Playoff Performers

[Erik Summers 451]

 

As we enter the final round of this season’s exciting playoffs, we here at the VSN thought it would be a great opportunity to hear from some of the top performers of this postseason. I sat down with a couple of players who are competing in these finals.

 

Also, make sure to check out the wide variety of content here at VSN. There are in-depth weekly updates and an award tracker for the VHL, a great podcast, and daily WJC coverage when it starts up, among other informative articles. Check out our latest instalments here:

 | VSN Radio | VHL Weekly | VHL Award Tracker | Deep Rewind | Under 250 |

 

Aleksander Rodriquez

What has been the highlight of the playoffs for you this season?
I am truly impressed by the fact that I got 4 game-winning goals trough 12 games before the finals, but I love the fact that I got a short-handed goal since it is probably my first one in my VHL career and I'm not even supposed to be on the penalty kill Hahahahaha.

 

Coming into the playoffs, who did you expect to face if you made it to the finals?
I did not expect to make it to the finals at first. I mean Vancouver is a really strong team on paper and we got the game 7 against DC as well, but I did wish that we would have faced Riga. It was the team that drafted me in the VHL so I do have a little bit of remorse from getting traded without getting a chance to play for them.

 

You are one of the top performers on your team this postseason, is there someone on the roster who you think might be being overlooked due to a lack of statistical performance?
Well, I feel like Scott Green got his well-deserved recognition already even though he didn't make the ASG, but I would like to throw Guy LeGrand, my former teammate in New York, in there. I saw him being a bit harsh on himself, but he is top 5 in points and I believe with 7 goals? He is contributing more than enough.

 

This season, the finals are between the two teams who have won the last three cups. What do you think has lead to the sustained success of your team?
I was certainly not apart of the regular-season success. I do believe that our amazing goaltender Rayz Funk and our defence were really vastly overlooked and we have shown that defence can win you games in the playoff. We just need 2 goals for Funk and then good luck to score on us.

 

I know it is early, but do you have any thoughts on your plans for next season?
I have been thinking of retiring next season so I am maybe playing as a d-man for my last year. All of this will depend on my negotiations with my GM so I will not say anything else yet. But hey, playing with Fontennete and MSG on a team would be amazing in another life. Recreate that Mexico dream team we had going on that year since we made the playoffs with an expansion team.

 

Does your team have any plans for what they are going to do in the days that follow if you get to lift the cup?
I do not want to jinx us, but I would have no idea, to be honest. This is my second playoff appearance and I am killing it right now so I really do not know what to expect. I will follow the vibe I guess.

 

Henrik Zoiderberg

What has been the highlight of the playoffs for you this season?
The highlight of the playoffs has definitely been the 4-0 sweep of Malmo, capped off by a 7-2 drubbing in game 4.

Coming into the playoffs, who did you expect to face if you made it to the finals?
To be honest, I think anyone in the North American Conference could have made it to the finals. That conference was very strong this season. There were a couple of strong teams in the European Conference as well, but some of those teams weren't as strong as we were or as strong as the NA teams.

You are one of the top performers on your team this postseason, is there someone on the roster who you think might be being overlooked due to a lack of statistical performance?
Gritty only has 7 points in 10 games, but he has a strong two-way play. If the games were only played along the boards, he'd be an all-star.

This season, the finals are between the two teams who have won the last three cups. What do you think has lead to the sustained success of your team?
Two things - a strong core of players either drafted or added through trades and free agency and a good job of drafting supporting talent that will eventually become the core of the team.

I know it is early, but do you have any thoughts on your plans for next season?
Both myself and the team and currently keeping all of our options open. It's too early to say anything definitive, but it's looking more and more likely that Moscow will not be my home for my final season.

Does your team have any plans for what they are going to do in the days that follow if you get to lift the cup?
Yeah - we'd go to Disney World and take the cup on a parade down Main Street.

 

 

It was very fun to get to interview these two players and I think we learned some very interesting things. The fact that neither of them may end up with these teams next season means we could see a major shake-up at the top of the league next season. It is sure to be an exciting off-season as we watch what happens with these players in the future.
 

[Victor 11,021]

You managed to interview Zoiderberg, fascinating.