[gvitaly]

Another in-depth 2 hour interview with Sharangovich


This thing is very long so I will try to get to translate it in pieces, the way I did with the Zadorov interviews.

I will try to get to around 6 chapters a day. Here's the chapter list:

Spoiler!

01:01 Hockey through tears
4:07 Family
7:55 Childhood and youth in Raubichi
13:24 So was Sharangovich a womanizer?
15:23 Meeting my wife, first date
20:00 Dynamo Minsk in Sharangovich’s career
23:15 Draft to New Jersey (preparing to go to Toronto)
26:22 Friendship with Kulakov
28:50 Impactful season in Dynamo Minsk
31:30 Is Sharan “son”?
34:05 Moving to the NHL during the season
41:00 Spontaneous proposal to get married
47:06 Preparing for the season: where is it better?
50:30 Life in a private house
52:40 Team Belarus
57:09 Serious injury, a month on stretch marks, return to hockey
01:00:34 The hardest time in my career
01:08:12 Leaving New Jersey, moving to Calgary
01:15:01 Free cars for hockey players
01:19:43 About LEGO
01:22:52 Additional Perks for NHL players
01:26:52 The story of a lost hockey bag
01:29:35 A Like after a coach got fired
01:30:06 Historical record for Belarus
01:34:00 Jonathan Huberdeau
01:35:23 Calgary plane
01:37:56 Two Belarusians on the NHL team
01:40:20 EXCLUSIVE: debut of Ilya Solovyov
01:42:30 Battle of Alberta
01:44:21 Friendship with Grabovsky
01:47:23 Increased attention
01:51:55 Cooperation with Betera
01:53:25 A couple of difficult questions
01:53:47 About money, private life and outside discussions
02:01:30 Autographed hockey stick

UPDATE: making things in order.
01:08:12 Leaving New Jersey, moving to Calgary

Spoiler!

- Which side decided that you won't be renewing your contract in NJ?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The writing was on the wall. It was obvious at that point that I wasn't going to be with the team.

- It was mutual then. The coach didn't have a role for you since it changed, and you didn't see yourself in that role either.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, pretty much.

- You just had different ambitions?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, but it's still difficult. Changing something even after such a season. I've been with the organization for 6 years, or maybe 5. When you're familiar with everything, it's very hard to just change it.

- The fans really loved you over there.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I liked it over there as well.

- In my opinion you had a very good relationship with the city, with the organization

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, with all the staff. Sergei Brilin for example, he's a coach over there, I had a very good relationship with him. I liked it over there, but I needed a change after the season. That season was the most difficult for me psychologically. Even Dasha saw that I was frustrated. You can play well, but you still only get to play on the 3rd or 4th line. The amount you spend on the ice is completely different. I was playing for 17–18 minutes a night for 2 seasons, and then it dropped to 9–10 minutes a night.

- So at some point mid-season you realized that you were ready for a change.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes.

- The season was over. Dan [Milstein] was probably looking for options. What options did you have? Which serious inquiries were there?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

In reality, there weren't too many rumors. At some point, Dan mentioned Nashville, and the Islanders. It never evolved into serious offers, though.

One night, Dan calls me around 3 or 4 am. He tells me that there's an option to go to Calgary. Then about an hour later, I get a call from the GM of the Devils. He thanks me for the job I've done, and everything I've done for NJ, and tells me that I've been traded to Calgary.

- He personally called you?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, and Dan called me. The [NJ] GM called me first, then Dan, then the Calgary GM. So I got a bit of a sleepless night. Then we got the contract done right away. You can say that I was traded with that contract already in place.

- So you realized what you were getting yourself into.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes.

- Many don't really want to go to Calgary, because of the cold, and the large distances. How did you approach it?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

First of all I wanted the change. Change the entire atmosphere after the season, because I knew I couldn't stay there any longer.

