[News] Ivan Prosvetov: Interview with the new Flame

[gvitaly]

There were several interviews with Prosevetov popping up in Russian media over the last couple of days. I'm guessing they were all from the same media availability because the answers are very similar. So I combined the key questions/answers to give you guys more of an insight into the newest Flame.

• How is your preparation for the new season going?
  

  It's going well. I recently started working with Oleg Romashko. We trained in the city of Stupino, in the Moscow region, where I’m from. We began the camp on July 3rd and finished on the 8th. I also just played in the KHL 3 on 3 tournament — we won it. In a week, I’ll start training with Pavel Markidan, and we’ll slowly get ready for the season.

• Do you follow the same training program every year, or do you try to experiment with something new?
  

  I try to rest a bit after the season, let myself forget that I’m a hockey player, a goalie. Then I gradually start increasing the workload. It is a long season, so it’s important to be in top shape but without overtraining.

• Why did you decide to sign a contract with Calgary and return to North America?
  

  The NHL is every hockey player’s dream. I've been talking to Calgary for a long time. They wanted to sign me even after my season with Colorado, but I decided to return to Russia. You could say the long awaited moment has arrived. They offered me a decent contract for this stage of my career. A one-way deal is what I had been working toward. I decided to accept their offer. I had offers from the KHL as well, but I chose the NHL.

• Do you feel that the doors to the main roster are wide open? How would you assess your chances of competing with Dustin Wolf and securing a spot in the NHL, something that didn’t work out with your previous teams?
  

  I had some time in the NHL with Colorado, but unfortunately, I was later sent down to the farm club. Now I have a one-way contract, so things are a bit different. I played pretty well in Russia, so I do have a chance. Wolf is a good goalie — we’ll be helping each other.

• Was your main condition during negotiations the desire to get a one-way contract to avoid being sent directly to the farm team?
  

  I’ll put it this way: there were higher offers from other teams, but with less of an opportunity. There’s strong competition in Calgary too, but it’s the best option for me right now. Money wasn’t the deciding factor at this point.

• Are you satisfied with how last season went with CSKA? Did your year in Russia bring more positives or disappointments?
  

  Definitely more positives. Statistically, I was one of the best goalies in the KHL. For a long time, I was leading the league in all key metrics. I almost broke Ilya Sorokin’s record for wins. I believe it was a good season. I’m very grateful to CSKA. It was a privilege to play for such a great club. That will stay with me forever.

• If your stats were good, why did CSKA decide to part ways with you? After all, Igor Esmantovich said he was dissatisfied.
  

  I don’t know. We didn’t even discuss the season or results with them. But I think everything speaks for itself — I got a one-way contract in the NHL, and it’s not a league min deal either. When I left the NHL, the offers were worse; now they’re better. I was KHL goalie of the month and close to the club record for wins. The only negative was an injury. I had some bad games, but I still played 43 games in the season and won 22. Overall, it was a good performance; I was the starting goalie. It was a great season.

• About the knee injury — is it still bothering you now?
  

  Everything’s fine now. It healed on its own, and I recovered quickly. Big thanks to the CSKA doctors and the management for their understanding. They helped me recover fast. Olga, the rehab specialist, Dima — the head doctor, Alexey — they all helped. At this point, I don’t even remember which knee was injured.

• On what terms did you part ways with CSKA?
  

  We parted on good terms. I thanked everyone. I can only say good things about the club, the team, the coaches, and the management. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to play for the greatest club in our country.

• What did your year with CSKA give you? What kind of experience are you taking with you to the NHL now?
  

  Playing for CSKA is not the easiest task. You carry a huge responsibility in front of the fans when you put on that jersey. It’s one of the most storied clubs in Europe. You can’t approach that job without giving it everything you have. I’ll take that experience with me to Calgary.

• In recent years, Russian players haven’t really been able to establish themselves in Calgary. Does that concern you?
  

  No, not at all. I don’t think that kind of division exists in the NHL. Over there, no one cares [about your nationality] if you’re a good hockey player (whether you stop pucks or score goals), you’ll play. Sure, sometimes things don’t work out if someone doesn’t fit in, but I don’t think it’s a pattern.

