Pre-season can never start too soon

[Bojovnik 487]

It’s January 2. While many Russians are still recovering from the New Year celebrations, and still downing mouthfuls of the traditional salad “Olivier”, Yaroslav Bogatyrev is in the gym and on the ice. A frantic period of three-a-day training sessions (two dryland and one on the ice) has begun as the Russian forward looks to be in the best possible shape as he starts his sophomore season in the VHL.

 

S86 wasn’t all that it was meant to be for the Nizhnii Tagil native. There was a lot of hype around his name after a stellar season in the VHLE with the Cologne Express helped him to vault up to second overall on the draft board. However, Bogatyrev managed just 31 points in his rookie season as the Bears were swept out of the play-ins by the Vancouver Wolves.

 

“It was great to spend New Year’s Eve with my family. We did everything that we wanted to. But while the rest of Russia continues to rest, and enjoys the full experience of the eight-day holidays, I wanted to begin my training straight away. It’s best to do it now when I have the option of training with who I believe to be the best trainer in the world, my father,” Bogatyrev said.