All four women have earned respect and popularity across the territory of the KHL for their work in broadcasting.
Bobrov Division - Oleg Znarok (SKA) – Natalia Klark (Match TV)
Natalia Klark
Tarasov Division - Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division - Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Maria Bass
Chernyshev Division - Andrei Skabelka (Avangard) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
Daria Mironova
Sergei Dobrokhvalov, KHL-Marketing Vice President, lauded the initiative:
“Our mission, here at the League, is to make the All-Star Game a glittering and unforgettable event, and so we are always plotting new surprises for the fans. Last season we introduced a brave new format for the All-Star Game, creating a competitive mini-knockout tournament contested by the four Divisions, and the coaches were assisted by renowned TV commentators and experts. Judging by the enthusiastic reaction from all quarters to the innovations in Ufa, we can safely say it was a positive step.
We are confident that this year's innovation, having the head coaches assisted by media experts from the fairer sex, will also be a big success, and one which will linger long in the memory of the fans and spectators, as this is a total first for the KHL. I think all will be interested at how the four coaching duets perform, and the fans will be treated to a real coaches-eye-view of the All-Star Game. Our commentator-assistants will have to master a dual role, as coach and broadcaster, but I do not think anyone doubts their capabilities and adaptability, and that each will ensure that many more surprises are in store.”
On Tuesday, the KHL unveiled an innovative change to the All-Star Game format for the 2018 event – assisting the head coaches of the Division teams will be four ladies, all of whom are presenters from the world of TV sport who have a wealth of experience in covering matches in the Championship. One of this female coaching quartet is Match TV and KHL TV presenter Natalia Klark, who will work alongside SKA Saint Petersburg boss Oleg Znarok in charge of the Bobrov Division team, and she spoke to khl-ru on being part of the forthcoming festival of hockey in Astana.
- It's an excellent idea from the League, especially as it's the 10th anniversary season,” - said Natalia. “It's a good way to entertain the spectators at the arena and, most imortantly, the viewers at home. More and more families are now going to hockey games but the core audience is still men, and I know how the men love and respect the women who work in hockey. Our working at the All-Star Game in tandem with the head coaches is just great.”
“When you received the invitation from the League, did you not think it was a practical joke?”
“No, although not long before getting the invitation, I was pondering that question: what on earth could the KHL dream up that would impress the sophisticated viewer? Coming up with surprises for the All-Star Game is far from easy, as they have pretty much thought of everything already. Last year's innovation was having commentators on the bench as assistants to the coaches, and I think it was a success.”
“Did you ever imagine you would one day be tasked with being a coach on the bench, in charge of superstar players?”
“No, of course not. For me this is a huge responsibility, but it's very exciting. It's a long time since I felt the adrenalin rush through me in anticipation of any event.”
“It's an unusual and exciting challenge, so do you think you are up to the task of being an assistant coach?”
“First you need to fully understand the mission you've been set, and then think about how to accomplish it. I knew straight away, for various reasons, which coach I wanted to work with, and I think that Oleg Znarok and I will be speaking the same language very quickly, with no problem whatsoever.”
“Which tasks and responsibilities will you take upon yourself?”
“That's a matter for the head coach to decide (laughs). If he agrees, then why should I not have a say in the tactics and formations? I reckon I can even teach the players a few things.”
“Do your theories need any fine-tuning before the big day?
“For the All-Star Game, practice is more important than theory. And another strong desire harbored by many top players is to show their love of the game, and that is precisely why they go to the All-Star Game. It's an occasion for meeting and making friends, for enjoyment, and for delighting the fans no matter what else is happening. And I think everyone will have a great time, and enjoy not having to ponder the everyday details of events in the regular season. The All-Star Game is like a hockey fairy tale, but one that lasts for two days instead of two hours.”
“You are a young mother. Will that experience be valuable in looking after the team?”
“It's always seemed to me that part of the art of coaching in big games is knowing when not to interfere.”
“Do you think your famous hockey surname will work its magic?”
