Lokomotiv forward Egor Surin discusses the final series, the emotions of winning the Gagarin Cup, his friendship with Alexander Radulov, and conversations with head coach Igor Nikitin.
“I Was Confident Before the Season Lokomotiv Would Play in the Final”
Tell us, how have you spent the last few days?
I`ve been resting and enjoying everything. I miss the Gagarin Cup already; I want to lift it again. I also spent time with friends from Voronezh. For example, I had a great time relaxing with Vanya Okunev. In short, I`m absorbing emotions from people and giving them mine.
Have the emotions from winning the Gagarin Cup settled down?
I`m not letting the euphoria subside. I keep rewatching videos of the championship game. There are many fan videos. I came across one that combined moments from last year`s and this year`s finals: last year`s disappointment of the guys and Max Shalunov`s goal in the winning game. People send me a lot of stuff on Telegram too.
How did you see Shalunov`s goal yourself?
We were preparing for the next shift; I was by the boards. The only thought in my head was that the next goal would win us the championship. When Max scored, I didn`t immediately grasp that we had won the Gagarin Cup. I just instinctively rushed onto the ice, throwing off my helmet and gloves. The realization hit me when we started hugging.
I imagine you pictured what it would be like if Lokomotiv won the Gagarin Cup. Did the reality match your expectations?
Before the season, I was confident our team would reach the final, at least. We had problems and specific nuances in the series against Avangard, and we spent a lot of nerves against Salavat Yulaev, but getting to the final brought anticipation. The emotions of winning the Cup are hard to imagine beforehand; it`s something unbelievable. I wish it could last longer.
What was the most unexpected or pleasant congratulation you received?
I received unexpected congratulations from Nashville players. It was very pleasant to get congratulated by my first coaches in Voronezh – Vasily Komissarov, Andrey Suntsov, and Gennady Revin – as well as my school coaches from Yaroslavl, like Alexander Tatarinov. Those were the most pleasant and sincere.
The team took the Cup to the memorial for the perished Lokomotiv team.
I visited the memorial for the first time just before the playoffs and was deeply moved. That`s when I understood we were simply obligated to win the Gagarin Cup. I really wanted to bring it to Tunoshna immediately on the day we won. Bringing it later brought a sense of calm and joy that the team had done it. Taking the Cup to the memorial was important for the whole city and even the country, as that tragedy affected many.
When the Cup is yours to keep, where will you take it?
I haven`t thought of anything cool yet, but I definitely will. I`ll certainly take it to Voronezh; everyone there is waiting. I`ll display it in the Buran children`s school hall. We have a big hall there perfect for showing the Cup.
“The Hidden Final Was in the Series Against Avangard”
Was the final series special?
Perhaps it`s too strong to say, but I believe the hidden final was against Avangard. Based on the difficulty of the games and the level of resistance, we went through a lot in that series and couldn`t be broken afterwards. Traktor only had a chance if they presented something unexpected. We went through fire and water to get to Chelyabinsk; they had no chance.
Before the series against Traktor, you were asked to compare MHL and KHL finals. Were there more similarities or differences?
I`ll say this: my experience from last year`s MHL final helped immensely. I was prepared for how Traktor would play in Game 5. A year ago, Loko was down 1-3 against SKA-1946. In the last game, there was no pressure on us; we knew we`d go out and fight, but we felt calm inside. I think it`s easier to come back in a series and harder to hold a lead. It`s like running: when you`re second or third, you`re motivated by chasing the leader. But when you`re the leader, that motivation is gone. So, I understood how the Traktor players felt in Game 5. I tried to mentally prepare myself for that game to be the decider.
What happened in the team and with you personally after the Game 1 loss to Traktor?
There was a sense of emptiness. We lost Game 1 in three of our playoff series, and they were all similar. I kept asking myself, `How are we doing this? Why?`. We knew we weren`t playing our game. In the second games, we looked for answers. The coaches were calm after losses against Omsk and Ufa, pointing out mistakes. But after the loss to Traktor, Igor Valeryevich [Nikitin] was intense. It was an emotional fire-up for everyone. I think it helped him too.
In Chelyabinsk, the fans greeted Lokomotiv with whistling.
Our experienced players took it calmly – `It is what it is.` But for me, it was pure bliss; I absolutely loved skating onto the ice to the whistling of the opposing fans. Even before the second game, I thought, `Can`t wait for the game, want to hear that again.` Negativity doesn`t throw me off. On the contrary, I love it when people are biased or show dislike towards me; it motivates me.
There was huge excitement before Game 5 in Yaroslavl with the chance to win the Gagarin Cup at home. Did this add extra nervousness?
The toughest time in the final was the day of Game 5. The whole team understood that we had to win right then and there. The excitement itself even helped. There was a difficult situation with tickets, as everyone wanted to invite people to the game. While sorting that out, I wasn`t really thinking about the game itself. If not for that, there would have been a risk of burning out.
