“CSKA has a good guy – Kuzmenko. And then I look - he was sent to the VHL. A very talented player, and suddenly in HSE. I would advise him to go to the NHL than sit there. It seems to me that he would have done very well in the NHL, ”said Nikita Kucherov in the fall of 2017.

Like looking into the water. Andrew, like current star"Tampa", worked in the "Polar Bears", only Kuzmenko is three years younger, and his father coached the "army".

“For two months I walked on the parquet in skates, and then immediately on the ice”

He was born in Eastern Siberia in a city on the banks of the Lena River - the largest in the world, flowing entirely in the permafrost region. The average annual temperature in Yakutsk is minus 8 degrees, in winter it reaches minus 50. In general, you can’t play hockey here on outdoors. Nevertheless, his father put Andrei on skates at the age of one and a half, when some kids are just starting to walk confidently. “At first, for two months at home, I walked on parquet and carpet, and then on ice,” Kuzmenko recalled.

When the young hockey player was five, his dad received an invitation to work in the Moscow Polar Bears team. The family moved to Moscow.

Until the age of 12, Andrei played in the Polar Bears, from where Ozhiganov, Gusev and Kucherov also came out, only Kuzmenko studied under the guidance of his father. Dad was always next to his son - in kindergarten, school (he worked as a physical education teacher) and, of course, at the rink.

Kharlamov Cup, debut in the KHL at the age of 18

In CSKA he was called from the age of 10, but his father said that it was too early. When the time came, dad let Andrei go to coach Pavel Baulin. At 16, he already made his debut in the MHL. Just then, a generation changed in CSKA and Gusev, Ozhiganov, Kucherov, Prokhorkin left. And green youth got a chance. That year, the Red Army finished 14th in the West and did not qualify for the playoffs.

The following season, the “army team” already played in the final of the Kharlamov Cup, in the seventh match with Spartak, Kuzmenko scored the second goal, but his team still lost. He won this trophy three years later, Andrey became the most valuable player in the playoffs.

He made his debut in the KHL at 18, but in four years he did not become a player in the main team. At first, Kvartalnov did not like the junior too much, but in the next season he began to trust a little more - Andrei played for 10-12 minutes. Starting from the 2012/13 season, Kuzmenko was called up to the Russian national team: U17, U20, and this year to the Olympic. At the 2016 World Youth Championships, he took silver.

Will he become the new Panarin?

Parallels with Artemy really arise. Kuzmenko, at 22, remained undrafted by anyone. But last summer I received an invitation to come to visit from Chicago, to see how the club works.

“I learned a lot for myself. Hard training, very hard tests, I've never been so tired. At the age of 21 in Chicago, I saw a completely different hockey, ”said the striker.

And in terms of the style of play, Kuzmenko resembles Panarin - the same nimble, fast, technical. “He is able to work miracles,” commentators say, and they are not nearly mistaken. Only it is problematic to do it in the fourth link. His contract with CSKA is valid for another two years, after which Kuzmenko will probably go to the NHL.

Experience, Koskinen and pig in CSKA. Why SKA will reach the final

The intrigue of the "army" derby is only in the number of matches.

Link to VHL

With Nikitin, Andrey never became an iron base player, and not because Kuzmenko is not suitable for the coach, but the mentor on the bench has a whole group of players with serious contracts. The 22-year-old forward was only in the fourth line, and even then not always. In the "regular season" he spent 45 matches, and six playoffs so far.

The composition of CSKA turned out to be so bloated that in September Kuzmenko, along with Svetlakov and Okulov, were sent to Chekhov's Zvezda. AT three matches VHL Andrei scored six points and was returned to main team. It is obvious that HSE is not the level of a hockey player called up to the national team, even if it is a reserve one. And it becomes a shame for a player who could play the whole season in the first two links and reach the majority in the half KHL clubs. But instead he went to Uchaly.

We are all surprised at Kuzmenko's hat-trick against SKA. But they shouldn't. This guy could have been churning out goals since the start of the season. There would be trust and a place in the composition ...

According to the regulations, each team in the upcoming season must have two "limiters" in its composition. One is born in 1996, the other is born in 1997. You can do without them, but then you have to limit yourself to a noticeably truncated application. Who among those who will receive an almost guaranteed place in their clubs is worthy of close attention? We have selected the top 20 young players that fall under this rule. Today we bring to your attention the first part of the list.

