Photo: Yury Kuzmin

Derek Jeter’s Players’ Tribune has published an article by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov touches on his deep-seeded passion for the sport, the differences between Russian hockey and the NHL, and his experiences with Alex Semin.

I’m just going to blockquote my favorite parts, but please read this whole article because it’s amazing.

Kuznetsov started playing hockey because of the celebrations.

For me, it start when I’m little boy. I tell you one of my very first memories. My dad take me to the rink, and I see this older guy score goal, and he do a really cool celebration. Slide around on his knees, you know? I say to myself, I want to do that. This looks so fun.

Kuznetsov on how his love for hockey was so strong, he struggled concentrating in school.

I wake up at 7 a.m. Go to school for five hours. All morning, think about hockey. Can’t concentrate on school. Just want to skate.

The influence of YouTube on Kuznetsov’s game.

I didn’t have a computer at home. My friend got one, so we would all sit there for two hours watching YouTube, seeing how guys are playing. Then we go onto the ice and try to do the same thing.

Kuznetsov shares a priceless tale about Alex Semin and bribing a security guard.

Couple guys who were older than me, they live in an apartment above our hockey school. One guy was Alex Semin. When I see him play for the first time, his skill was unbelievable. I’m like, Wow, I got to learn from this guy. So I started hanging out with him all the time, because we both obsessed with hockey.

The big problem was the rink was closed at night. We still want to skate. But I came up with a plan with Semin.

We would save some money and go buy some Coca-Cola and take it to the security guard as a little gift, and he would open the gate for us. So we got to skate all alone. It was unbelievable.

Kuznetsov on not understanding dump-and-chase.

In my team in KHL, if you dump the puck, coach might put you on bench and you never go out and play hockey again. It’s true.

If you’re a forward and you dump it, like maybe once they say, “Hey, hey, come on. What you doing?”

Next time you do it, that’s it. You must be crazy.

My first 10 games in NHL, I don’t understand why guys keep dumping puck. I’m looking at coach like, Is he going to say something? And he’s like, happy about it.

Even Ovi. I see him dump it. I’m looking at him like, What?!

Brooks Orpik isn’t a wood man.

[Orpik] win Stanley Cup, so I know I gotta learn from this guy. But I try to teach him, too. After every practice, we do what we call “hockey school.”

For 20 minutes, we stay out on ice and work on our skill with Batya. He see how me, Ovi and a couple guys always do it. So he said he want to do it, too. We do some passes and stick handle, do crazy moves, funny things. For a big guy, he can really do it. He’s got skill. He’s not like a wood man, you know?

Finally, Kuznetsov on what his life is right now.

I just want to play hockey, come home. Watch the Family Feud, go to bed. Wake up, play hockey again. That’s perfect for me. The only difference is that now I have a family who I must take care of as well — and they mean the most to me.