• Would you agree that the contract with Calgary is your last chance to make it in the NHL?
  

  Hockey is great because you can bounce back quickly and easily. Even if things don’t work out — keep working, have a strong season, and you’ll get another shot, whether through the KHL or the AHL. The main thing is not to give up if something doesn’t go your way. I have the size, the knowledge, the health — I just need to keep moving forward.

• Isn't it no longer respectable to be playing in the AHL at your age?
  

  Many hockey players play in the AHL. It’s our job. We give it our all. It’s hard to say whether it’s respectable or not. Take Calvin Pickard, for example — he [EDIT: could've] won two Stanley Cups but played in the AHL until he was 30. Professional sports are a tough business, but of course, I’ll be fighting to secure a spot on Calgary’s main roster.

• When will you be heading to Calgary?
  

  Most likely closer towards September. For now, I’ll be training in Russia and spending time with my family.

• Canada and Canadian teams are known for the intense attention from fans. Are you ready for that kind of pressure in Calgary? Did you notice it when playing in Canadian cities before?
  

  Honestly, that kind of pressure is actually nice — it means people care. I’ve already played for CSKA Moscow, which is a legendary club where playing comes with huge responsibility. So I’m familiar with that. I think my experience with CSKA will help me play for another club with such a rich history.

• You've spent a lot of time playing and living in the U.S. In your experience, is there a difference between life in America and Canada?
  

  I think there will be some differences. Nature and temperature — for sure. I played in Arizona and Colorado — it was warm there. Now I’ll be living in the north of Canada. We’ll see how it goes — I’m getting ready for a cold winter.

• They say it can get as cold as minus 40 in Calgary in the winter.
  

  Well, yeah, we’ll see, we’ll find out. Hopefully it won’t get that cold.

• Have you spoken with Danil Miromanov, who played in Calgary, or with Yegor Sharangovich — anyone from the Russian-speaking guys?
  

  I’ve messaged with Yan Kuznetsov. Haven’t had a chance to talk to the others yet. But I know them a bit, and I think we’ll see each other at camp.

Rus Source - sport express, Rus Source - vse pro sport

As always I omitted a couple of topics like potential KHL trades involving Prosvetov, general KHL talk etc. All in all, he's definitely saying all the right things. I hope things work out for Prosvetov in CGY.

[Groot]

It’s hard to say whether it’s respectable or not. Take Calvin Pickard, for example — he won two Stanley Cups but played in the AHL until he was 30.

Oh boy, have a I got news for you

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Groot

Oh boy, have a I got news for you

Yeah that's a mistake in translation, I was sure I fixed it. I just double checked, it should say "he could've won 2 cups"

[Sandman]

Great stuff gvitaly! Thanks for this!

[Cheese]

This type of thing is what makes CP stand out from the others! Great work gvitaly!

[jonesy]

Great stuff. Many thanks. I get a kick out of Russians being alarmed at Canadian winter. I just assumed they were the same in that regard.

[activeStick]

Amazing job as always gvitaly! Thanks for doing this so consistently! I'm wondering if Prosvetov is actually approaching this as a competition between him and Cooley to secure that backup spot?

[Locke]

Thanks gvitaly! A much needed update from CP's very own Russian Correspondent.

[Hells Bells]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Amazing job as always gvitaly! Thanks for doing this so consistently! I'm wondering if Prosvetov is actually approaching this as a competition between him and Cooley to secure that backup spot?

I think the Flames view him as a clear upgrade over Cooley.

He'd have to play his way off the team IMO.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thanks gvitaly! A much needed update from CP's very own Russian Correspondent.

I thought that was Pointman. Anyone hear from him these days?

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thanks gvitaly! A much needed update from CP's very own Russian Correspondent.

You're welcome, and I'm glad people here find those interesting, so I get to do my part to support this place.

I just check once a week if there are any news in Russian involving the Flames. Thanks to chatGPT I can translate a whole article and proofread it in under 15 mins, and it doesn't take much effort on my part. So yeah life got much easier from the Zadorov days.

[ThePrince]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I thought that was Pointman. Anyone hear from him these days?

Depends what your definition of "hear from" is.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Каждый русский знает, что Эдмонтон никуда не годится.

Also from an interview