The cold is definitely a factor. We felt it this season, but we really love it over there. Even when there's snow, it's different from NJ. We also live in a house in Calgary [like we did in NJ]. We could just leave the house and take our kid for a walk, there are many parks around. It's a very family friendly city.

- It's quiet/safe

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. In NJ, we always had to drive 20–30 minutes just to go for a walk in the park.

- Based on your personality, Calgary seems like a better fit.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. We like it over there.

- And Dasha's personality is probably more suited to NJ

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I wouldn't say so. She does get a bit bored in Calgary, but you always have to sacrifice something.

- Is it true that your house comes with an elevator?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It had. *awkward laugh*

- How many floors is it? Is it a 2-story home?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Come on, I won't be able to live it down.

- Are you actually concerned with people giving you ####? Do you read the comments?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I don't read the comments.

- Do your parents or wife read them?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

My friends, sometimes send me quotes.

- Let them. Wait, so you don't deserve to live in a house with more than one floor? You're an elite athlete, and you're not the only one on the planet. It's very normal for that league. And let's be honest, that's the most modest league in NA when it comes to compensation. Especially when we compare it to basketball, and it doesn't bother anyone there. So why should it bother you?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It doesn't.

- So how often did you use the elevator?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Honestly, a couple of times. To move the couch or other heavy furniture.

- So you don't use it to get up to the 2nd floor. I think it would be faster walking.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, of course. I don't know why the previous owners installed an elevator. Probably so they could move heavier things. For example a heavy armchair, and just push the button, but yeah we never really use it.

- It just sounds cool, a home with an elevator. Like a mansion. We organized the entire move from Belarus.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. We realized that I was going to get traded. We packed all our things in boxes at the end of the season, and put them in storage. Whenever a trade happens, the team hires a moving company.

- So when you arrive, your things wait for you in your new house?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

When we got to Calgary, we still had to wait for our things. There were a couple of questions with customs.

- How do you move things, do the moving trucks drive across the border?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The way I understand it is that your stuff gets loaded into one truck. It goes all the way to the border, then they take everything out, let customs check everything. Once it passes customs, they load it up onto a different truck on the other side of the border, and drive it all the way to our house.

- What about your cars? How did you move them?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I only had 1 car over there. We didn't renew the lease on the other. I asked Mikhail Grabovski, he had an acquaintance that was willing to drive it across.

01:15:01 Free cars for hockey players

Spoiler!

- When it comes to cars, in Canada, hockey players can get cars from dealerships. How true is it? And how does it work?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, that's true. You can't find those types of deals in the US. In Canada, you can approach a dealership. We have a person in our organization, Gold Star, whose job it is to call various dealerships and inquire about a free car. Ilya Solovyov drives a Hyundai, can't remember the model. This year when Zadorov got traded, he left me his Cadilac Escalate

- Is that what you drive now?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I was driving it in the winter. Then I returned it. I did it because after returning from an away game, probably it was Florida or somewhere warm, and there was a snowfall in Calgary. I ended up drifting on a turn.

- Did you drive off the road?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Dasha even warned me that it's very slippery in Calgary. My other/previous BMW had better traction in turns. The Escalate is heavy, and I pushed the gas pedal a bit, and it drifted. As a result, I broke the brake rotor (disc).

- That's not too bad.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Also, one of the airbags deployed.

- No one was, injured, so that's okay

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, we thought the car was going to be fine, but we went home and changed cars anyway. When we got home a few hours later, the suspension was all the way down, and the disc was broken. I called the dealership, told them that I hit the curb by accident. They fixed everything for free, I just gave them a couple of signed jerseys.

- Is it connected to the fact that everyone loves hockey in Canada

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, they really love hockey in Canada. For example, I was getting a phone plan for myself and Dasha. As soon as I told the employee my name, he asked me if I was traded for Toffoli. After I told him it was me, he even gave me his 20-30% friends and family discount.

- So you feel it in Canada more than in the US?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, people really love it.