“Definitely. And when assisting such a great head coach... Oleg and I can make any team a champion!”
Following our interview with Natalia Clark, one of the four lady TV presenters who will serve as assistant coaches at the 2018 All-Star Game, we continue our look at the quartet of female tv presenters, who have been called up for January's big event in Astana.
Today, we focus on Maria Bass, currently in Buffalo, NY, covering the World Juniors, but who will work in tandem at the All-Star Game with Neftekhimik boss Andrei Nazarov in charge of the Kharlamov Division team.
“Maria, in order to be in Astana in time for the big match, you will have to fly straight from North America to Kazahstan with no rest inbetween. Will it not be hard to acclimatize?”
“I got used to it a long time ago. My job involves 50 or 60 flights each year, to different cities in different continents, so this will be water off a duck's back. And if the time difference between Astana and the USA causes me to start dropping off to sleep on the team bench, then I trust Andrei Nazarov will wake me (laughs).”
“How did you react to the news that you would take part in the All-Star Game?”
“I confess, I didn't believe it at first. I've always been more of a “gray cardinal,” pulling strings behind the scenes, and only stepping in front of the camera at the international tournaments, which are few and far between compared to matches in the KHL Championship. I'm working on some huge projests – documentary films, special reports = but nothing which demands that I do pieces to camera, so this call-up for the All-Star Game made me very happy. It's not often in life that such chances come along.”
“What do you think of the idea in general?”
“It's an outstanding idea! One should always strive to create something new and original. This shows that the KHL refuses to accept that there are limits to innovation.”
“Do you think there is a danger that you and the other women might attract too much attention, and distract the viewers from the head coaches and the game itself?”
“I believe that if the woman is a true professional, then she will illuminate the game of hockey, and never distract anyone from it. My mission is to serve the team by working well in tandem with the head coach.”
“Andrei Nazarov has already said he will ask you to draw out some tactical formations for the players. How is your skill set with regard to drawing?”
“To be honest, not that great. But I'll bring a compass and ruler.”
“Coaches like to get out onto the ice to demonstrate something that they want their players to copy. Are you ready to grab your stick and your skates and do the same?”
“Of course I'm ready. I love skating.”
“Andrei Nazarov is a very colorful and charismatic character. Did you choose to be his partner?”
“We did a great job together at the preseason camps for a KHL special, covering the build-up to the new season, so for me there was no doubt. Nazarov as head coach and me as his assistant.”
“He does have a habit of shouting, not just at his players, but also at his assistants if he feels they are not pulling their weight in some way. Are you ready for such a turn of events?”
“It so happens that I, too, am prone to shouting when I'm recording and filming, and it's just part of the job. The main thing is getting the right result.”
“What if you are interviewing a player on the bench and Andrei needs him on the ice?”
“In that event, Andrei will take one of the player's sleeves and I'll grab the other, and we'll see who wins the tug-of-war.”
Sonia Gudim, while hailing from Chelyabinsk – a city which has one of the strongest claims to being Russia's hockey heartland, is a very recent addition to our screens, but already in only her second season of broadcasting and covering the game, she has built up an army of fans. They will be eagerly awaiting her appearance on the bench in the 2018 All-Star Game, where she will serve as assistant coach to Tarasov Division boss Igor Nikitin.
“How did you get into hockey TV? What attracted you to the game?”
“The summer before last, I got a call from Igor Zhukov, head of the Department of Information and PR man at Traktor. He offered to meet me to ask a few questions so he could find out how well versed I was in hockey, and I think my answers sent shivers down his spine. Back then I had never seen a single hockey game, and according to me, each match was divided into two halves and there were 22 players on the ice. But Igor believed in me and with a heavy heart sent me off to get acquainted with the Chelyabinsk team. For me it was a mega-challenge, and gaining experience of live TV broadcasts was the icing on the cake. This is how my love of hockey blossomed.”
“Some girls seek a career in sport because it is full of good-looking, athletic young men. Not in your case?”