20., goalkeeper ("Admiral")

You can ask Vladimir Yurzinov Jr. or, say, Yegor Mikhailov about how hard it is sometimes for the heirs of the great. It happens that in their entire career they cannot come out of the shadows. The persecution of Maxim Tretiak began long before he had his first training session with the first team of CSKA. Fueling the fire was a challenge to the Russian national team, even if it didn’t go beyond the training camp. Everyone around is sure that any promotion of Maxim on the career ladder is the merit of his grandfather, who is also the president of the FHR. Moving to Vladivostok is a great chance to get rid of this offensive cliché. Tretiak Jr. has already won his first victory in the preseason, "drying out" the league's newcomer "Kunlun". It would seem that he is only the third goalkeeper of the Admiral, but Ivan Nalimov's illness makes Maxim's debut at the start of the championship possible. Be that as it may, he is one of the most talented goalkeepers in 1996 in the country.

19. Ilya Dervuk, defender (Vanguard)

After Avangard released Vladimir Tkachev and Maxim Kazakov to Admiral, and exchanged Nikolai Glukhov to Traktor, the number of young Omsk hockey players in the team dropped sharply. One of those who still enjoys the trust of Evgeny Kornoukhov is Ilya Dervuk. He is even called the favorite of the head coach of the hawks, with whom they crossed paths. youth team. Dervuk could not get through to the last MFM, but his position in the club is almost unshakable. Especially after the changes that took place in Omsk this summer. Vladimir Shalaev gathered four or five defenders of the high level, but the depth of defense leaves much to be desired. Judging by the pre-season matches, a place in the third pair of Ilya is almost guaranteed.

18. Alexander Mikulovich, defender (Kunlun)

After not the most successful youth world championship, the Chelyabinsk citizen did not try his luck overseas and came to Russia after three seasons in the Ontario League. True, the young defender did not return to his native Tractor at all. Alexander Mikulovich joined the Kunlun team, where Vladimir Krechin, the former head of the Chelyabinsk club, works. It is obvious that Mikulovich is precisely his creature. Being one of the youngest players Chinese team, the 21-year-old Russian is practically an uncontested candidate for the role of "limiter".

Everyone around is sure that any promotion of Maxim on the career ladder is the merit of his grandfather, who is also the president of the FHR. Moving to Vladivostok is a great chance to get rid of this offensive cliché.

In pre-season matches, Vladimir Yurzinov Jr. gives him enough playing time, and in that very scandalous game with Barys, Mikulovich became one of the targets of Damir Ryspaev. We also note that in a very miniature defense of the Kunlun, the Chelyabinsk stands out in size.

Kunlun Red Star. New season: hidden dragon KHL

A new challenge for Yurzinov Jr., dreams of Olympic Games 2022 and Finns who will stand up for the honor of China. What will Kunlun be like in the 2016/2017 season?

17. Mikhail Sidorov, defender (Ak Bars)

It's no secret that young forwards in Zinetula Bilyaletdinov's system are critically lacking in oxygen. And quite another matter – defenders. The Bars mentor himself played in defense and knows how to work with players of this role like no one else. Especially actively, he began to connect young defenders to the basis of Ak Bars after returning from the Russian national team. In the first season, Musin and Paygin appeared at the suggestion of Bilyaletdinov, and in the second year, Abrosimov and Sidorov. But if the 22-year-old Abrosimov is no longer a "limiter", then Sidorov can fulfill this role not only in the starting season, but also in the next one. The younger of the Sidorov brothers, who moved a year ago from Yaroslavl to Kazan, has already played more than 20 matches for Ak Bars. So in the offseason, a well-knocked defender appears on a permanent basis in the Kazan team.

16. Mikhail Vorobyov, forward (Salavat Yulaev)

It is not known how the fate of the Ufa player drafted by Philadelphia would have developed if SKA did not lay eyes on Nikolai Prokhorkin. Having lost the leading center in the midst of the off-season, Salavat Yulaev ended up with nothing. It was not possible to find a worthy replacement for Prokhorkin on the market, and the only way out was to bet on internal reserves. It was Mikhail Vorobyov and Stepan Khripunov who were first in line for Prokhorkin's place.

Alexander Mikulovich joined the Kunlun team, where Vladimir Krechin, the former head of the Chelyabinsk club, works. It is obvious that Mikulovich is precisely his creature.

True, the option is being considered that they will play together and make up a youth trio with Kirill Kaprizov. If Leonid Weisfeld does not urgently find an experienced center forward, the 19-year-old pupil of Salavat Yulaev will have every chance to make himself known. This is a classic tall center forward who should not be lost in adult hockey.

The most high-profile transfers of the KHL off-season: from Prokhorkin to Talbot

SKA returned the Russians from the NHL, Lokomotiv was seriously strengthened by legionnaires, Avangard got Medvedev, and Ak Bars got Sekach.