- Do people recognize you?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Not so much, but sometimes.

- You also don't go outside for hours at a time to be as recognizable.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

That's true. With all the away games, you get tired, so you spend a lot of time at home resting. Aside from that, you go shopping.

- How does your day off look like?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It depends on the weather. When we just got to Calgary in September, the weather was really nice. We were going with the baby to Banff and Lake Louise every couple of days. On a typical day off, we have a nanny, so Dasha and I can go somewhere, either shopping, or eat out somewhere.

- Yes, you just want to rest, because you don't get many days off in the NHL. I think that the NHL is quite a hard league because an 82 games regular season is too much, and you get back to backs, and have to fly over the border

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

That's one thing I felt this season. Calgary is far away from all teams except Edmonton, which is a 30-min flight. All other flights take at least an hour and a half, two hours. That's pretty different from when I played in NJ, when you had 10 teams that are an hour flight away. The flights from Calgary, are not exactly harder, but definitely longer.

01:19:43 About LEGO

Spoiler!

- On your Instagram, there's quite the collection of pictures with Lego. The puzzles you're making look impressive. How many pieces are in them.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The biggest one is the Eiffel Tower. Dasha gave it to me as a gift for my birthday. No, wait, not for my birthday, for Christmas, my birthday is in the summer. It has about 11 thousand pieces.

- 11,000 pieces. How long did it take you?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I think it took me faster than assembling the Titanic, which had a lot of similar looking pieces that made it more difficult, because you're repeating the same thing. I think the Eiffel Tower took me about a month. I don't get to it every day though, because there are more demanding things: practice, rest at home, my kid. LEGO gets an hour or two a day at the most.

- That's still a big project, it takes a while.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, [she] gets mad at me because of it.

- Well you're a responsible man, you need to finish what you started. So the Titanic was more difficult?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, it was more of a grind, it went slower.

- Those two are your biggest puzzles?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, the Titanic is about 10,500 pieces, so they're pretty similar.

-Are there any bigger puzzles?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No. The Eiffel Tower is the biggest one released.

- So since that's the biggest LEGO puzzle there is, can we say that you finished/conquered LEGO.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, but there are other big sets. There are many Star Wars options, but I'm not a fan.

- Are there any objects, places, or buildings you would've wanted to see in LEGO so you could assemble them?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I was asked that before, but I couldn't find an answer. The national library maybe?

- Dasha gave you the Eiffel Tower as a present. Did you buy the Titanic for yourself?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes.

- Was she the one that got you into LEGO?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No, I was into it before. I liked playing with it since I was a kid, from the time my parents would buy us LEGO. My brother and I always had a bunch of puzzles at home. Then in NJ, Dasha gave me a small Yoda, then we got a LEGO car, a Porsche. On another flight to NJ we bought a LEGO motorcycle at the airport.

01:22:52 Additional perks for NHL players

Spoiler!

- Do you have any other deals or sponsorships with various brands?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I have a contract with CCM. You sign a contract every year, and they give you a certain amount of money you can spend with them and on their brands.

This year I could spend, on hockey equipment, golf clubs, there was a fishing and hunting store.

- Do the things you get have to be a part of the CCM brand?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No. I just have a contract, that's why most of the things I wear on the ice are CCM.

- Yes, and they(CCM) let you get their partners' brands as well?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, pretty much. They just give you gift cards. For example, I have a $500 gift card to a fishing store.

- So you just buy things for $500?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, they send you the gift card, essentially a number and a pin code.

- And how much does it all come up to in total for the year?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Less than 10 grand.

- If you don't need something, you can still get something, give a gift to someone.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. Before I had the benefit of working with Adidas, and Lululemon. If you ever heard of it, it's a brand in Canada and the US, and they had a good selection, the same as Adidas. We spent a lot of the money buying our family a bunch of things as gifts.