“Girls come to sports, particularly to hockey, because it has passion, energy, emotion … the kind that gives you goosebumps. It's just a bonus that it is mostly good-looking, athletic young men who go into battle to provide that to the public. But in general, men play no part in my motivation to go somewhere or do something. With the exception, of course, of my own fella.”
“I think those words might have broken the hearts of several thousand of your fans...”
“Incidentally, I met my guy through hockey, so that's a second reason for loving the sport. He is very supportive of me in everything I do, and that gives me inspiration.”
“Do you do much sport or exercise yourself, and if yes, is it a help to you?”
“I believe strongly in leading a healthy, active lifestyle which we need in order to live well and feel good, so yes, it helps.”
“Do you remember your first hockey interview, and were you very nervous?”
“It was at the preseason tournament, the Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Cup, and I had just flown in that morning from Amsterdam and had not slept at all the night before. I was insanely nervous, I was afraid I might mix up or forget the name of the player, as he was Traktor's captain, so again and again I repeated: "Alexander Shinin." But thankfully, he showed why he was a true captain: he knew how to instill confidence in journalists as well as players.”
“How quickly did you get to grips with the rules and all the nuances of the game?”
“It has taken me a long time. Last season there was a lot of traveling – I went to the All-Star Game in Ufa, I covered Traktor's playoff games against Barys in Astana, then traveled to the Western Conference finals in Yaroslavl, and all this time I was learning, bit by bit, and I am still learning.”
“How much of a surprise was the invitation to participate in the All-Star Game, especially as a coach? Did you accept straight away?”
“They called me just before a Traktor game, and I was so delighted that I momentarily forgot about the work I was doing at the time. I agreed immediately.”
“It's no secret that your popularity shy-rocketed after you started appearing on the TV screens, particularly among male fans. Are you accustomed to the fame and popularity yet?”
“My appearance in real life rarely matches my look when I'm on the air, so it is really a virtual popularity.”
“How have you been preparing for the All-Star Game?”
“I can't reveal all my secrets to you, but rest assured, I will be going to Astana with pleanty up my sleeve.”
“Your colleague will be CSKA head coach Igor Nikitin. Will you be ready to present him with your strategy for winning the tournament?”
“Of course! But don't try to second guess our plans. All will be revealed in good time.”
“What does it mean to you, being invited to take part in an event such as the All-Star Game?”
“Firstly, I see it is as the best New Year present I've had. Secondly, it is a great honor and a huge responsibility, and I am grateful to the League for showing such faith in me.”
In this, the fourth and final interview, we spoke to Daria Mironova of Match TV, who will be assisting Salavat Yulaev boss and Chernyshev Division head coach Erkka Westerlund.
- Daria, you spent quite a long time living in North America. Do you feel like a foreign star among the home-grown women on the team?
- That's a funny question, thank you! I just spend every preseason in the States, devoting all my time to my studies, attending master-classes and lectures given by North American commentators and journalists. Of course, this will help me communicate with the foreign players in my role as a foreigner-assistant-coach, as on our bench it will be useful to have someone who speaks both English and Russian. I love the whole idea! And by the way, Erkka Westerlund owes me a couple of interviews. He was fobbing me off, saying, “Later, later...” but now he cannot escape. He loves to draw and to explain, and I love to learn, so it will be an ideal partnership!
- Will it help you, all this experience you've gained across the ocean and at home in Russia?
- These last two years I have been reading an awful lot of books devoted to precisely this theme – the art of coaching. I just find it interesting. Most of the reading has been in English, but only because there are far fewer books in Russian about sport. In fact, I was discussing this with the famous journalist, Pavel Lysenkov, and we were wondering whether we should write a book about the coaches in the KHL. Moreover, I'm a big admirer of the Yurzinov dynasty.
- You spend quite a bit of your working life standing near the bench during matches, where you can hear the coaches shout. Have you heard anything that you might use to your advantage?
- Of course! The coaches are always asking me what I am writing down in my notebook, but I've kept every word and at last I can use them for my new assignment.
- Had you ever harbored a desire to test your mettle as a coach?