What happened during the intermission before overtime in Game 5 against Traktor?
The whole team was calm. The guys were focusing, pushing away heavy thoughts. Then Igor Valeryevich came, gathered us in a circle, hugged Alexander Radulov, and asked how old he was. He then asked Radulov to talk about how it felt to win the Gagarin Cup. Sasha replied that it was cool but had to be earned. Igor Valeryevich then said that we had already earned it long ago; we just needed to take what was ours. We got emotionally charged and went onto the ice.
“Game 5 Against Ufa Was My Best Game of the Season”
You already called the series against Avangard the hidden final.
After Game 4, the teams became completely familiar with each other; all strengths and weaknesses were known. When Avangard won two games to tie the series, I think they were simply more composed. But it wasn`t a disaster for us. We learned a lesson about preparing correctly for Game 5. Game 7 is a clean slate, a war.
What thoughts were going through your head before Game 7?
I often compare Game 7 against Avangard and Game 5 against Traktor now. In the series against Omsk, I constantly thought about what the locker room would be like if we won versus if we lost. I kept pushing those thoughts away, but they still crept in. I thought about how we`d celebrate or what Igor Valeryevich would say after a loss. Against Traktor before Game 5, there wasn`t a single thought of a bad locker room. I was confident we would win. I didn`t even consider packing my bags for Chelyabinsk.
In Game 7, third period, Avangard tied the score. What did you feel at that moment?
I was sitting on the bench with Dima Simashev. By the game`s rule, we were benched for the third period; we weren`t playing but supporting the guys. I was honestly just praying the whole third period, no joke. Simashev kept nudging me, asking how much time was left, and the clock wasn`t moving at all! It was a tough moment. I chewed on my whole glove, I was so nervous. Simashev was nervous too but was calming me down. Later, we were very happy that our worrying wasn`t in vain.
Tell us about the intermissions before the first and second overtimes. How did they go?
The first intermission was calm. I felt `cold` from sitting out the third period. I put my head down in the locker room, needing to reset. There was anger inside. After the first overtime, I knew we wouldn`t give up the game. It could have been decided by one lucky bounce, sure, but we were dominating and looked stronger than Avangard. In the break between overtimes, everyone was just resting because our legs were really tired. You just try to recover in those moments. There weren`t any excessive emotions.
Your best playoff game was Game 5 against Salavat Yulaev? People said only Surin and Radulov didn`t want to return to Ufa.
That was my best game of the season. We really didn`t want to fly back to Ufa. Being placed on a line with Radulov helped me prepare for the game. The evening before, I was thinking about justifying the trust placed in me and helping him perform. I even saw headlines saying that guys with a 20-year age difference made the difference. I really wanted that to come true. Fortunately, it did.
“I Specifically Choose Victims for Trash Talk”
Egor Surin`s trash talk – many talked about it. Did you always like talking on the ice, or did this appear in the KHL?
It started in junior league, thanks to training with Seryoga Murashov. You`d score on our own goalie and say something afterwards. Seryoga explained what and how to say things. I started developing that. I like trash talk, but you can`t just skate up to a player and say some nonsense; everyone`s an adult. You shouldn`t be a young idiot talking complete rubbish.
So you specifically choose victims and prepare?
It`s not improvisation. I prepared for everyone. Though I didn`t know anything about Zach Fucale specifically. On the other hand, he`s an emotional guy, so it wasn`t hard to provoke him. I think I succeeded. We kept exchanging glances; it felt like I got inside his head. The refs kept me away from him. One referee even stood by our bench before the second period to shield him from me. I sat on the bench and started waving at him. He began to laugh.
In the playoffs, Nikita Serebryakov got some from you.
I expected that reaction from him; it was a cumulative effect. I was skating up to him the whole series, so in Game 7, I needed to surprise him with something. I think I succeeded.
Do you feel opponents started treating you differently because of this?
No. They treat me like a guy who skated up to the goalie. They try to push me away, which is normal. Igor Ozhiganov from Dynamo stood near their goalie to keep me away from Maxim Motorygin. Sometimes they call me `kid` (щегл). That`s cool. Take the moment with Maxim Comtois – he `burnt out,` but you can`t provoke me like that. I`m unlikely to react so emotionally.
In the final, the media targeted you too – Chelyabinsk journalists released a provocative piece about your father. How did you handle that moment?
I didn`t see the material myself, but people told me about it. Igor Valeryevich came up to me and told me not to fall for it, that I`d be provoked my whole career, and I just needed to play hockey. Regarding the situation with my father: I know the truth and live with it. It didn`t shake me; it invigorated me.
“Almost Everyone on the Team is Subscribed to My Telegram Channel”
This season you started a Telegram channel. How did you get this idea?