- How much money did you make signing hockey cards? Just so we understand how that business works in the NHL. For example, you get sent so many thousands of player cards, you have to sign them all. Each card gets you an x amount of dollars.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I can't remember exactly, but it's between $4 and $5 per card.

- For each signature? And how many cards do they send you?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, but I have to sign less and less cards each year. Usually, you sign a bunch of cards when you begin your career. The most I had to sign was 5,000-6,000 cards during one sitting.

- That will keep you busy in the evenings, just like LEGO. I mean, it must take a lot of time.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

That signing happened in LA. We were 3 or 4 players together. We sat there just signing cards. It took us about 5 hours.

- So you just dedicate a whole night to it?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, that how it worked out for such a large batch. They only send me 1,500-2,000 cards I have to sign from home.

- Did you see your hockey cards anywhere? Where do they go?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Upper Deck, it's a company. Any person can buy a pack of cards.

- So it's a mix of cards.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, it's a mix. They have different prices depending on the mix, and value of the collectibles.

- It seems that sports lore in general is pretty popular in the US.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. There are always a bunch of fans waiting for us by the hotel. Even if we fly in late and get there by 3am, people are still waiting for us.

01:26:52 The story of a lost hockey bag

Spoiler!

- A lost hockey bag. You had one of those.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, that happened in NJ.

- Tell us that story.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

We had a game. More correctly back to back games. We flew in from the away game. I already drove home, woke up on the next day, it's a game day. The equipment manager calls me. No first Kulikov messages me. He told me that my hockey bag is missing, and that I have to get to the rink to pick your uniform. So I ask him, what do you mean - missing? As we're texting, I get a call from the equipment manager. He tells me that I have to get to the rink ASAP, to get my new equipment, because they lost half of the hockey bags.

- Half of the hockey bags? Half the team?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

As a result, I get to the rink, and they explain what happened. The guy that was picking up all the hockey equipment from the airport, forgot to lock the truck's barn doors. So all the hockey bags... and that happened at night, because that's when we flew in. Anyway, because he forgot to lock the doors, he started losing the hockey bags all along the highway. They and the police scoured the entire highway at night using flashlights. They found all bags but 8. We got to the rink started picking out our new equipment. That's quite uncomfortable, breaking in new equipment.

- Everything's new

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yeah, new skates, everything.

- And you have to play that night?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, and we don't have a practice because it's a back to back. So we picked the equipment, but as we were picking it, they found 7 of the last 8 missing bags. People that found the hockey bags started calling the numbers written on them and giving them back. They found 7, but my bag was the only one that wasn't found.

- So out of all the hockey bags, yours was the only one lost? I guess someone took it for himself.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. I ended up playing the entire game in completely new hockey gear.

- How did you end up playing?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I can't remember, but I think I got an assist that game.

- That's good you managed to overcome it

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Eventually, they found the bag. In a bit of a bad neighborhood, but it was found. Someone took the skates for himself. Everything else was there.

01:29:35 A Like after a coach got fired

Spoiler!

- You said that you don't read comments on your game on any social networks. Neither twitter or X, not while you're over in NA or Belarus.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I used to read twitter before, but I stopped doing it in NJ.

- While we're talking about twitter and NJ. I Let's talk about the firing of Lindy Ruff. It's a famous story in the hockey world. They found your like on that post, as well as Dasha's like. What did you think when you did it?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It was an accident. My finger must've twitched

- I guess you haven't been on Twitter for a while, so you probably forgot how to work it.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Exactly

01:30:06 Historical record for Belarus

Spoiler!

- You move to Calgary, you find plenty of success. You had a lot of on ice combinations. It took you a while to develop chemistry. As a result, you made history. You broke the record for Belarusian hockey. You pass both the Kostitsyns and Mikhail Grabovski. Now you're the person whose record someone will have to break one day. Other Belarusian players in the NHL aren't as productive as you, so that record can stand for a while. Do you feel as a part of history?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Honestly, I don't, not yet. I'm still an active player, so I don't think about it. It feels nice to break the record, but Protas could break it again at any point.

