Bobylev hockey player Vladimir Bobylev: “In Toronto only after Spartak

Young Russian striker for the Victoria Royals Vladimir Bobylev spends its second season in the junior Canadian league WHL. Vladimir made his debut in the MHL at the age of 16 as part of the Atlantes, after which the choice arose - to continue his career in Russia or go to fight his way to big hockey through North America. The second option seemed more attractive and promising, as a result of which the young forward ended up in the Vancouver Giants in the WHL.

In the first season overseas, the Lipetsk player got used not only to North American power hockey, but also to a new way of life, learned English and moved forward step by step. In the summer of 2015, Bobylev decided to return to Russia - to try his hand at Spartak Moscow and break into. However, then he decided that a return to Canada would be a better option, especially since at the so-called WHL import draft, Vladimir was chosen by the Victoria Royals team, where there were more chances to prove himself.

And so it happened. The second season in North America was truly a breakthrough in the career of 18-year-old Bobylev. The Russian has become a player in the starting five, scored 50 points in 62 matches, and Victoria itself is fighting for first place in its conference and will certainly be a formidable force in the playoffs. Canadian scouts and experts involved in youth hockey, highly appreciate the prospects of the Russian. Not without reason, in the preliminary ratings of the 2016 draft, Bobylev is listed, for example, higher than Andrei Svetlakov, who interacts well with Alexander Radulov in CSKA and who clearly showed himself at youth championship peace in Finland.

Vladimir himself declares that he is afraid to trust the preliminary ratings, rightly noting that the only thing he can change before the draft is his game, his performance, positively affecting the overall success of the team. The correspondent of the "Championship" talked with Bobylev after the guest game with his Vancouver Giants, in which the hockey player upset his former team by scoring the puck and giving an assist. Victoria won 5:2. It is curious that during one of the pauses, a flash mob took place in the Vancouver arena, in which almost all spectators in the stands took part, and the Pacific Coliseum arena was filled to capacity. It was from the atmosphere in the stands and from the impressions of the match that we began a conversation with Vladimir.

“I can try again to break into Spartak

- Vladimir, this is not the first match of the season against your former team. Nevertheless, the emotions are still fresh?
- In fact, I’m already used to playing against Vancouver, but it’s still nice to win a match with my former team, score, give assists. Of course, this is a positive moment for me.

Spectators organized a bright flash mob, in which virtually the entire arena took part. Did you like the atmosphere in the stands?
Yes, this happens often here. They did something like this twice last year when I was a Giants player. By the way, even more viewers came that season. You can say that I'm used to such flash mobs (smiles). It's good that they make such holidays for people. In Victoria we don't have such a big arena now, it can hold about 7,000 spectators, but there are a lot of fans walking around. 6-7 thousand viewers are quite stable.

You have made significant progress in this season compared to last season. Five dozen points have already been scored, including a goal and an assist in this meeting. Satisfied with how the second year in Canada is going?
- Of course, I'm happy. Finally, I started playing in the first or second links, they gave playing time in the majority, as a result of which I began to score points. Of course, all this cannot but rejoice.

Last summer, you returned to Russia and tried your hand at Spartak Moscow before the start of the season at. But in the end, they still decided to continue their career overseas.
- To be honest, I realized that they didn’t see me in the main team at, and I didn’t really want to go to the Major League. Around the same time I was invited here to Victoria, I had two days to make a choice. I had to quickly decide whether to play in Canada or in the Major League in Russia. In the end, we decided to still go for another year in the WHL. At the same time, I still belong to Spartak and can try to break into the squad again at any time.

- . Do you still hold this opinion or have you already changed your position?
To be honest, I've already changed my mind. It is difficult to answer this question in fact, because in Russia there is a good level of play, the choice was very difficult. What prompted you to decide to move to Canada in the first place? I talked a lot with people who had already played in Canada, and everyone advised me to leave and not think about it, if possible. They said I had nothing to lose anyway. I spoke with my agent and decided to go. I was told that there is a team that is interested in me, . Now I am very happy that I left.

Travel in WHL is quite long, and all of them are carried out exclusively by buses, and from Victoria, which is located on the island, you also need to use water transport. Is it hard sometimes to spend 20 hours on the road?
- We have a very good bus, beds are provided for each person. You are lying in full height on the bed, which is provided for two passengers. There is a TV, all doors are closed, window light does not interfere. So the bus is great for long journeys. But to be honest, it's hard anyway (smiles), especially when there are two or three away meetings in a row.