15. Egor Rykov, defender (SKA)

In the stellar squad of SKA, which has become even more powerful with the arrival of Oleg Znarka, there is almost no place for young players. The development of youth is for other clubs, while Petersburgers pursue goals of a different order. However, even for the base club of the national team, the rule of two limits applies. And it is already clear that they will be Yegor Rykov and Alexander Dergachev. Other players born in 1996 and 1997 are not even attracted to the training camp by Znarkom. As for Rykov, at one time he was the captain of the Russian junior team, and at the last World Cup he stood out even though he was younger than most of his teammates. Returning from Finland, where the young "soldier" won bronze, Rykov got a chance to try his hand at the core of SKA. And, I must say, he took advantage of it, at a certain stage, seating Dmitry Yudin on the bench. A fairly large defender, who was selected by New Jersey in the last NHL draft, is equally useful on both sides of the site. If he proves himself in front of Znark, then the road to the Russian team will be short.

14. Semyon Koshelev, forward (CSKA)

At a certain stage, it seemed that Semyon Koshelev's career, if not under threat, then seriously slowed down. The reason for this was his status: being a Kazakhstani, he accepted Russian citizenship, but for some time he was in "quarantine" and was considered a legionnaire. Because of this, the forward, who had outgrown the MHL, could not take a step up for a long time. But as soon as Koshelev was given the green light, he burst into the base of CSKA like a whirlwind. Despite the fact that he did not score a single point in 22 matches with the "army team", it is difficult to overestimate his usefulness for Dmitry Kvartalnov's team. The motor and impudent forward came in handy for the Muscovites even in the playoffs. The 20-year-old native of Ust-Kamenogorsk is approaching the upcoming season as a main player.

13. Daniil Vovchenko, forward (Severstal)

Last season, there were not many reasons to follow Severstal. From the last command Western Conference even their own fans turned away, what can we say about neutral spectators? The only reason to include matches with the participation of Cherepovets was the trio Buchnevich - Trubachev - Vovchenko. An experienced center forward mentored two young graduates of a local school. And if Buchnevich went to the NHL in transit through St. Petersburg, then Daniil Vovchenko remained in his native club. Perhaps he does not have the same scale of talent as Buchnevich, and his size still prevents him from dominating the level. However, it is not easy to find equally skilled players in Severstal. It is important that Vovchenko has already received great experience games in the majority and in key minutes of matches.

12. Anton Krasotkin, goalkeeper (Lokomotiv)

Like another person involved in our rating, by the beginning of the season, Anton Krasotkin is only suitable as the third goalkeeper. True, in order to be in this role, he did not have to leave his native Yaroslavl. The son of the legendary defender of Lokomotiv presented himself with his debut last season, but he failed to become Alexei Murygin's replacement on a permanent basis. And now, after Alexander Sudnitsin's "railroad workers" came to the camp, the question arises, will Krasotnik Jr. be trusted with at least five or six matches in a season? The 19-year-old goalkeeper, who became one of the heroes of the Kharlamov Cup, definitely deserved at least a few games for the basis of Lokomotiv in the season.

There is no doubt in Yaroslavl: if not the second Semyon Varlamov, then the new Yegor Podomatsky is growing before their eyes - for sure. Moreover, it was Podomatsky who worked with Krasotkin in the Yaroslavl youth team.

There is no doubt in Yaroslavl: if not the second Semyon Varlamov, then the new Yegor Podomatsky is growing before their eyes - for sure. Moreover, it was Podomatsky who worked with Krasotkin in the Yaroslavl youth team.

“I dissuaded my son from being a goalkeeper…”. Paradoxes of the Krasotkin dynasty

At the MHL Challenge Cup, the Western team was represented by Dmitry and Anton Krasotkin. How did it happen that the son did not follow in the footsteps of his father?

11. Andrey Kuzmenko, forward (CSKA)

Another representative of CSKA in our ranking of the best limiters. And, believe me, not the last. Perhaps all the coaches working in the league can envy what selection talented youth possessed by Dmitry Kvartalnov. And it is precisely the youth that is ideally tailored for his signature hockey. How Andrei Kuzmenko fit into the vertical and power hockey of CSKA was shown by the youth world championship. On the ice of the Hartwall Arena, the young “soldier” appeared as a typical “Kvartalnov soldier”, ready to plow the area up and down. And it does not matter that he finished the tournament without points. So, at the level, a native of Yakutsk is hardly destined to become a great sniper, but it is quite possible to win a place in the main team of the superclub. Last season, Kuzmenko managed to play in all three leagues.

