**FIRST ARTICLE**



Hello American Hockey fans,

I am happy to announce that I will be traveling to North America this week to begin my journey to the Simulation Hockey League.
My decision to come to America to play ice hockey was made many years ago. I always knew I would move and try to play in the best league, but I wasn’t always sure when. And after thinking about it for a couple months, that time is now.

Playing in the SHL has been my dream. Like many boys growing up in Russia, I skated on the local pond, pretending to score goals like Kristian Eriksson for the Toronto North Stars and celebrating like Adam Kylrad and the Los Angeles Panthers. I still remember getting a Calgary Dragons sweater for my 10th birthday. It was the most expensive gift I have ever received and probably the most expensive article of clothing in our house. I wore that jersey so much the seams began to burst, and the “Barkov” print faded.

To my teammates at CSKA Moscow, it has been a great pleasure to have gone to battle with you all on the ice. We worked hard, believed in one another, supported each other and earned the right to be called “champions”. If it wasn’t for the last two seasons and how the club pushed me to become a better player, I would not be making this journey. I will miss you all and hope to see some of you in North America, as well. There’s so many of you in the clubhouse that I believe are some of the best and deserve to play for the best league in the world.

To Metallurg Novokuznetsk, thank you for taking a chance on me and showing me how to be a professional. I have said it before…the opportunity to play for my hometown club is something I consider a privilege and will never forget.

To the people of Novokuznetsk, thank you for continuing to support me and my dreams. I have never called another place “home”, nor will I. Moving to America to chase my dreams will never change the good people of Novokuznetsk as my family. It is my hope that I continue to make you all proud. It is also my hope that I bring Novokuznetsk  the same pride that Sergei Bobrovsky and Dmitry Orlov brought us all in the past.

To Mother Russia, I look forward to continuing to play the best game in the world in your honor. Russia will always be the best and deserve the best ice hockey. I leave for America to become the best and when it happens, I will proudly wave the flag. I cannot wait to suit up for Russia and compete in the Season 58 World Junior Classic. I have already heard from the team and feel it’s going to be a special squad.



To the hockey fans in North America, I cannot wait to meet you all. You are all very lucky fans. I say this because you have the best ice hockey located in your part of the world. I look forward to joining you all and promise to work extremely hard to be the best player I can be and give you all a great show. The next SMJHL draft cannot come fast enough!

I have been asked by many people on social media, where I would like to play. This is tough choice because there’s so many great teams in great cities that feature amazing fans. We don’t get to watch much of the SMJHL in Russia, but big fans of the SHL are familiar with the league. I know that being successful in the SHL means first being successful in the SMJHL. 

I have never been drafted before and remain extremely anxious for the opportunity to be picked by an SMJHL team before Season 58. I go to sleep every night, dreaming of what it would be like to put on the new sweater at the podium and pose for photos. For that sweater to be that of the Detroit Falcons, Kelowna Knights, and Vancouver Whalers would be a dream come true. I know these are the classic teams in the SMJHL and have a very rich history. These teams have seen several successful players win the Four Stars Cup and be drafted into the SHL. I have heard players being put in these cities leave with great discipline and confidence that they can succeed at the next level.

I was thinking yesterday that it would be awesome to spend some time California, playing with the Anaheim Outlaws. What makes playing professional ice hockey even better is having the beaches and girls all around during days off. Playing for the Carolina Kraken would also put me close to the beach…so I wouldn’t mind playing there either.

Playing for a team with an awesome name like the Raptors or Scarecrows is also something I think about. These are teams known for having crazy fans and insane gameday atmospheres. Also, Denver and St. Louis are great hockey cities that offer plenty to do.
I think sometimes about playing hockey in Canada. The United States has gained a lot over the years, but hockey in Canada is like vodka in Russia. There’s just no comparison! So, to play for the Newfoundland Berserkers or Quebec City Citadels would put me right in the heart of where hockey is life. This might remind me a lot of being on the ice in Russia, where hockey is everything. Heck, I’ll even throw the Anchorage Armada into these thoughts. Anchorage is part of the United States, but well into Canadian territory. I have heard Alaskans take their ice hockey seriously.

Lastly, I cannot leave out the idea of playing for the Maine Timber or Nevada Battleborn. Living in Maine would be just as exciting as living in Colorado when I think about the surroundings and things to do outdoors. Maine also isn’t too far from Canada, so I could make trips north of the border. On the other hand, I can only imagine what it would be like to live in Sin City! Russians talk about Las Vegas like it’s the land of Oz.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where I get drafted because I will feel lucky to be making another step to dreams come true. I plan to contact all teams before the draft and workout for as many that will come to see me. I promise to give any team that is willing to put my name on their sweater my all. I will work hard to give fans their money’s worth and win. It’s all about winning. I love to win, and I cannot wait to win in North America.

I will see you soon America!



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