- I agree, it could be Protas, Sidorov, or someone else. Here we were talking about the Kostitsyns for many years, we were doing the same about Misha Grabovski. People that follow Belarusian hockey understand that those are legends. Very productive hockey players, and they were productive for a very long time. A couple of months ago that changed, now Sharangovich is higher than those guys. Since they're not active players, they won't be catching you. At least for the single season records.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The most important record is in aggregate.

- Are you passionate about beating them? Do you feel as though you can beat them on aggregate?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I don't think about it. I don't think about getting more total points than them. I just get ready for the next season, I don't want my game to plateau, but simply keep growing and getting better. I want to prove that I can better my game with every season. It was a good statistical season, but I don't even think that it's entirely true. There's a good side, but there's also one component I think about, that keeps bugging me. I mean my -29 in the stats. Yes, I beat the record, but that really takes away from it.

- That's something you will work on next season. You know you what you have to work on.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The most important part is not standing still. It's improving each year. It doesn't matter what age you're in, you still have to work harder and harder each year.

- Do you have a number that you think to yourself that you can score? For example, do you think you can put up 70 points? Or 80?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I concentrate on playing a good game. The points will come as long as I keep myself accountable when it comes to preparation. I put in the work in the off-season and in practice. All the details you work on become factors during the game.

If I don't put in the work in the off-season and only think of points, then I won't get any points.

01:34:00 Jonathan Huberdeau

Spoiler!

- Let's talk about your line mates. Huberdeau is one of the biggest names in the NHL. How close are you on and off the ice?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

In the locker room we always talk, joke around, he's a very good person. It's always fascinating to have a conversation with him. We're on the same wave-length. I think it shows up on the ice as well, because we think the game alike. It's always easier to build a relationship/friendship when that happens.

- Is Huberdeau the guy you had the most chemistry with in the NHL? At least as far as thinking the game.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

NJ also had guys. Jack [Hughes] was fun to play with. They have a completely different style of game, but I think I have more chemistry with Jonathan.

- Does Huberdeau have any quirks?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No. He's similar to me that way. We don't listen to music, not wearing headphones all the time. We prefer to have a conversation instead. We could just sit together and talk.

- Do you have any game rituals?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No.

01:35:23 Calgary plane

Spoiler!

- After a game, you either come back home on a plane, or fly to another city. How does it look from the inside?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

You want me to outline how a plane looks on the inside?

- I mean, what's waiting for you in there? What food? Drinks? What's available there? How does it work?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Everything is available. The entire plane is business class. You have two columns, 2 seats on each side. The seats are pretty big, and can lean back quite a bit. We have tables. There are two spots that have tables. You can either play cards there, or something else. Many players are laying down reading books. Others are on their tablets watching movies.

As far as food goes, we always have a good selection. The same applies to drinks. You just take anything you want.

- Is it true that the stewardesses already know each player's prefernces as far as food and drinks go?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, because the plane is crewed by the same people all the time. It's a rented plane, so every time before we use it, they add a bunch of Flames logos to it, so they prepare for our arrival. So they often remember. For example, we have Stewart, and he always remembers that I like to drink coke, so he can place it in my seat ahead of time. That way, it's already waiting for me before I get seated.

- Who do you usually sit with?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

I sat with Chris Tanev. Mangiapane sits across from me. I get to sit at the table.

- So you already made it, getting all the perks on the team.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, the only thing that's uncomfortable is that I'm facing the back of the plane.

- And they're facing the nose of the plane

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, Mangiapane and Kadri are across from me.

- That's great company, seems like you're a part of the core. Which games do they/you play?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Here we only play poker.

- Only poker? Do you play for money?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No. *awkward laugh*

- No seriously?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, we play for money.

- Who's the best poker player in Calgary?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Zadorov was.

- And now?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Now, Markstrom, since he joined us. He started playing with us after Zadorov was traded.