Andrei Kuzmenko: On the last evening of the tournament, a sofa was thrown out of the window!

The CSKA striker scored 3 (2+1) points in the match with Salavat Yulaev and in an interview with Sovetsky Sport he spoke about how the season is going.

Last season, CSKA striker Andrei Kuzmenko won silver at the World Youth Championship, and then won the Kharlamov Cup with the Red Army, along with receiving the prize for the most valuable player in the playoffs. In the current championship, the striker already has 9 goals for CSKA and played for the Russian Olympic team at the German Cup. The business trip of Kuzmenko and his partners to the VHL made a lot of noise in the press. Andrei scored 6 (3+3) points in three matches in Zvezda and quickly returned. On Wednesday, he organized three goals against Salavat Yulaev and became the main author of the army team's victory. In an interview with Soviet Sport, Andrei spoke about how he began his hockey career.

- Andrei, you have been living in Moscow since childhood, but you were born and started playing hockey in Yakutsk. Remember this city?
-Sometimes I remember the harsh everyday life in Yakutsk. The temperature in winter is -50, the snowdrifts are huge. They pull on felt boots, wrap them in a fur coat, put a hat on my head - in all this it was hard for me to move, let alone move around. Dress up in all this and put it like a toy. And in the summer, such large mosquitoes and other insects that until you spread the spray all over your body, it’s better not to stick your head out on the street! In general, Yakutsk is not intended for hockey. But my father hockey coach, put me on skates for a year and a half. At first, for two months at home, I walked on the parquet and carpet, and then on the ice. Some people don't walk well at that age yet, but I already skated. We’ll come with dad for free skating, and two hours later he was already calling me home, and I begged me to stay on the ice again and again. Four hours a day rolled.

- Is your father also a professional hockey player?
- Not. He played hockey in student years. Then he decided to take up coaching. He received two higher educations related to sports. Our mother is also an athlete. What I didn’t do was skiing and cycling. As they say, an athlete, a Komsomol member, a beauty! A few years later, my parents realized that for my future I had to get out of Yakutsk. Yes, and my father just received an invitation to work in the Moscow team "Polar Bears". And we moved.

- Now your father advises you something in the game?
- Yes. But I have become older, so rather, we have discussions about how to play correctly.

- Do not argue on this topic?
- We don't have conflicts. I am a smart person, and if he does not agree with me, then I start proving again and again, and he gives up, says that I know better. Dad spent a lot of time with me. When we first arrived in Moscow, they did not want to take me to Kindergarten. They are overflowing here. But dad found a solution - he got a job there as a physical education coach, and they took me. The same thing happened with school.

"THROW THE SOFA OUT OF THE WINDOW!"

- How did you come to CSKA?
- Until the age of 12, I played in the Polar Bears. In CSKA, at that time, I had been called for two years already. But my father said that it was too early, that the moment would come and I would leave, but for now we had to play here. Well, the moment has come, and he let me go to coach Pavel Anatolyevich Baulin.

- Do you have many friends?
- All friends, mostly from hockey. Of course, there are acquaintances from school - guys with whom you can meet in the area, ask how you are doing, who is doing what. But it is friends - all from the ice. We spend a lot of time together - training, training, games. We get into interesting situations.

- For example?
- Often even in a children's school, when you go to tournaments, then on the last evening after all the games in the hotel, the so-called "royal night" comes. Many do not sleep, sometimes they can smear it with toothpaste, in the morning - a general washing off of this paste. At the age of 13, we generally decided to take a walk with the guys at night after the final. We lived on the second floor, it's cold outside, we're thinking how to get out. They threw a small sofa out of the room so that it was not so high to jump, but they just didn’t think about how we would return it back! When we returned, we realized that we couldn’t throw it back - heavy! We carry through the main entrance, and towards - Pavel Anatolyevich, Main coach! Went out for a walk too! We threw this sofa and scattered around the rooms!

- With which of the hockey players do you have friendly relations?
- A lot of people. We have known Alexander Samoilov since the age of five, we played a lot together.

- And what - are goalkeepers really strange people?
- I heard this and was even a little horrified when I realized that as many as four goalkeepers were flying with me to rest in Cyprus. But the fears were not confirmed - it was a lot of fun with them. I also communicate well with Sasha Sharov. In Novosibirsk, I went to visit him, we sat and talked. Andrey Svetlakov generally says that he sees his relatives less often than he plays with me on the same line! We've been playing with him for a long time. We fight sometimes! But this is all due to the fact that we are maximalists and want to show excellent results.

