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+---- Thread: Siberia Sports: Toronto Extends Kandinsky! (/showthread.php?tid=103584)
Siberia Sports: Toronto Extends Kandinsky! - Mika_Kandinsky - 02-18-2020
Code:
1831 words, ready for gradeThe Toronto North Stars just invested in their own future and confirmed what everyone knew around the league to be true. Mika Kandinsky is now locked up for six more years for Toronto! Mika Kandinsky was drafted 10th overall in season 48 and saw his first season in the SHL in S50, where he set the league on fire scoring a record breaking 62 points in his rookie season. In our previous article, "Was Mika Kandinsky Ready for a 1C Role?" we discussed how Mika has picked up the reigns that ML dropped when he was traded away from Toronto in the off season. Now, in the middle of a solid first year as the 1C, Mika and Toronto decided to take this step together into the future in a contract that works well for both sides.
Toronto signed center Mika Kandinsky to a six year six million dollar deal that also has a full NTC attached. This marks a start of a new era for Toronto in which they have opened up a six year window for themselves to be a competitive team in the league. With Mika locked up for the foreseeable future and their new crop of draft picks starting to come up, the team is active and getting better and they are getting ready to start competing. Having Mika locked up is a huge part of Toronto's rebuild and @ml002 is excited to have his key piece on offense locked up alongside star goalie Harry Carpet (@Carpy48). Here is what GM ML had to say about the recent signing:
"Locking up Mika was always a top priority for us in Toronto. His development since being drafted here in S48 has been phenomenal and he's one of the leaders of our young locker room. Locking him up for the prime of his career is as good as it gets in management and it speaks volumes to the progress we continue to make as a team. I expect for him to push on as one of the best young players in the league and eventually establish himself as one of the best players in general in the SHL."
Toronto is putting all of their confidence in having Mika be a leader of this young team on and off the ice. As we pointed out in our previous article, Mika is playing very well stepping into the 1C role for the team and it has given the front office the confidence in him that they needed to go forward with him as their big piece up front. It is certainly an exciting time for Toronto fans and it is also an exciting time for Mika Kandinsky himself. So we decided to get another interview with the now franchise center to see how he is handling the new signing and his new role on the team.
SS: Hi Mika, congratulations on your new contract extension with Toronto! This must be very exciting for you and I'm sure you have a lot of emotions going on, but how are you feeling right now after signing for six more years in Toronto?
MK: Oh, I'm really excited. After getting picked in the draft by Toronto and having such a great welcome there I knew this is where I wanted to be. I was really excited about being a big part of the future of the team and helping them to turn things around. Toronto has had a lot of rough years and it's been a long time since the fans have seen a winning team. I really was looking forward to being a part of the solution here to help turn the team around and make them a more competitive team. So, I'm very happy and excited to get the contract out of the way and solidify my future with the team. I'm really looking forward to working hard and doing everything I can on and off the ice to make this team better.
SS: You're now centering the first line with ML being traded away in the off season. How is that going for you?
MK: Well, center is my main position. I'd consider myself a natural centerman. It feels good to be back in that position. I did pretty well in juniors centering the top line in St. Louis and I knew it was a matter of time until I moved over to center in Toronto. I had been discussing the plan for me with ML so I knew ML wasn't going to be there forever. All that being said, I knew it was going to be hard to take on the responsibility of a top line center in this league and I'm generally happy with the way things are going this season. I've been playing at about a point per game all season and I'm logging a lot of minutes. That shows me that the team trusts me to go out there and compete and that makes me feel good about where I'm at. I think I've made the transition back to center pretty smoothly and I've found some excellent chemistry with my linemates as the season has continued. We are really hoping to sneak into the playoffs this year and surprise the league a little bit.
SS: A lot of people had Toronto being dead last in the league this year, especially after ML was traded away. That's a big hole to fill and yet you guys have been fighting for playoff positioning all season. What do attribute to that kind of success?
MK: Well, first of all, there is some great promising talent on this young team. Harry Carpet is a stud in net and Bobby Lane is having an absolutely astounding rookie season. So the team is playing pretty well. We have some issues we need to address, but overall we are feisty and we want to win. I think I've been doubted throughout my whole career a little bit. I came in and was drafted 10th overall in juniors and also for the SHL. I think I was overlooked a little bit. It all worked out and Toronto was able to get me and I'm very happy to be here. But, I'm not surprised people were saying I'm overrated or this and that. I had a great rookie season and I definitely owe some of that to playing with ML. But, I had no doubt in my own ability to step in his shoes and help to keep this team competitive. I think a lot of people weren't expecting us to be fighting for a playoff spot right now, but here we are. I work hard, and the team works hard and we have the talent. We are going to be very competitive as our young talent begins to grow. We have a few studs in juniors ready to come up for next season which will be very exciting for us.
SS: What do you bring to the team that is different than ML?
MK: Well, ML was one of the best, if not, the best players in the league for a long time. I'm not at his level yet and I don't know if I ever will be. He's a bit of a legend. I just hope I can play my game, be responsible on defense and get some goals for me and my linemates. I don't know if I want to be doing anything differently than ML but we play a bit of a different game. I'm a bit more of a finesse player and ML loved to get physical out there. We are different players and I hope what I bring to the team will be helpful enough to help win us a cup within the window of my new contract.
SS: What made you want to extend for six years in Toronto?
MK: Well, I think management has shown me that they believe in me and they have shown me that there is a plan in place to be competitive and it was really appealing to me to be a part of the turnaround in Toronto. I think ML has made a lot of great moves for the team and has prepared for each draft really well. He had a plan in place and has been executing. Now it's up to us players to carry the plan out on the ice. I also just enjoy the locker room in Toronto and playing for the fans. It is obviously such a great hockey city and I'm grateful to be playing in front of them at home. I love the big stage here. So I'm happy here and I wanted to see this rebuild through and be a big part of this team being competitive in the next few years.
SS: Now that you've signed that big contract, do you have your sights set on anything you want to buy with all of that money?
MK: I'll have nothing left over after purchasing all my training and equipment! (chuckles) But no, I think I'll just find a nice place to live here in the Toronto area and maybe buy myself a car. Nothing crazy, just something nice to get me around town. I'll have to do some shopping around, I really don't know much about cars, but I think it'd be pretty cool to get a nice one.
SS: That sounds great. Congratulations again on your new contract and thank you for taking the time to talk with us once again.
MK: Always a pleasure, guys.
So, Mika Kandinsky should be seen as a franchise center for Toronto from here on out. The franchise believes in him and they have made him their guy. This is a major vote of confidence for both player and team and it seems that they are both looking forward to finding success in Toronto.
As another relevant note, we want to point out that Toronto also signed Bobby Lane (@Rich) to a three year deal. The star rookie is currently having an excellent season and has 42 points and is tied with Kandinsky for team lead. Lane plays on Mika's wing and it seems that they are finding some chemistry together. This is a very promising look for the future of the Toronto North Stars! We'll be keeping a close eye on Kandinsky and the Stars as they come close to the end of the regular season. They are fighting for a playoff spot in the East at the moment and it remains to be seen if they are going to get in and compete for a championship or have one more season of being a lottery team.
RE: Siberia Sports: Toronto Extends Kandinsky! - Carpy48 - 02-18-2020
RE: Siberia Sports: Toronto Extends Kandinsky! - ml002 - 02-18-2020
Star gangggggg
RE: Siberia Sports: Toronto Extends Kandinsky! - Rich - 02-18-2020
Really glad Lane will get to play on Kandinsky's wing for a long time.