Bogatyrev Sets Lofty Goals for S88

[Bojovnik 487]

MOSCOW, March 27, 2023 (Shaiba.ru) – The dog days of the offseason are here. True, there is still the excitement of the VHL, VHLE, and VHLM drafts ahead, not to say that free agency will likely bring some news, especially after the league management made changes to the salary cap for S88, but for many, now it’s the waiting game.

 

We’ve already covered how Yaroslav Bogatyrev, one of the Seattle Bears bright prospects, has travelled back to his home town of Nizhnii Tagil to spend the offseason under the supervision of his father, Yuri Bogatyrev. However, we had the opportunity to speak with Yaroslav once again, now more than two weeks into his rigorous training regimen, to get his sense of what he wants to achieve in his third season in the VHL.

 

Shaiba: Thanks for joining us Yaroslav, it’s always a pleasure. Firstly, how is the offseason going so far?

 

YB: Always good to speak with you. At this stage, things are going well. It’s fantastic to be back home. I’ve had the opportunity to see friends and family, and that’s always the main thing. I don’t get to spend much time in Nizhnii Tagil these days, so I’m thankful for every opportunity I get to be here. I went to the old rink, where I played as a young kid, and ran some sessions with the kids there. My father is still the coach, he’s done it for 30 years.

 

Shaiba: Have you gotten over the loss in the Conference Finals against the Calgary Wranglers?

 

YB: It’s been tough. I think we got on a roll there, and we thought the momentum was on our side. We played so well against Vancouver, and I think there was this feeling that no-one could stop us. In the end, Calgary proved to be too good for us this time round, and then they went on to prove that they were the best team in the league by dominating Davos in the Continental Cup Final. They had some amazing players on that team. Of course, it will be interesting to see if they can do the same this season, but I think in the end, it was a great experience for us. I know that I learned an awful lot in my first deep playoff run, and the other young guys on the team felt it as well.

 

Shaiba: What can you take from the series going forward?

 

YB: I think about how hard we will need to work on both ends of the puck, and the importance of taking your chances when they appear. I think at times we missed a lot of really good chances, and Calgary made us pay for it. I think that we have to be targeting a cup run in S88. The management has made a lot of moves and has set us up for success. We’ve got a great mix of young and experienced talent. Seattle has a history of winning, and now it’s our turn to be a part of it, and I’m excited to see what we can do next time around.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Bojovnik