“DURING THE MATCH I WANTED A WHEELCHAIR”

- At what age did you get into the MHL?
- At the age of 16. The first season was a failure. Then a generation changed in CSKA, where there were Gusev, Ozhiganov, Kucherov, Prokhorkin. A lot of guys who went to the final for two years won. Then the club decided to change the strategy and give a chance to the young. When I came to the first meeting, I honestly did not believe that I would immediately get into the team. She was with quite mature players. And here is some news. By the first game, we had only three people in the visor, and the rest were “masks”. So they failed miserably! Place 24th seems to have taken.

- And what can you say about the famous "psychology of winners" among the players of the army club? Does she really exist?
- Personally, she came to me together with the coach Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vasiliev. He himself played for CSKA and before each game he reminded us that we play for the great four letters, and that all the boys dream of getting here. That's when I realized that CSKA is, first of all, traditions that go from generation to generation. And Mikhail Aleksandrovich said: “Guys, you play for CSKA, so don’t disgrace yourself and don’t disgrace those who wore this uniform before. Give all your best at 120%. I was generally lucky with the coaches. We got good seasons. Here with Boris Olegovich Mironov and Yegor Borisovich Mikhailov they took the Kharlamov Cup. They invested a lot in us for this victory.

- Do you remember this winning match?
- On the this moment he is the most memorable in his career. And not because we won. This is definitely important. We played the entire playoffs in three fives, it's very hard. Coaches trusted older players more. Sometimes we even went out through the shift. And they were very tired. I remember how, after the first two shifts of the 4th game of the final, I arrived at the bench exhausted. I sit and understand that one of the guys sits down next to me and asks what happened to me. And I say that I just have no more strength. They left me very early. I gave an interview after the final, they asked me if I was satisfied with the game, and I answered that I was already ten minutes later wheelchair I had to give it to me to ride on the ice. It's good that the guys from the second link scored important goals. Won the final.

- And what about the matches of the 2016 World Youth Championship?
- An important tournament, but it turned out to be a failure for me, despite the silver medal. Team - well done. I did not succeed - not a single transfer, not a single goal. It was a shame that he didn’t even hit a “five” once. It is clear that he hit the boys from the bench, but from the ice - it's a completely different feeling. After the championship, I told one journalist that I had -1 for the tournament. And later, when Igor Valeryevich Nikitin gave his first interview as head coach of CSKA, he reminded me of this and asked how to put me in the squad with such numbers. But Igor Valeryevich supported me, said that I played well even there.

- How do you feel about the constant rotation in CSKA?
- Good. We have a lot of competition and you need to prove and justify your place in the squad every day. You cannot play well today and badly tomorrow. As Dmitry Vyacheslavovich Kvartalnov says: “You can’t smoke”! One of his favorite expressions. You can't play bad. You can immediately be in the reserve and from there observe and wait for the mistakes of others in order to re-enter the ice. It's not bad for the future to go through such a CSKA school, where there are six excellent fives, and everyone wants to play. Here the character manifests itself - do you survive or not in such a situation?

"I'M CHEERING FOR MANCHESTER UNITED AND REAL"

- In the summer, you managed to see how the Chicago Blackhawks hockey system works ...
- I received an invitation from them to come and look at the club from the inside. There is such an infrastructure, from locker rooms to staff! It can be seen that people breathe hockey.

- Can I expect an offer from Chicago in the draft?
- I do not know. In any case, it's still too early for me to think about it. We need to get something here first.

- Soon Russia will host the World Cup. Are you interested in football?
- I support Manchester United. This, like CSKA, is a club with history. But, to be honest, I started rooting for the Red Devils when Cristiano Ronaldo played there. That's why I'm rooting for Real Madrid! I like Ronaldo. He is a unique person who constantly works on himself. I recently read an interesting article that he even has some kind of special sleep technique to recover faster.

- Sleeping in the fetal position?
Yes, but I haven't tried it myself yet.

Recently, Lionel Messi visited Moscow. Ak Bars goalkeeper Emil Garipov believes that if Ronaldo is a hard worker, then Messi is a talent from God ...
- Messi is a great football player, but I think that we all have 1% talent and 99% work. Everyone has a talent for something. But without work, he will not open.

- I saw a photo of your paragliding flight. How did you decide on this?
- I came across information about paragliding and caught fire. I read that Turkey has the highest point for such flights and decided to try it during my vacation. True, when we started to go to the mountains in the minibus and climb to the top, I somehow drooped, began to look into the distance, think about life and whether I need it at all! Then they came and changed into costumes. There is such a place that you have to accelerate down the descent, and then there is a cliff and rocks that you need to fly over. It's scary, but very cool. Like a child, I screamed with delight during the flight. Later, they decided to give a subscription for the same flight to their sister and her husband, but they decided that they didn’t need such adrenaline and went for a ride on jet skis. And in the future, maybe I'll jump with a parachute. I would like to do it somewhere in Dubai. They say that the views are incredible.

