Published: 15 September, 2009, 15:58
Edited: 15 September, 2009, 15:58
There have been no major surprises in a lot of the favorites’ upsets at the start of the season. The top teams are still far from their best performance, which gives the underdogs a perfect chance to produce a sensation.
Last season’s worst team Vityaz Chekhov is currently among the overall leaders, and for me this is delightful.
The Moscow region side has always attracted interest, despite their usually poor results. The club’s owners don’t seem to care about scores and goals too much. They just want their team to entertain. Vityaz’s ice palace is decorated with a banner that you probably won’t see anywhere else in Russia. It says: “We like Canadian ice hockey” which, in fact, does describe the team’s style.
Head coach Mike Krushelnyski teaches his boys to be strong and aggressive. In cooperation with general manager Aleksey Zhamnov, who has spent 12 memorable seasons in the NHL, the Canadian specialist has created a team which scares every opponent in the league. Zhamnov likes to parallel Vityaz with the Chicago Blackhawks of the mid nineties.
This is the story I did on Vityaz’s Chris Simon and Darcy Verot last season.
http://rt.tv/Top_News/2008-12-13/NHL_players_adjust_to_KHL_.html
There is something else that adds to the reputation of the Moscow region side. Their former forward is now, of all things, a boxer! Nathan Perrott decided his future belongs in the ring, not on the rink.
http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=1964876
To be honest, I don’t see Chekhov’s men so high in the table in April – the play-offs would be a wonderful result for them. One thing is for sure – you won’t get bored watching the most Canadian team in the KHL.