“KHL would be an interesting option”

Last year, you managed to attend the Vancouver Canucks - Toronto Maple Leafs match. What emotions did you experience from what you saw?
- In terms of the show, the number of viewers, of course, is much ahead of Russia. Organization on the highest level what to hide. What you see adds a lot of motivation to work, to try as much as possible. It's a dream.

You spent almost a year in Vancouver, which in many ways is considered one of the best cities in the world to live in. Have you been able to feel it?
- We lived in the suburbs. It turns out that in Vancouver itself we held only games, but lived outside of it. In principle, the city is good, no doubt, while there are many who are called chinese guys ( laughs). Vancouver - a nice place and the people here are friendly. How do I like Victoria after Vancouver? Victoria is a true paradise compared to Vancouver! The people here are a little different. This is how we have Moscow and the territory outside the Moscow Ring Road. It's hard to explain what other people are. Probably a little better. I like it better here than in Vancouver.

- You are from Lipetsk. Did you manage to get home in the offseason?
- Yes, I went to my native Lipetsk in the summer. And just now my dad came to me with his friend. Are things bad with hockey in Lipetsk now? Oh, that's putting it mildly. Why? That's a good question ( laughs). There, if they allocate money, they probably do not reach. Or maybe in fact they are not distinguished at all initially. Perhaps no one in our city needs it. Honestly, I dream of somehow changing the situation with hockey in my hometown, taking up children's sports, developing it.

- Dmitry Kulikov and Nikita Dvurechensky left Lipetsk hockey. Can you be third on the list?
- I really hope so smiling)!

In the 2016 NHL draft preliminary ratings, you are listed pretty well. For example, the player of CSKA and the Russian youth team Andrey Svetlakov is located a little lower. How do you feel about the draft?
- I really hope they get drafted. Although I'm not really holding on to this draft. What do you do if you can't get selected? But still I hope! I don't believe in pre-drafts at all. That year, I also did well in these ratings, but the season was not a success. It all depends on how you play.

Marcel Ibragimov from Kazan also plays for the Royals. Do you manage to keep in touch with any of our guys in Canada?
- Yes, first of all I spend a lot of time with Marcel, we also live in the same house with him. We also talked with Nikita Soshnin, who plays for Saskatoon. By the way, he also comes from Lipetsk. In Regina, we met once with Sergei Zborovsky. Who else… With Elizarov from Edmonton. Of course, with Dima Osipov from Vancouver. Last year we played together in the same team, also lived in the same house. We still communicate with him, but not so closely.

Do you intend to continue to push your way through North America? Or if you get the chance to play, will you come back?
- would be an interesting option, of course, especially if a good opportunity presents itself. Although everything is fine here. Oh, it's a very difficult question, I can't give an exact answer yet, because a lot will depend on specific proposals. I communicate a lot with my agent, who actively helps me make decisions. Let's see!

You are probably following the events in . Which team do you sympathize with and which hockey players do you watch especially closely?
- I follow Los Angeles and specifically Kopitar. I really like this striker. I also watch Detroit and Pavel Datsyuk. Well, for the Capitals, of course, where our guys play. I want Washington to win the Stanley Cup this year. Ovechkin deserved this trophy 100%.

Newcomer "Salavat Yulaev" Vladimir Bobylev commented on the transition to the Ufa club, and also spoke about the first conversation with Erkkoy Westerlund.

- I was delighted when the exchange took place, because I wanted to play, I trained for four months. I was without gaming practice, I already missed the games.

- You are already on your second training session. How is the team environment?

Good, everyone is friendly. I knew several guys from the team: Elizarov, he played in Canada. I know a couple of young guys, Zhenya Bodrov.

Have you already spoken to Westerlund?

– Salavat hockey players say that he asks: “What kind of player do you see yourself in the team?”

He asked me what happened, why I didn't play. We talked to him, he good man, friendly. Everything was calm. So far, there has been no talk about how to play.

“So why didn’t you succeed in answering Westerlund?”

- Maybe he was not ready, or there was not enough space. I don't know myself.

- There is also a lot of competition in Salavat ...

- I have to follow the coaching instructions, give all the best in every game and fight for the team. Play harder in defense, I think the attack should now be in second place.

The 18-year-old forward of Spartak Vladimir Bobylev has an interesting fate: at 16 he made his debut in the MHL, and then went to Canada, where he spent a year at the Vancouver Giants club. This spring, the striker decided to return to Russia and compete for a place at the base of the red and white.