Not many people know Andrei Kuzmenko yet, but he has been skating for 20 years and is confidently moving towards his goal. Hockey is the main meaning of his life. He is willing to work hard to realize his dreams. Let him not be recognized on the street yet, but this CSKA player has a great future. "Yakutsk bear cub" is able to perfectly cope with the ice field and go forward, despite the difficulties.

Homeland - Yakutsk

Kuzmenko Andrey was born on February 4, 1996 in Yakutsk in a family of athletes. This harsh northern region left its mark on his character. A very cold climate with a temperature of -50 ° C in winter and huge snowdrifts does not allow you to be lazy. This requires constant movement. And this boy learned from childhood.

It was immediately clear that Andrei would become a hockey player. It could not be otherwise, because his father was a coach hockey team. For the first time, the boy was put on skates at 1.5 years old. At first, he just walked in them at home, and then his father took him to the ice. The child really liked it, and after some time he spent 4 hours a day on the rink. It seems incredible that a small child can have such perseverance, but Andrey Kuzmenko has been a hockey player from a very young age.

Of course, such perseverance could not be underestimated. The parents decided that it was impossible to linger in Yakutsk, and that they should move to Moscow as soon as possible. Just their move coincided with the proposal to Andrey's father to work as a coach of the Moscow Polar Bears. Probably this moment became decisive in the career of a hockey player. Now there was no doubt, it was just a matter of relentlessly moving forward. And he moved.

A little about parents

AT sports family It rarely happens that a child does not follow in the footsteps of their parents. So it happened with Andrey Aleksandrovich Kuzmenko. His father was fond of hockey from his youth. During his student years, he was a successful hockey player. However, over time I chose coaching. To do this, he had to work hard and get more than one higher education, each of which is closely related to sports activities.

Andrey's mother was also always fond of sports. Her passion was skiing and cycling. On top of that, she's also a beauty.

Kuzmenko received all the best from his parents. He is purposeful, hardworking and ready to work even more than 100%.

The beginning of a career in Moscow

From 5 to 12 years old Kuzmenko Andrei was a player of the Polar Bears. And a lot came out of here. famous hockey players, including Gusev, Kucherov, Ozhiganov. Of course, at first Andrey's coach was his father. It should be noted that he was always very supportive of him and was constantly there. And throughout all the years. Even at his son's school, he became a physical education teacher.

Andrey was called to CSKA at the age of 10, but his father did not let him go, he said that it was too early. A little later, he lets him train with Pavel Baulin. In the MHL, Kuzmenko was able to make his debut at the age of 16. It was during this period that a generational change took place in CSKA. That year was not very successful for the Red Army and the team, taking 14th place, could not get into the playoffs.

Kharlamov Cup

The next season was more successful for the hockey player and his team. However, the coveted Kharlamov Cup was obtained only after 3 years. Then Andrei Kuzmenko became one of the valuable players in the playoffs.

CSKA

The so-called psychology of winners, inherent in CSKA hockey players, Andrey Alexandrovich Kuzmenko learned only when he began working with coach M. A. Vasiliev. The coach constantly spoke about the importance of these four letters and the fact that many people dream of getting into the squad. CSKA is a tradition that is strictly passed on to new generations. You can't dishonor those who have already played for CSKA before, and yourself. Here Kuzmenko and other players had to give 120%.

According to Andrei, he was very lucky with the coaches. There were more good seasons than bad ones. Of course, there were also failures, for example, when Andrey Kuzmenko only made his debut in the KHL, he failed to enter the main team for four years. However, over time, things got better.

Difficult everyday life of hockey players

Sometimes it seems that in hockey everything is simple and easy - you run on the ice, it seems like you are doing what you love. And what can be difficult here?

However, in reality, everything is very difficult. When Kuzmenko had to play the playoffs in three fives, he was very tired. The players were already coming to the bench completely exhausted. The pleasure of the games was simply blocked by wild fatigue. These are the real workdays of hockey players. But despite the fatigue and heaviness, the final was won.

Visiting Chicago

In 2017, the hockey player managed to visit Chicago. And he was delighted with how everything is arranged there. Andrei was very impressed with the internal structure of the club. According to Kuzmenko, everything here is thought out for hockey - infrastructure, locker rooms. Even the staff is perfect. He noted that in this place hockey was right in the air.

