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***ghamss*** · 10-01-2024, 10:30 AM

With the 21st pick and the first pick in the second round of the S79 SHL draft, the Montreal Patriotes select Slava Kasyanenko. Getting a player that many considered to be a top 10 pick in the draft in the second round. What a steal! As Slava’s new teammate, I sat down and had a chat to get to know him better. Here's your chance to learn more about them.

Question: For those of us that don’t know you, tell us about yourself. What is your role on your Nevada? How did S79 go for you? Who is your celebrity crush?
Answer: Loaded first question I love it! My role within Nevada honestly went higher and faster than I could have anticipated. I had the honour of being elected an alternate in my first season which, I think I've grown into very well. All i’m trying to do really is establish myself as a very high quality first gen and continue to prove myself to the org and to the league. S79 went about as expected, wish we could have seen more playoff success but, the sim gonna sim. I think I established myself as an elite face off guy in my rookie season and look to improve on that and my defensive responsibilities going into next season. Celebrity crush is actually the easiest part of this question! Jennifer Lawrence without a doubt.

Question: Looking ahead to the future, what does S80 look like for you? What are your goals?
Answer: S80 brings a new chapter of being gifted a larger role in play due to our rebuild coming from so many graduates. My goals are to continue to be a leader in the locker room and show the new rookies we obtain through the draft the right way of doing things. I also hope to well exceed my point total and hopefully improve on my FOW percentage.

Question: When it comes to the recent SHL draft, what were you thinking going into the draft? What pick did you think you’d be taken at? Where do you think you’d end up?
Answer: To be honest with you man, I had no idea! Haha. I wasn’t sure of the value of recreates comparative to first gens, I wasn’t sure if I had demonstrated enough outside of my locker room really the dedication I’ve had throughout this past season so ultimately, just a lot of haze surrounded the SHL draft for me. Had some great talks with lots of great GMs and found myself in the Montreal org alongside yourself!

Question: What was your initial reaction to being picked by Montreal?
Answer: My initial reaction was HUH MONTREAL?! But, after realising the connections I had already established within my rookie season, it made alot of sense. Even from the few interactions I’ve had thus far, I think they absolutely made the correct pick taking me at 21.

Question: Are you the DJ in the LR? What kind of music gets you ready for a game?
Answer: I am not actually! Volta is a big DJ guy. I listen to all kinds of tunes though really dependent on the mood. Rap, EDM, metal… you name it really. Except country….

Question: If you weren’t playing hockey for a living, what sport would you want to play?
Answer: Probably football, big fan of tactics that are associated with schemes dependent on the personnel you put out there. I’m also an avid trash fantasy football player so, makes sense!

Question: Does pineapple belong on pizza? Why or why not.
Answer: Absolutely not…. New York’s got the best pizza on the planet and I can’t disrespect a pie like that. Brooklyn slice all the way, no contest.

Question: Do you have advice for the next group of rookies?
Answer: Biggest advice I have is HAVE FUN. It’s a be a pro experience, figure out the vision you want for your player and run with it. Any org will be more than happy to take you in and show you the ropes. Aside from that, seek advice if you’re stumped from established players. People are ALWAYS yappin in the discord, lots of information to sponge from there whether it’s mock drafts, if there’s trouble in paradise with other teams or any other topic you can think of.

Question: Do you have any hidden talents the fans don’t know about?
Answer: Not many hidden talents really! I do make a great chicken cutlet though. I do want to use your platform to advocate to everyone that it is OFFICIALLY SQUATOBER. Get up, get your body moving from behind the screen and let’s get some squats in this month. Whether it’s with weights, air squats or even sitting up and down on a chair over and over. You’ll never regret being kind to your body!

Question: How do you balance personal goals vs team goals? Which do you prioritise?
Answer: I think most personal goals should align with your teams goals honestly. Mixing oil with fire usually doesn’t have the best results. If your goal is cups, be transparent. If your goal is stats and records, be transparent. It gets you far in life and will get you just as far within the league.

There you have it folks. The one, the only Slava Kasyanenko. Thank you Slava, @Rengoku for taking the time to answer these questions. It's great to get to know you better. I look forward to playing alongside you for many seasons to come.

This is a part 2 of interviews between S79 draft picks for the Montreal Patriotes. If you're interested in reading Chuck Stewart's interview, you can find it here. Please split pay 50/50 between @Rengoku and myself.

GO