How did you decide to move across the ocean?- He consulted, first of all, with his agent, Alexander Yuryevich Chernykh. The decision began to be discussed at the time when I was 16 years old and I played in the MHL. So last spring I already knew that I would fly away. At first, of course, there were certain concerns. But then I talked to the guys who play there, and most of them told me: go, don't even think about it, you won't lose anything. I flew. The first season was not very successful for me, the coach mostly trusted older players, but I do not regret that I went. Gained a decent amount of experience, which is very useful to me.

Then why didn't they stay?
- In the summer, another team chose me at the import draft, I could fly away again, but I thought it would be better if I tried to break into the KHL. Spartak is a team close to me in spirit, I have been rooting for it since childhood, I tried not to miss a single match.

Tell us about the Western Hockey League. What have you learned about her?
- We played in Vancouver, we had our own arena, though I don't remember what it's called. Holds 16,000. 8-9 thousand came to our matches in the regular season, and the good ones were sold out. It was great to support us, it was very nice to play. The Canadian Junior League is divided into three groups - OHL, QMJHL and WHL. The last one I played is considered the most brutal league - a lot of power struggle. So many. And fighting, of course. Three or four fights in a game is normal.

Did you fight too?
- Yes, I took part in three fights.

Where did you live?
- I flew to Canada and knew only father, mother, sister, brother in English. Lived in a family that itself is from Holland. At first, I didn't understand anything. The club hired me a teacher English language and I worked out four times a week. Plus, we had a Russian guy in our team who helped me at first. I lived in a family with a Canadian, at first he also seriously helped me, explained with his fingers, because I almost didn’t understand anything. The club took care of all the expenses - food, clothes. After two and a half months, he already spoke good English.

Are all transfers to WHL by bus?
- Yes. We usually capture several cities along the way. For example, we can drive for four hours, play, rest, sleep, the next day we are on the road again. Somehow we drove 20 hours. All teams in this league still travel by bus.

What makes Vancouver fans go to WHL games in such numbers?
- I also thought about this issue. Still, tickets for some of our matches reached $100. What to say? Probably, this is a huge love for hockey. Religion. Almost every child plays hockey. We played in Vancouver and lived in the suburbs. So they always recognized us there, asked us to give autographs and take pictures.

Did you have any fan events?
- Certainly. After some matches, they came to a special room and talked with the fans there - signed, took pictures. We sat for at least an hour, because the people poured in a huge crowd. We went to orphanages, to hospitals for seriously ill children. Chatted, gave toys. Good deal. There are about 40 young teams in Vancouver, and somehow we acted as coaches at one of the tournaments.

A hockey player by the name of Kirichenko played in your team.
- He seems to have ancestors from Ukraine. And so he was born in Canada and has the citizenship of this country.

Have you attended NHL games?
- Once I got to the Vancouver match against Toronto. Amazing show. We don't have anything even close. Very interesting to watch. I could also go to other matches: our general manager constantly gave me tickets to the NHL. But time could not be combined. Often with the team went to different music concerts.

Have your matches been broadcast?
- Yes. Dad here in Russia had the opportunity to watch. You pay about 15-20 bucks and watch the broadcast on the Internet.

Did your parents not come to visit?
- Expensive. At the expense of the club, it was possible to transport one family member back and forth. Or I should fly for Christmas. But I didn't fly. There was no point: 24 hours in one direction, 24 in the other, change of time zones. You get more exhausted. So I stayed in Canada, and for Christmas a local guy invited me to his house.

How much did you receive?
- Minimum money. Approximately $150 for two weeks. A month came out 300 bucks, sometimes 400. Ridiculous money, but I didn’t go there for the money.

What kind of bonuses could you get?
- The awards were in the form of cards for the restaurant, they could be encouraged with some gifts. They gave iPads for Christmas. If you play well, of course.

What did you do on the weekend?
- He liked to look around. I talked with a guy from Canada, he had a car, and we went to see something. I fell in love with playing golf in Canada. Snowboarding in the mountains. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. You look in one direction - the ocean, in the other - snowy mountains. And on the street + 16-18. Unforgettable impression. City of eternal spring.

Was the decision to return difficult?
- Our team did not make it to the playoffs, and soon I flew to Russia. With the agent and parents decided that at this stage it is better to return. It was a joint decision. It seems to me that now in Russia I will have more opportunities for growth.