- Did you win?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Sometimes, yes.

01:37:56 Two Belarusian on the NHL team

Spoiler!

- This season, for the first time two Belorussians played on the same team. Solovyov finally made it to the NHL. It has been long awaited, and he has been in the Calgary system for a while. Do you remember that day? or the day before? How did you find out about it? Did you know about it before Ilya [Solovyov]? Did the coaches ask you about him?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The coaches don't discuss such thing with players. He was called up about 2 days before the game, so we had time to have a practice together. I found out that he was getting called up through Instagram. I saw him the next day. I congratulated him with the promotion. I could see how happy he was to join the main squad. He played a couple of games with us, and let him get a feel for the game at the NHL level. He's a guy that approaches his craft very seriously, you can see it in practice and in the way he works out in the gym. I think he's very deserving of the opportunity.

- Were you happy about getting another Belarusian in your locker-room?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Of course, having two Belorussians on the same team doesn't happen often, so it's really nice. When I got traded to Calgary, I knew they had Ilya Solovyov with their farm team that was also based in Calgary. As soon as we flew in, he invited us, with the wife, to dinner. We ended up barbecuing some kebabs in their place.

- When you arrived, did he try to help you adjust to the city?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, a little.

- Prior to arriving in Calgary, did you guys hang out when playing in different leagues?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No, we did not.

01:40:20 The debut of Ilya Solovyov

Spoiler!

- Do you remember his debut? How did he look? I hear there was quite the story. Did it happen in front of your eyes?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. I remember when he got to the dressing room. I looked at him and he looked very nervous. So, I asked him what happened? Telling him that everything was going to be fine, that he has been here for a while, and left it at that. Then a couple of minutes pass. He approaches me, and tells me that he had a car accident on the way to the game.

- He got into an accident before his NHL debut?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

He told me that he didn't have time to slow down at the light, and hit another guy's car from behind. He told me that he couldn't drive his car to the game, because the front bumper was totaled. So he left his car parked there. However, the guy he just hit was actually a Flames fan that was also on his way to the game. So he ended up hitching a ride with that fan, the one he just hit.

- That's pretty cool story. I guess he got distracted thinking of the game, which resulted in an accident. Instead of getting hate and aggression, he got a ride. They must really love hockey.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. It also helps that it's a bit different in North America. You don't have to call the cops to the scene of the accident.

- It didn't seem to affect Solo's game too much, because he played quite well that game.

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. Whenever he gets a chance, he plays well. I think that he's going to have a good summer, and everything will work out. I'm sure that the team believes in him too, and is happy with his progress. Not every guy drafted in the 7th round, almost 200th overall, can play at such a high level, force his way onto the main squad, and already have a couple of NHL games under his belt.

01:42:30 Battle of Alberta

Spoiler!

- Calgary's biggest rival is?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

The Oilers

- Is there a special atmosphere in the dressing room before the games with Edmonton?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Every time we play them everyone prepares a lot more seriously.

- Do you feel it? Does the coach have a special Speech?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, of course. He always gets us pumped to play against the Oilers. It's a rivalry.

- A historic rivalry

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes. The coach starts using completely differenet phrases.

- Do you have any examples

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

*awkward silence*

- I mean without expletives

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

It's just the battle of Alberta. The Flames' fans absolutely hate the Oilers. I'm sure that the Oilers' fans don't like the Flames' fans either. There's always a lot of cheering back and forth from the stands.

- It gets heated?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, and the atmosphere in those games is completely different, because the fan support is on another level.

- So you feel the support at home, and it's probably the hardest to play in Edmonton?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, I think so. I'm sure that they[the Oilers] get just as pumped to face us.

- Do you have any memories? Is there more aggression on the ice?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

Yes, there's a lot more physical play. Everyone is trying to take the body. It's a completely different hockey game. It's much quicker

- Is Edmonton going to win the cup?

Originally Posted by Sharangovich

No!