Someone suggested it to me. I needed a distraction from personal thoughts and worries. I decided to give it a try. Why not?
What are your plans for developing it?
I planned to reach 10,000 subscribers by the end of the season. I`ll manage it myself during the summer, but I`ll need an assistant during the season.
How did the team react to you starting a channel?
At first, nobody knew; I didn`t announce it. Then it became known, and the guys started saying, “Let`s subscribe.” Of course, jokes followed. They asked if there would be a private channel. Most guys on the team are subscribed.
After you said that fans at Arena 2000 needed to be louder, people came to your channel with complaints. How did you react?
I explained everything clearly to the fans; it wasn`t meant as a complaint. Fans can also have emotional slumps, especially between series. We try to energize them with our play, but it`s a symbiosis. One moment was particularly revealing: Logan Day`s dirty hit on Artur Kayumov, and Zhora Ivanov stood up for him. While the refs were reviewing, I heard the Chelyabinsk fans shouting `Logan Day,` while our fans were silent. That was unacceptable to me. Fans criticize players after games, so I decided to address them myself and did a review of sorts. It`s normal. The atmosphere in Game 5, for instance, was great.
“Radulov is a Really Cool Friend”
This season was a turning point for you. What did you learn?
Patience. As a young player, you want everything right here, right now. There were times when I was eager to play but wasn`t put in the lineup. I understood that other players deserved it too. You need to wait for your chance and seize it. Otherwise, you should stay kind and sociable. My close ones, friends, and coaches helped me a lot in learning patience.
Sometimes you played in the MHL. Did you have motivation problems?
I enjoyed playing for Loko. The guys always welcomed me back, there was a positive atmosphere. I always wanted to win when playing for Loko. No problems with motivation at all.
It`s known that Igor Nikitin often talks to players. What did the coach talk to you about during the season?
There were many conversations about proper game preparation and the training process. I think this was due to my transition from junior to senior hockey, which is a serious topic. He even got angry at me once because he had told me one thing a hundred times, and I wasn`t listening. After that, I definitely thought about it. When things weren`t going well in a game, he always asked about my personal life. Igor Valeryevich cares about us and digs into our problems.
What didn`t he like about your game?
Sometimes I might take risks, and from the outside, it can seem like it goes against the team`s interests. He asked me to play safer, because there`s always the `what if`. What if it doesn`t work? He thought I needed to eliminate that.
How did Nikitin react to your trash talk?
Ambiguously. He didn`t always like it, and didn`t always think it was necessary. But Igor Valeryevich taught me how to do it at the right time and in the right way.
The connection with Radulov – is it so good because you are friends in real life?
I think so, yes. Of course, we don`t know everything about each other, but we know a lot about life in Yaroslavl. We are always together: we play PlayStation, we have our own traditions, and I talk to his kids. He`s a very cool friend. He`s open and honest. Sasha always says what he thinks; he doesn`t waffle. I believe sincerity is the right way to be.
How did this friendship begin?
We live on the base: myself, Radulov, and Andryukha Sergeev. So we`re always together, the three of us. As a friend, Radulov is really cool. He`s open and honest. Sasha always says what he thinks; he doesn`t waffle. I believe sincerity is the right way to be.
What hockey advice does Radulov give you?
He gives a lot of advice. I try to implement it on the ice. We talk a lot about life in North America, which is interesting because everything is familiar to me in Russia. He shares his experience and tells me little things.
Besides Radulov, you had a great line with Byron Froese and Richard Panik. Why did the chemistry emerge, and who was responsible for what?
I felt confident with them. Before that, something felt off. With the foreign players, things started clicking, and I started scoring points. We just found a common language and became friends off the ice, joking around. I encouraged them to learn Russian, and they told me to learn English. We constantly teased Richard in Slovak. They have vast experience and gave me lots of tips. Byron talked about how to play near the net. Their back screens are really cool. Even our defensemen said our foreign players couldn`t be moved. Richard explained how to act when he was screening.
Besides Radulov, who else helped you adapt to the team?
Max Beryozkin – we spend a lot of time together, laugh, and sing songs. Danya Boot – we always roomed together on road trips. I have good contact with Byron; we text each other. Froese is a big guy with a Russian soul.
One result of the season was your nomination for best rookie. Ivan Demidov won. How did you react to being passed over?
As of today, he is better. It`s good when someone is better than you; it gives you room to grow. We are friends and text each other. We will compete again with Vanya in the future, and I hope we`ll play together for the Russian national team.
They say holding a title is harder than winning it. Are you already thinking about that, or still about celebrating?
I talked to Radulov, and he said it`s cool to start the season as champions. This is my first experience, so I don`t know how to answer yet.
What personal goals are you setting for next season?
I need to become a team leader, score lots of points, and win games for Lokomotiv. I will strive for this.
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