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Siberia Sports Interview With Mika Kandinsky
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(This post was last modified: 05-16-2019, 02:17 PM by Mika_Kandinsky.)

Siberia Sports Interview With Mika Kandinsky

As the regular season has just come to an end, Siberia Sports wanted to catch up with rookie and first round draft pick, Mika Kandinsky, on his first season playing professional hockey in the SMJHL.  The St. Louis Scarecrows finished first in the league, securing the Laurifer Trophy.  Here is our interview with center, Mike Kandinsky.

SS: Mika, you were drafted 10th overall in the first round of the SMJHL draft after coming over from Siberia, how does it feel to have played your first professional season?

Mika: It feels really great.  I was a little bit nervous at the beginning of the season since I've never played in North America before and I really didn't know anyone, but the team was so great at getting me settled and making me feel welcome.  I just had to go out and focus on playing hockey.  I had a lot of fun playing with the team and we played well and secured the Laurifer Trophy and I'm excited to be heading into the playoffs.

SS:  What was hockey like at this level for you?  Did you find it hard to make an adjustment to the higher level of play?

Mika:  Yeah, for sure it was harder.  At first it took me a while to get going and get up to the pace of the game.  It really showed me that I have to improve my game a lot and I'm hoping I can take another step in the playoffs coming up.  But yeah, It was hard playing less minutes than I am used to playing.  I think that was the hardest thing.  I've always been one of the best players on all my previous teams and then there is just so much talent on the St. Louis roster that I had to take a back seat and learn how to play at this level from the fourth line.  I think it was good though.  Once I got adjusted and figured out the league I was able to start producing more even with less ice time.  I could feel that I was getting better every day and I'm going to continue to do that going forward.

SS:  On April 29th you scored your very first goal and it was against your rivals and second place team Montreal Militia.  What was that like?

Mika: I'll never forget it.  It was a tie game in the first period and we were playing the Militia who are a great team, hard to play against.  I hadn't gotten a goal yet so I was starting to get a little frustrated.  The guys kept telling me, don't worry just play the right way and the goals will come.  But in this game I knew it was important to help the team and I really wanted to get a goal.  So I won the faceoff and Tiki took a shot and the puck bounced loose.  I jumped on it and shot it and that produced another rebound and I shot again and this time it finally goes in.  I was so happy. It was a go ahead goal and I was super excited to have contributed to get our team back on top.  I was feeling pretty determined to get a goal and our line worked hard to make it happen.

SS:  Did your parents see the goal at all?  Did they call you up after the game?

Mika: Well they had to watch the game the next day.  They record all of the games on SMJHL.net.tv.play.com and so I knew they'd probably freak out and call me the next day, which they did.  They were really excited for me and happy that I was doing well over here.  It's hard to leave home, but you know they always did everything to help me in my hockey career and it's great that they continue to be supportive of me even though I'm half a world away.

SS:  You mentioned getting less playing time than you are used to on the fourth line this year, what was it like with your linemates?

Mika: Well there is so much talent on this team so I was on a line with Blacky who is also a rookie this year.  Tiki also played on the left wing.  Those guys are great.  They are really skilled players.  I think our team is pretty stacked so no matter who you play with you have a chance to go out there and play some good hockey.  We supported each other and played hard for each other.  We were all pretty happy when each other scored or made a big play.  We all just wanted to play hard and help the team as much as we could.  We're going to continue to do that into the playoffs and hopefully score some more goals.

SS:  You ended your first season with just over 50% faceoff wins.  You seemed to hold your own pretty well in the circle this year.  What did you do to prepare for playing center in this league?

Mika:  I was mostly worried about my defense and positioning so I really focused on that in camp before the season.  I worked really hard to make sure I was going to be effective on both sides of the puck.  That was more important to me than faceoffs.  So I worked on a lot of things over the course of this season and I'd say faceoffs was almost an after thought.  Once I felt like I was getting up to speed in other areas I started to work on my faceoffs a bit and I guess I picked up a few things from some of the other guys.  I didn't really realize what my percentage was until near the end of the season, but I'm glad I wasn't getting killed out there.  I'm going to continue to work on faceoffs alongside the rest of my game.  Probably just a little bit at every practice until I get it to a place I'm happy with.

