Bogatyrev Talks Seattle Selection

[Bojovnik 487]

 

MOSCOW – November 9, 2022 (Shaiba.ru): The dust is settling after the recent S86 VHL Entry Draft. For some, draft night was tinged with a sense of disappointment and what could have been. For others, they left the hall happy knowing that they had gone to a team where they know they can make a difference.

 

For Yaroslav Bogatyrev, draft night was full of surprises.

 

“I really wasn’t sure going in what to expect. Sure, I had some discussions with teams, but no-one was willing to give me a solid answer on whether they were going to take me or not,” Bogatyrev told Shaiba.ru via Zoom call.

 

Bogatyrev was one of the most highly touted players going into the draft. In many of the scouting reports, the Russian forward was going head-to-head with centre The Frenchman in the battle for the top pick.

 

The Frenchman, a highly durable two-way centre, ended up topping most mock drafts. Many noted the fact that he played at centre, a highly valuable commodity in today’s VHL.

 

On the other hand, Bogatyrev came into the draft on the back of a highly impressive VHLE season in which he scored 59 regular season points and was instrumental in the Cologne Express overcoming The Frenchman’s Bratislava Watchmen in the VHLE Semi-Finals.

 

Nevertheless, there were late rumblings about a rising Daryl Dixon in the draft. Dixon had made clear his desire to play with his brother, Rick Grimes, both of whom were likely to be Top 10 picks. The way the draft shaped up, both the Riga Reign and the Seattle Bears had two picks in the first six selections of the draft, meaning that many saw the pair as likely to end up in Seattle.

 

As the General Managers began to make their selections, there was little suspense as to who’s name would be read out first. The Riga Reign stuck to the script, and The Frenchman was selected first overall.

 

“For me, the fact that The Frenchman went first overall was no surprise for me. We battled against each other throughout the VHLE playoffs, and I know how good of a player he is at both ends of the ice. He gave Cologne problems every time he was out there, and he is clearly one of the best players in the draft. There was talk that Riga could end up getting both him and myself with the first and fourth picks, and I was excited about that prospect, knowing that I could spend multiple seasons on the wing with such a great player as centre,” Bogatyrev said about The Frenchman.

 

So the Seattle Bears were on the clock. The team’s management had spoken to Bogatyrev multiple times ahead of the draft, the Nizhnii Tagil native confirmed.

 

“I had several good conversations with the team’s management ahead of the draft. They asked me the right questions, and were also willing to listen to and answer my questions as well. Still, I did not have a concrete answer from them, and it was certainly the case that I had heard the rumours that they could select the brothers from the VHLM. I don’t know much about them, but everyone says that they’re a good pair, and so I could see why Seattle may have wanted to draft them,” Bogatyrev said.

 

 During the draft broadcast, several of the commentators hinted to the fact that Bogatyrev had been “picky” ahead of the draft. While not making any public statements, Bogatyrev said that he had made it clear to several teams about his desire to be on a team that was moving in the right direction.

 

“I know it’s the case that often the teams that draft highest had a poor season last time round. However, that doesn’t mean that a team can’t rise up and rebuild. I had no issue with going to a team that was going to be rebuilding, but if I don’t see anything from the management that even gives an indication that the team is going somewhere, why would I want to go there? All I can be is honest. I wanted to be drafted to a team where I’m not going to want to leave after my rookie contract is up. I’m not going to lie just for wanting to go higher in the draft. In this case, Helsinki were made aware of my sentiment,” the Russian forward said.

 

The second pick was in. And to the shock of many, the Bears took Yaroslav Bogatyrev. For the Nizhnii Tagil native, he said that he was thrilled when he heard the news.

 

“Out of the teams that were selecting at the top of the draft, I think it’s fair to say that Seattle have the longest tradition of winning. They have consistently been a top team in the VHL. When they rebuild, they rebuild quickly, and I already feel that I’m joining a team where I’m expected to be good, where the team is expected to get results. Seattle is not a team that settles for being average, they always want to be great. I feel that fits in perfectly with my mentality,” he said.

 

Bogatyrev was one of four players to be drafted to Seattle in the first round of the S86 VHL Entry Draft. Management made the decision to sell off many of the team’s prime assets for a shot at rebuilding and creating a new dynasty. Along with Bogatyrev, Ask Sparks, Elias Lampi, and Left Alone were all presented with the Seattle jersey and cap on Monday night.

 

“It’s great to be part of such a draft class, one that people will perhaps look back at in several seasons time and think ‘wow, look at all that talent they were able to get in one draft.’ From what I hear, I’m likely the only one of this class that is going to play in the VHL next year, so I think that will be good for me to lead these guys when they step up to the VHL, hopefully next season,” Bogatyrev remarked.

 

A long off-season of training lies ahead for the Russian forward, who is hoping to slot right in onto Seattle’s second line. Despite this, rumours are swirling that the Seattle management is looking to make further moves in what many in the local media are calling the “quickest rebuild ever.”

 

“I think it’s great that the team is looking to strengthen, bring in some more top quality players. We have some amazing defencemen, but I think management thinks that we’re a little light on forward. I know that it’s my responsibility to make a contribution from the forward lines. I’ve worked really hard on my defensive game over the past season, and I know that I took on responsibility while I was in Cologne, so the challenge ahead of me does not scare me. It’s going to be a tough season, but I know that I can make a difference and be an asset for the Bears going forward,” Bogatyrev said.

 

“Training has gone well so far. I’ve been working in Russia and I’m set to travel to Seattle in the next couple of days to meet the team, meet the management, and get settled. It will be a different experience moving over to North America again. I spent some time here, albeit briefly, with the Houston Bulls, and now I’m going to uproot everything and make my home in Seattle. I hope that I will be able to spend the majority, if not all of my career there, and bring several championships to the team and to the city,” the Nizhnii Tagil native said.

 

So what are Bogatyrev’s expectations for himself, and the team, going into S86? Does he consider himself to be in the running for the top rookie of the season award, and where does he think the Bears will end up in the North American Conference?

 

“Don’t get me wrong, there are some good teams in North America. The D.C. Dragons just won the Continental Cup, and I watched how a guy like Ronan Lavelle dominated in the playoffs. Vancouver and Chicago also have great rosters. However, I look at what we have in Seattle, with guys like Hulk Hogan 2 and Tavish DeGroot, and I think that there is no reason why we can’t compete with these teams. For me personally, I don’t even what to discuss anything about winning any individual awards. The goal for me is getting to the VHL Playoffs, and seeing what noise we can create there. It’s clear that the team management want us to be in a position to be winning, and they’ve done all they can to create a strong roster. So know it is on us to deliver,” Bogatyrev said.

 

The puck is set to drop on another VHL season, and after closing out S85 with a sense of foreboding, the Seattle Bears are about to embark on S86 with fresh optimism. The team made several splashes in free agency, and they have added to the mix four top prospects. These young players may not help the team this season, with the exception of Bogatyrev, but they are likely to be core players for the Bears in the years to come.

 

“There’s some stereotype that you could make about a Russian guy, especially one from the Urals, joining ‘The Bears.’ But either way, it’s going to be fun,” Bogatyrev concluded.

 

 

 

1500+ so 3-week claim.

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Week 3