<div align="justify">The Minnesota Chiefs have shipped a potential first round pick to Edmonton in return for Russian playmaker Ivan Koroviev. Koroviev netted 18 goals and had 56 regular season points in a breakout S33, but has since struggled to rekindle that kind of form as the Blizzard went into full rebuild mode. The Chiefs' management staff is hoping that a change of scenery, and more importantly a change of personnel, will see the winger become a force to be reckoned with as they look to improve their offensive output.
Out of the news for some time since his disappearance from the Russian national team, Koroviev burst back onto the scene in the recent S35 IIHF tournament, going a point per game as Team Russia narrowly missed out on a bronze medal finish, losing 4–2 to Finland in their final game. Thus far this season he has scored 5 goals and 8 points over 13 games for a struggling Edmonton side, and the move to St. Paul can only help his production. It is not yet known where he will line up, but with Derrick Glover acting as the Chiefs' only pure playmaker on the top six, it is likely he will slot in alongside Lord Pretty Flacko and Terrance Nova, or Halfdan Thorstein and Lochlann O'Rourke. As things stand, Minnesota currently rank eleventh in the SHL in goals, and with Koroviev putting up an average of forty points per season since S29, they will hope to see themselves rise through the goalscoring ranks with their latest acquisition dishing pucks to likes of Flacko and Nova.
Vision and Vodka: Koro's Story So Far
Drafted at seventh overall in the S25 Entry Draft, Koroviev has had a solid SHL career to date, without ever truly reaching the heights to which Edmonton hoped he would aspire. S33 was a standout season for the Russian, but thus far it marks the only time that he has broken the fifty point barrier.
At junior level Koroviev entered North America as a complete unknown, but repaid the faith shown in him by the Kelowna Knights management team by going point per game in his sophomore SMJHL season, and helping his team to lift the Four Star Cup. The following season saw him break through to the SHL, but it was on the international scene that he really made his mark.
Following the climax of the SHL's twenty-sixth season, the yearly IIHF tournament saw Team Russia storm to gold medal success, with the young Blizzard winger picking up 10 points in 13 games. Big things were expected of him the following season, but a decrease in ice time saw his production drop, and Edmonton fans had to wait until S28 to see the first real glimpses of his ability. The regular season was nothing to write home about for Koroviev, but 9 playoff points from the third line and a stellar performance in the Blizzard's round one victory over Calgary showed a marked increase in his performance. His production tailed off as Edmonton progressed, but the postseason nevertheless finished with Koro and Co. lifting the Challenge Cup for the first and only time in his career.
The following seasons saw Koroviev afforded more ice time, and more responsibility. With the increased responsibility came increased expectation, and on occasion the player struggled to meet his own expectations. "If I drink vodka like the way I make point, I am not let in Russia," he once quipped, following a dismal postseason run of form. Indeed, while his regular season play was always solid, if not spectacular, the playoffs were a constant source of trouble for him. In S30 he was miserable, scoring just 6 points in 14 games; in S31 he was brilliant, going point per game as Edmonton lost out to the New England Wolfpack in the Challenge Cup Finals; in S32 he was miserable again.
S33 saw the best of Koroviev. Benefitting from the line presence of superstars Theo Kane and Pedro Sarantez, the winger put up a career high 56 points, including 38 assists. In the playoffs he was back to excellent, but the Blizzard crashed out in the first round, and the following season saw the beginning of Edmonton's decline. If that wasn't a bad enough ending to what had promised to be a fantastic season for the Chiefs' new acquisition, a run-in with Russian President Vladimir Putin saw the winger dropped from the Russian national team. The controversy evidently effected Koroviev, who turned away from the spotlight and struggled to a meagre 38 points the following season.
S35, however, provided an upturn in fortunes. Although the Blizzard were now very much in rebuild mode, and Koroviev's off-ice problems led to him being afforded less time on the ice, he improved to 40 points and made a hugely successful return to the international team over the SHL off-season. That, coupled with Edmonton's current focus on the future, led to much speculation over the 31 year old's own future, and it's the Minnesota Chiefs who have swooped to prise Koroviev away from the Rexall Place for the first time in his SHL career. Nobody knows what the future has in store for the vodka-swilling Russian, but we can at least be sure that he'll be as drunk as ever.
