matured quite a bit. Good for him that he has learned from his mistakes and gained valuable insight. Still probably too late to salvage his career unfortunately.
hototogisu
Poked the bear!!!!!
I see a lot of people bashing the hell out of him, in this thread, but perhaps they should read this interview.
Satastic
Nazi punks **** off
Good to hear that he's taking responsibility and seems to have learned from his mistakes, but most likely too little too late
Wow.. he writes that he had to leave NHL because of debts. Ottawa wanted him to stay and work himself up through AHL, but the AHL salary wasn't enough to pay off the debt so he had to sign with a KHL team. He is also only 1.5 years sober... Didn't know he fell so low.
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
If that translation and summation is accurate, I'm willing to forgive. Just have never heard something like that from him before.
Ryker
Registered User
I've never seen a player so easily separated from the puck. Which is a bad thing when you're useless without the puck on your stick.
I vaguely remember him complaining about being sent down because his NHL paychecks were exponentially bigger than his AHL paychecks which would complement the gambling revelations
I vaguely remember him complaining about being sent down because his NHL paychecks were exponentially bigger than his AHL paychecks which would complement the gambling revelations
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
Probably. The source of that story is Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline, and while his speculation is generally crap he's an honest reporter.
VasilyHoglander
Registered User
Crede777
Deputized
- Dec 16, 2009
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Yeah but who is ultimately responsible for his debt and addiction issues? Filatov himself. It's one thing if his parents spent him into debt and he needed NHL salary to support himself/them, it's another thing if he spends himself into debt and finds himself in a pickle. In the first case, he's acting responsibly. In the second case, he's acting irresponsibly.
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
True, but if he's truly owning up to it now and trying to fix things, that's a positive that should be acknowledged. (Not that I suspect you disagree with that; just trying to make that clear.)
CBJ Prospects Retweeted
Igor Eronko @IgorEronko 7h7 hours ago
Filatov:Hitch once offered me a trade-off:I do everything he wants on our half of the rink&he gives me an absolute freedom in the other half
Igor Eronko @IgorEronko 7h7 hours ago
More Filatov: Now I know Hitch did me a big favor but then I just turned a deaf ear. Thought smth like: I know how to score, don't touch me
Igor Eronko @IgorEronko 7h7 hours ago
Filatov:Hitch once offered me a trade-off:I do everything he wants on our half of the rink&he gives me an absolute freedom in the other half
Igor Eronko @IgorEronko 7h7 hours ago
More Filatov: Now I know Hitch did me a big favor but then I just turned a deaf ear. Thought smth like: I know how to score, don't touch me
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
Yeah, that's pretty much the textbook definition of "uncoachable" right there.
Glad he at least recognizes his errors now and is owning up to them. Hopefully he'll be able to improve.
Vaclav Varada
CoJo
McShogun99
Registered User
Yakupov has been one of the hardest working players on the Oilers and has tried to completely turn his game into a 2way, north/south player to accomadate the coaching staff in Edmonton. The fact that Yakupov just isn't very good at that role and has regressed offensively should not mean that he is anything like Filatov.
Jesus Christ Horburn
Registered User
- Aug 22, 2008
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For a guy who was almost a PPG in both the KHL and AHL shortly after he was drafted, I'm shocked that he has 0 goals and only 3 assists in 21 games in the KHL this year at age 26.
He sucks nowadays, not sure about what he's understood about himself, but he will never be a good hockey player again.
Cheddabombs
Status Quo
- Mar 13, 2012
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Well, he said before the season, he's a totally different person nowadays, so who knows.
Cam Baker managed to become a top KHL defenseman after years of a total suckage. I think talent is there, it's just all about mental problems.