Are you having a hard time with the current training camp at Spartak?
- I have never been to such gatherings before. The hardest in my career. But, as they say, through thorns to the stars. At first I was nervous, because not everything worked out. Now calmed down. Coaches encourage, suggest. I'm trying my best.

Was there a moment when you didn’t have the strength to go to the next workout?
- In the evening after the first day I did not feel my legs. And by the evening of the second day, it seemed to me that I had already been at the training camp for a month. The time was incredibly long. Very hard. But he managed. By the end of the second four-day cycle, I got involved and felt better. Both on ice and on land. Got in tune. And the legs work well, and the breathing is normal, and the heart muscle works. So right now I feel great. I am sure that such work will bear fruit in the season.

Do you visit your homeland in Lipetsk?
- Yes, when there is an opportunity, I come there to my parents. I have two more sisters - one is 11 months younger, the other is 4 years old. I always try to bring them some gifts. A lot of friends in Lipetsk.

With hockey there now once again things are bad.
- Very disappointing. What can I do? Nobody wants to help hockey and invest money. They were supposed to build a large palace, but this construction was also frozen. An incomprehensible gimmick for me. I played in Lipetsk until I was 12, then I had to leave. Parents paid for everything: for the uniform, for moving, for everything, everything. Or maybe now they allocate money, but they just don’t reach the team, I don’t know.

Do many hockey players from Lipetsk play at a high level?
- Nikita Dvurechensky in "Torpedo". Dmitry Kulikov in Florida. That, perhaps, is all. It turns out I have a chance to become the third in this company.

Pupil of Lipetsk hockey Vladimir Bobylev, selected in the NHL draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs club, gave an interview to championat.com, in which he said that he would spend the next year or two in Russia.

In the 2015/16 season, Vladimir scored 67 points according to the results of the regular season, and the utility indicator turned out to be impressive at all - “+45”. The start of the playoffs was also excellent for both the player and the Victoria Royals, but then an injury struck that affected the Victoria's performance, failing to make it to the WHL Finals.

- What emotions did you experience when you were selected by Toronto in the NHL draft? Did the dream come true?

It was funny, because I was running to the store at that time - I was at home, in Russia. Then I come and see under a hundred messages with congratulations (laughs). I didn't immediately understand what had happened. I went on the Internet and saw that they were drafted, and ran to see who and under what number. We had quite a lot of communication with Toronto representatives during the past season, as well as with some other clubs. To be honest, I really wanted to play in Canada, to continue my career here.

- When was the last time you had contact with Toronto before the draft?

At the very end of the WHL season. It was already in the course of the playoff series, where we made our way with Victoria. I also received a rather unpleasant injury there, and at about the same time, people from the Maple Leaves got in touch with me. And after the draft, they contacted them again, I was invited to the club's training camp, which will be held from July 3 to July 10 in Toronto (the conversation took place on July 2 - Approx.ed.).

- You are aware that Toronto drafted two more Russians. What are your thoughts on this?

Yes, I know Kolya Chebykin from the HC MVD quite well. Plus, I know Nikita Soshnikov, with whom we crossed paths at a very young age. Of course, the presence a large number Russian guys will help me, I am glad that there will be an opportunity to speak in my native language. There is a feeling that the Russians are treated well here, it is no coincidence that so many of our guys were chosen by the organization for last years. I don't know anyone from Toronto's main squad. Leonid Komarov, in fact, is also half ours, but it is clear that I had nowhere to cross paths with him. I've only seen him play on TV.

- Gathering in Canada will last a week. What are your plans for the rest of the preseason?

I will work in Toronto for a week, and then I will immediately go to Prague, where I will join Spartak Moscow at the training camp. I decided to spend the next year or two in Russia, especially since Spartak was interested in playing me. I will try to break into the main team and play in the KHL. And then I hope to return to Toronto and pursue my dream in the NHL. In Prague, there will be a rather heavy collection, aimed largely at physical training, and only then in Finland we will go out on the ice. Such work is always very exhausting, but absolutely necessary in order to enter the season well.

Why did you decide to return to Russia and try your hand here? Something did not suit in North America?

Not at all, I like North America, I gradually settled down and got used to local life. And it was great to play hockey there. Victoria is a beautiful city near Vancouver, where you can see nature and the standard of living. Of course, I will miss Canada, but it is always a pleasure to perform at home, relatives and friends are close here. Russia also has its advantages, and at this stage of our career, my agent and I decided that this was a priority option.