Attitude towards work in CSKA

So far, Andrey is not considering his future outside of CSKA. He likes that there is a lot of competition here. There is a need to constantly prove something to someone and keep a place in the squad. You have to play well every day. Hockey players do not have time for a break, they have to play so as not to be in the reserve. You can’t make mistakes, otherwise you won’t be able to get out on the ice soon. Andrey Kuzmenko, CSKA hockey player, believes that it is important to go through this school if you want a great future in hockey. It is here that character is tempered and you can learn to survive.

Why striker

Andrei became a striker as a child. That's how his father originally defined it. Although he himself admits that he wanted to be a goalkeeper. However, the father-coach decided at one time that then there would be no one to score goals. And Kuzmenko himself explained his craving for goalkeeping beautiful shape. At the same time, he noted that tales about the oddities of goalkeepers are just fiction, there are a lot of funny and interesting guys among them.

Personal life

Kuzmenko Andrei does not like to live for show, but at the same time he does not try to hide everything too much from journalists. So far, it is only known that he has a girlfriend and she is very supportive of him. Not a single hockey match is complete without her presence in the stands. Everything else remains behind closed doors, as it should be between loving people.

Chief Cheerleader

Of course, the main fan of Kuzmenko is his father. He does not miss a single match of his son. And after each of them, they always call up and discuss mistakes and good moments. According to the hockey player himself, it was his father who supported him throughout his career. Over the years, they only began to understand each other better and have discussions about hockey.

Beyond hockey

I can’t even believe that the biography of Andrei Kuzmenko is able to accommodate other hobbies besides hockey. But in fact they are. It turns out that the athlete more than compensates for the workload and loss of strength on the ice with his love for other sports - football, tennis, snowboarding. According to Andrei, even on vacation he does not like to just bask on the beach, here he chooses scuba diving or something else interesting.

Like a hockey player and adrenaline. For example, not so long ago he found out that Turkey has a great place for paragliding and decided to try it. Of course, on the way to the mountains, he thought several times to abandon the idea, but in the end he nevertheless decided. I changed clothes, accelerated on the descent, and collapsed into a cliff above the rocks. According to him, it was scary, but very cool. This experience caused a childish delight in the hockey player. Kuzmenko liked the new emotions. And he plans to skydive over Dubai.

Andrey Kuzmenko (HC SKA) likes to watch films in his free time, especially about sports. He doesn't like horror films. He does not like, resting, to strain morally. He honestly admits that sometimes he goes to cartoons. It is very important for him to be charged with positive, to get a lot of pleasure, to laugh. Kuzmenko obviously knows how to enjoy life, and not just playing hockey.

Hockey player's dreams

Hockey players are people too, and they also like to dream. Andrew is no exception. He loves to travel very much. After a trip to Toronto, which is the birthplace of hockey, he developed a passion for visiting new cities.

Of course, he was there as part of the Russian national team when the tournaments were held. At that time he was 15 years old. However, even many years later, he does not stop dreaming about traveling. For example, he is eager to visit Australia and Brazil. Moreover, the hockey player is interested in everything: the life of people in these countries, communication.

I also have a dream to play in any NHL stadium. Kuzmenko really likes these sports arenas, which can accommodate 20,000 fans. He anticipates that from so many people you can get a huge boost of energy.

But Andrei dreams of playing with Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Kane, PK Subban, Erik Karlsson.

Most failed match

Of the failures, Andrei Kuzmenko remembered the matches of the 2016 World Youth Championship. He noted that the team as a whole performed well in this tournament. However, he himself never beat off the ice. As a result, he set himself a one with a fat minus for the tournament.

Despite such results, coach Nikitin not only did not scold Andrei, but even supported him. And this means only one thing, that the coaches see a great future for the hockey player and are ready to help him fight for him. All fans and spectators can only wish the hockey player the best and follow his new achievements.

Zvezda forward Andrei Kuzmenko talks about his first coach, why he didn't become a goalkeeper, his hobbies and much more.

- Andrei, tell us how your hockey career began?
- My father played hockey. I was born in Yakutsk, at that time my father was a coach in the Yakut Mammoths team. At the age of one and a half, I already knew how to skate. And when I was four years old, my father decided to move to Moscow. From the age of five I have already played in the Polar Bears team. Somewhere until the age of twelve, my father and I walked hand in hand, you can say that he led me along this path.

- Is your father still connected with hockey?
- Yes, dad loves hockey very much. Now holds personal training, coaches amateurs.

- Did you immediately become interested in hockey? Or did dad insist?
- No, dad never insisted, he doesn't like to force. There were such cases, at the very beginning, that I woke up at six in the morning myself, ran up to my parents, woke them up and said: “Let's go to the training soon, otherwise we will be late.”