Post Trade Press Conference: Koroviev's First Appearance in St. Paul
Do you see a cup run in the near future? Yeah, I think so. Is good team here in Minnesota, and many younger players. You look, you see Caelum, Glover, Thorstein, Hämäläinen, Starkonov, of course Nova... I am old man here! I think this season we can push for finals, and then next season we can be very, very good. Still there is Andersson, Flacko, Garbanzo, and now all this young talent. I think future is bright for Minnesota, so of course I am very happy to be here.
How many more seasons does Koroviev have in those vodka-infused legs? Many more! Vodka keep man strong! If you want me to be serious... I don't know. I have contract to end of S38, then we see. If still I have place in Minnesota, if they have need for me, then I can stay. Maybe I am old man here, but I have the young heart. I start in what? S25? S26? Maybe I can play fifteen years, maybe not.
Will Scholz improve or crash without his partner in crime? Obviously Nik is very good player. Now he will be most important player for Edmonton, but I think this is no problem. Already this season I think he have fifteen points? I think with Nik and Theo they still can ruin the day for many teams, and also they help the young players. I think Nik never crash in his career, so he will be fine. Maybe he will find new drinking buddy!
What do you think about the future with the Chiefs? On this I am very positive. The management here I like, the players... I think Flacko, Andersson, and Garbanzo are with the best in the league, and then you have Nova, and many good young players. They will improve every season, and I hope I can help them too. Of course is very hard to win Challenge Cup, but this team is strong and will be stronger next season also. I'm excited.
Waffles or pancakes? Obviously this is blini. Next time mommy Koroviev is in America, I invite you for the real pancakes. American pancake is ok, but blini... this is Chief pancake.
Where do see yourself inserting into in the Chiefs lineup? I don't know, but I think with Flacko and Thorstein. Of course I can play anywhere. If the boss say "Koro, you are mascot today," I am best mascot. Give me Big Chef hat. What? Oh, big Chief hat. But yeah, I think plan is for me to play on top line, and on power play also.
What has been your favorite part about Minnesota so far? Of course I am here only one day, but so far everyone is very nice. Is strange for me not to be in Edmonton, but today I meet many players, and when I leave I am smiling, so I think this is good. I hope we can have also good start on the ice, but for now I am very happy to have this welcome.
What are your predictions in terms of your individual performance for the rest of the season? Ah, this is dangerous question, no? If I say I do very well, maybe I have bad season. If I say I do bad, everyone say I am not confident! If I am serious, though... I think I should score maybe forty points, but I hope more. There is here in Minnesota very good players, so there is no excuses.
Where in the standings do you envision the Chiefs finishing this season? Obviously this conference is very strong. Toronto are champions, but maybe this season they have slow to start. Always West Kendall is very good, and I think also New England, but then is lots of teams to fight for playoffs. Now Buffalo plays very good, but is long season, and I think we have time to improve. Is maybe not failure if we don't make playoffs, but I think with players we have, we must look for this. To win conference this season... this is difficult, but maybe we are second, third, fourth. I don't know.
How many more seasons do you think you will continue to play in the SHL? I think maybe four, five seasons. I have contract to S38, and then we see. I always say if some team want me, then I can play. Then maybe I focus on professional vodka-drinking.
Do you have any career goals that you hope to achieve before retirement that you have not already achieved? Well, yes, but maybe is not so easy. I have many... how you call them... team honours? Yet I have no personal honours. To win these is nice, but maybe is too late for me. That's ok. I will be happy if we can win Challenge Cup again in Minnesota!
Do you think the current management in Edmonton has what it takes to make the franchise a winner again? Yes, I think so. Is difficult. Always when I am in Edmonton we have a lot of experience, and now is much younger, but I think they have also the brains to win. Especially they have Chisling. Obviously he has been around, he knows the game, but also Scholz is smart and already is learning more and more. They need only time, to make the right trades, and I think in few years again they will be strong. In my career I remember also New England make this rebuild, and they struggle, and they struggle... and then they win Challenge Cup. I hope to see this also in Edmonton, but maybe not when I try to win with Minnesota!
How many points do you think Fleming and Koroviev could have put up on the same line together, in their respective primes? English for me is second language. I think I cannot count to this number! Of course Fleming is great player. I remember he make what? Seventy points one season? I have also this with Theo. He score seventy points, I score fifty-six, so maybe with Fleming we have the same.</div>
You see a cup run in the near future?
How many more seasons does koroviev have in those vodka infused legs?
Will Scholz improve or crash without his partner in crime?
Alucard![[Image: alex-galchenyuk1.jpeg]](http://wpmedia.montrealgazette.com/2016/04/alex-galchenyuk1.jpeg)
Do you see a cup run in the near future?
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