- As I, myself, am a swimmer, I am currently coaching my son, so I already have the leadership skills and a track record of getting the job done (laughs). But joking aside, during the preseason HC Sochi gave me a chance to test myself as a public address announcer, which gave me invaluable experience, and I can't even begin to describe the emotions. Now I have a new mountain to climb, albeit one which is a lot of fun. I love to experiment. Maybe, after the All-Star Game, I'll want to get my teeth into the science of coaching.
Recently in Moscow we had the International Hockey Forum, and I recall Igor Zakharkin's profound words, “You don't need to have played hockey to be a successful hockey coach.” Mike Babcock, in fact, never played the game at a professional level, but to the Canadians he's worth his weight in gold as a coach. On the flip side of the coin, there's Boris Mironov, who smashed many records with the Oilers, won Olympic silver and bronze, and is now a successful coach in the YHL and VHL. You find there are unique personalities.
- What do you think, overall, of the KHL's idea of having women TV presenters sharing the driving seat, so to speak, with the coaches?
- To be honest, the news knocked me back. You may remember at the All-Star Game in Ufa, I went onto the team bench to speak to Sergei Gimayev and Ilya Vorobyov, offering them my own game-plan. But that was just a bit-part in the show. I love to joke, but I view this new role seriously. There has been some talk of rivalries between us. I wouldn't know about that – I am only thinking about how to help my team and how we can put on a show which will delight the spectators. In that respect, TV presenters are no different from the hockey players – we each have a job to do, and we go out and do it.
- Have you worked out any tactic or strategy to implement in the event that you need to change the course of the game? Do you have a Plan B, as they say?
- My favourite coaching method is the carrot-and-stick. I'm no pushover. We'll apply the received wisdom: you need to take an individual approach toward each individual player. I'll go out on the ice myself, if need be.
- How do you rate your team's chances?
- It brings to mind Eduard Zankovets. He didn't put together the Slovan roster, so he just had to work with the team he had inherited, and this will be a similar situation. All the same, I will state publicly that our Chernyshev Division is the best, so let's go, guys! And I hope the support from our fans will spur us on. We can do it!
- Do you know your roster off by heart yet? Have you chosen your most dangerous offensive troika?
- I closely followed all the rosters at every stage of the selection process, and in our team we have a lot of verstile players, which is a big plus for any coaching staff. I remember Alexei Krasikov from his days at Atlant, and he even came to our home to try out some goaltending equipment, and now he's a bit of a star at Sibir.Erkka Westerlund describes Philip Larsen as one of the most talented defensemen in the KHL, so he can do the work of two men. You see? I'm already giving out orders. Naturally, Erkka and I need to decide when and who will charge out onto the ice if we don't like the refereeing. We are both highly expressive people, both born under a “fire” sign, and I favor open, attacing hockey, while Erkka has his own preferences (laughs).
- As well as the coaching side, you and your three fellow assistants will have to keep in mind your role as a TV broadcaster. Do you think you will be able to combine the two duties?
- Natalia Clark and I have spent the season combining three jobs – presenting in the studio, sending reports from the games, and commentating from the sidelines – but these all overlap and are similar in spirit. The All-Star Game is a unique opportunity for me to gain new experience. I expect to fully enjoy it, but the most important thing is to transmit the festive occasion to the fans. It's like having New Year all over again, but a hockey version, and I need to glide smoothly into the role of assistant coach. I'll be studying all the interviews I've done with coaches from various sports. The important thing is not me, personally, but my role as a component in the machine, able to improve, amplify or change things. It will do me good!
Owing to family obligations, SKA head coach Oleg Znarok wil be unable to take part in the 2018 All-Star Game, and his replacement in charge of the Bobrov Division team has been named as Jukka Jalonen, current boss of HC Jokerit Helsinki.
“The KHL All-Star Game is always a glittering event and a grand spectacle, featuring the greatest players,” - said Jalonen on receiving the news. “My being chosen to be a part of this event is recognition of the great season we've been having, and it is an reward not just for me, but for everyone at Jokerit. I'm really looking forward to going there and meeting the players, the fans, and the other coaches.”