SS:  You've always been known as a big center with a knack for scoring goals.  Was it hard for you to be so defensively focused?

Mika:  I wouldn't say it was hard.  I think I made the adjustment very quickly.  This team has a winning culture and I knew what it would take to be helpful to that.  I wanted to contribute and I want to be a two way player.  I know I need to be responsible as a center if I want to move up in the lineup, so that's where I started focusing the most when I got to St. Louis.  I got to work on my shot as well.  I'm going to score goals, but before I do that I need to make sure we aren't getting scored on.

SS:  How did you feel like you fit in on the St. Louis roster when you got here?

Mika:  I think I fit in really well, actually.  I'm very competitive and the team is as well.  I knew I wanted to come into the league and compete right away so I was happy to see that we had such a strong team.  I think I was pretty quiet at first in the locker room, but lately I think I can talk a bit more now that I know the ropes better.  At first I was confused in a lot of ways about how the league worked and the protocols and all of that. Our captain Foxy was really great at helping me get used to everything and get comfortable.  The GMs to have been really great.  They always congratulate players on their first points or goals and it's nice to see that they care so much about their players.  That kind of positivism really fuels us and picks us up for big games.  But, yeah, I feel like I fit in pretty well here and it's been pretty easy in that way.

SS:  Where do you see yourself going into next year?

Mika:  Well I'm not really focused on next year yet.  We have the playoffs coming up and right now I'm just focused on trying to get better and be ready for the playoffs.  We are going to get a little break here before playoffs and I'll train and practice in that week so that I'm fully ready to go when the playoffs start.  After that, we'll see what happens.  I'm looking forward to the SHL draft.  I think that will be fun to be involved in.  I also am looking forward to another season in the SMJHL with the Crows if I'm sent down in my first year.  I think by next season I can take on a bigger role in the team.  It all depends on how the roster goes.  I'm sure a few guys will get called up and stay in the SHL next season.  It will be sad to see them go, but I'll be ready to fill in their spot the best that I can.  I do hope I can improve and move up in the lineup, though and I'm working hard to make that happen.


SS:  What was your favorite part of this season?

Mika: I think the best part was our 13 game win streak.  That was amazing.  We were having so much fun and we were just dominating everyone.  It's hard to keep that going, though and we eventually started losing some games again.  I think we can't get complacent going into the playoffs and we need to focus and get back into that mindset of working really hard to get those wins. In that time we were on our streak we worked really hard and we were really clicking as a team.  The focus we had was intense and something I was really happy to be a part of.  When the guys get going like that, it's great to see and really hard to stop.

SS:  What are you looking forward to the most about going into the post-season?

Mika:  I'm just ready to compete for the cup.  That's what it's all about. I'm looking forward to making a deep run with the guys and working hard to win.  This is going to be the most meaningful hockey I've played in my career and I'm ready to go for it.  I think just playing with the guys and competing for each other is going to be a lot of fun.  I'm looking forward to the team camaraderie as we start to get going.  I'm also hoping I can help out offensively more in the post-season.  I think scoring a goal in the playoffs would be the most fun.  Hopefully we can make a deep run and take home another Four Star Cup.

SS:  Mika, thank you for your time and best of luck to you and the team as you had into the playoffs.  It's been fun watching you and the Scarecrows this season and all of Siberia is rooting for you!

Mika:  Thank you!

The St. Louis Scarecrows will be on a by until the first round of the playoffs are over.  After that the team will get to work.  Make sure to catch them on SMJHL.net.tv.play.com


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#2

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Keep it going Mika, you are doing great.



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#3

Great read as always Mika! Good luck in the playoffs!

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Great Read!!! Scarecrows Scarecrows

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