- After the "Polar Bears" you came to CSKA. Do you remember your first coach?
- Oh sure. Baulin Pavel Anatolievich. Highly good coach, taught me a lot. He has many good pupils, and I am sure that every player is very grateful to him.

Do you keep in touch with him now?
Yes, we are still in touch. If there are any questions, I can always call him for advice. He gives very right advice how to act in a given situation.

- And who comes to support in the stands?
- Girlfriend. Parents watch every match on the Internet. After the game, my dad and I call up, discuss the game, sort out all the mistakes. My father is my main cheerleader!

- How did you choose the position of the striker?
- My father immediately put me on the attack. But I remember this moment: at the age of six, after training, I went up to my father and said: “Can I become a goalkeeper?”

What did your dad say to you?
- He asked: “Who will score goals then?” (smiles)

- And why did you have a desire to become a goalkeeper at that time?
- Oh, I don't even know (laughs). The goalkeeper's uniform is beautiful, I liked it.

- Last year you performed at the World Youth Championship. Tell me about it. What did that mean to you?
- It is a great honor for me to defend my homeland at such a level. I can't say that I played very well. Somewhere something did not work out, somewhere the puck did not fly, but it all went by the wayside. The main thing is that the team played well, the only thing was that they were a bit unlucky in the final.

- And the main achievement in your career?
- So far, the most important event is youth championship peace. I hope that much more important events await me ahead.

- An ideal link in which you would like to play?
- Pavel Datsyuk in the center, Patrick Kane on the right, in defense - PK Subban and Erik Karlsson

- Which arena would you like to play?
- I would like to play in any NHL stadium. There are very beautiful sports arenas, where 20 thousand spectators come. The charge of energy from them is probably just amazing.

- Individual goals for the season?
- Honestly, I do not set individual goals. The main goal is for the team to win, if the team does not win, no one will look at your personal achievements. The results and interests of the team should always be put at the head.

Andrey, at the moment you are the first in terms of performance in the team and the leader in terms of "plus / minus" in the VHL. Is it good to know that you are a leader?
- Yes, of course, it's nice. But, I repeat, the most important thing for me is that the team wins. You just have to work every day, work on yourself, then the result will be.

This season, you played for all three teams of the CSKA system. Is it hard to constantly move from the first team to the farm and youth team?
- No, it's not hard. Everywhere almost the same hockey. In a couple of shifts, you have time to readjust.

- And yet, what are the differences between the leagues?
- In the MHL, hockey is more creative, there are a lot of passes, they can give instead of throwing to the far post, where the players improvise. In the VHL, hockey is more straightforward, tactical. And in the KHL, hockey is very fast, the players are tactically well prepared, and speed qualities they are top notch.

- Ahead of the match with "Crystal". How do you rate your opponent? What do you know about the opponent?
- The team is not bad, the truth is now at the bottom standings. It seems to me that they will come, angry, militant, after three defeats in a row. I think we are in for a very difficult match.

And the result of the match "Zvezda" - "Diesel" will not affect the mood of the team? You still beat a rather strong and experienced opponent, who is confidently on the top lines of the tournament table.
- No, the team goes to every game focused, with burning eyes. And we can beat any opponent in this league who is both in first place and twenty-second. The league is very good and we have to beat anyone.

- Let's talk about your life outside of hockey. Tell me about your hobbies. What is the ideal vacation for you?
- I am for leisure I don't like to sit still. I can play football and play tennis. Go snowboarding in winter. Go to the cinema, go for a walk.

- And in the summer at sea? Lying on the beach, of course, you do not like ...
Yes, I don't like it at all. For example, this year I was vacationing in Cyprus, and there I went scuba diving. Got an incredible feeling. I love discovering something new.

- Do you prefer books or films?
- I love watching movies. "Any Sunday" is one of my favorite films, a very good movie about sports. Most importantly, I don't like horror, I don't like tension on vacation, I can even go to cartoons. The main thing for me is to get positive emotions, pleasure, recharge with positive and laugh like a child.

What is the most interesting place you have visited?
- There are many places I managed to visit, but I want to single out Toronto. The Russian team of my age had a tournament there. At that time we were all 15 years old. It was such a blessing because hockey was born in Toronto, it's the number one city in the history of hockey. And to visit this place, the stadium - then it was a great happiness for us.

- Where would you like to visit?
- I love to travel, to learn something new. I want to go to Australia, to visit Brazil. See how people live in these countries, communicate with them.

Press Service of PHC CSKA