In a coaching career spanning more than a quarter of a century, Jukka Jalonen has led Team Finland to bronze at the Olympics and gold at the World Championships, and has also guided teams to gold at the World Juniors, the Championship of Finland, and as part of the SKA Saint Petersburg staff in 2016, the Viktor Tikhonov Trophy for winning the KHL regular season.
The revised coaching line-up now reads as follows:
Bobrov Division
Jukka Jalonen (Jokerit) – Natalia Clark (Match TV)
Tarasov Division
Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division
Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Chernyshev Division
Andrei Skabelka (Avangard) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
Jukka Jalonen (Jokerit) – Natalia Clark (Match TV)
Tarasov Division
Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division
Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Chernyshev Division
Andrei Skabelka (Avangard) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
The Kontinental Hockey League, in association with companies BAUER and Luch, unveiled the jerseys and equipment which will be worn by the League's finest players as they compete in the All-Star Game, held in January of 2018 in Astana. The biggest show of the season for three leagues - the KHL, YHL and WHL - will be combined into a single Week of Hockey Stars, to be held in Astana from the 10th to the 14th of January, 2018. As befits such a grand festival, the star participants will be kitted out in Bauer helmets, gloves and leggings specially designed for the KHL All-Star Game, YHL Challenge Cup and the WHL All-Star Game.
All the gear incorporates the unique style of the 2018 Week of Hockey Stars, combining the colors of the Republic of Kazakhstan national flag (gold and blue), as a mark of respect for the country which will host the biggest hockey show of the 2017-18 season, with elements of traditional Kazakh ornamentation.
The colors for the team jerseys will be golden yellow (Bobrov Division), white (Tarasov Division), sky blue (Kharlamov Division), and navy blue (Chernyshev Division).
One of the innovations introduced this season is the creation of Division team logos in the style of the All-Star Game. A popular feature from the 2017 All-Star Game uniform will remain – the gloves will be the same color as the jerseys, so that they appear as extensions of the sleeves.
In order to make the Kharlamov Division uniform, it was necessary to source unique, sky-blue helmets, so the master craftsmen at Bauer manufactured a special set exclusive to the All-Star Game. The sky-blue color choice presented a similar problem with the jerseys, so the specialists at Luch have produced a limited stretch of the fabric needed to make such a garment.
Sergei Dobrokhvalov, KHL-Marketing Vice President, was pleased with the result:
“It is becoming a strong tradition to design the uniforms to be in harmony with the specific style created for the All-Star Game, and this year we will adhere to this custom. The All-Star Game is, first and foremost, a show, so it should be bright, colorful, and unforgettable. For this reason, the KHL pays close attention in devising every detail of what is the grandest hockey festival of the season. The team uniforms should be in harmony with the general atmosphere, but we also consider technical issues, such as how the designs will look on the viewers' TV screens during the live broadcasts. The League has taken all these subtle factors into account, and these uniforms will help ensure that the 2018 All-Star Game will linger long in the memory of the fans as a visually stunning event.”
Following the departure from,Avangard of head coach Andrei Skabelka, his place in charge of the Chernyshev Division team at the 2018 All-Star Game has been taken by Salavat Yulaev boss Erkka Westerlund.
In a coaching career spanning more than two decades, Erkka Westerlund has won silver and bronze at the Olympic Games, silver and bronze at the World Championships, and two more bronze medals at the World U20 Championships. He has also won the Championship of Finland, where he was named Coach of the Year, and has been head coach of Salavat Yulaev since March of 2017.
The revised coaching line-up now reads as follows:
Bobrov Division
Jukka Jalonen (Jokerit) – Natalia Clark (Match TV)
Tarasov Division
Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division
Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Chernyshev Division
Erkka Westerlund (Salavat Yulaev) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
Jukka Jalonen (Jokerit) – Natalia Clark (Match TV)
Tarasov Division
Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division
Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Chernyshev Division
Erkka Westerlund (Salavat Yulaev) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
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