Leonid Kanareikin. Leonid Kanareikin: I always felt comfortable at Spartak. How is your father feeling?

Kanareikin began his career in big hockey at Spartak. He immediately managed to gain a foothold in the capital's club. In addition, Kanareikin became a two-time world champion together with the USSR junior and youth teams. In 1976, he achieved success with Spartak, becoming the champion of the USSR. But three years later he was expelled from the red-white camp by the new head coach Boris Kulagin.

Six months later, Kulagin admitted his mistake and called Kanareikin back to the team, but he refused. At this moment, a second team appeared in the life of Fyodor Leonidovich - the capital's "Wings of the Soviets".

Kanareikin played his first match for “Wings” in 1979, and his last one 10 years later. During this period of time, he managed to only briefly end up in Finland, playing for Jokerit. Later, Fedor Leonidovich admitted that “Spartak” raised him as a hockey player, and “Wings” - as a person.

But the last club in Kanareikin’s playing career was the Austrian Feldkirch, for which he played for three years before hanging up his skates. By the way, in Austria, Kanareikin not only won the local championship, but was also recognized as the most valuable player of the year. Moreover, Fedor Leonidovich seriously thought about staying there after the end of his playing career, but still decided to return to his homeland.

True, before that he worked for several years in Austria as a coach at the Lustenau club, and also led the Austrian youth team.

After Austria, Fedor Leonidovich’s coaching career also included the Swiss “Olten”, and only after that he headed the club where he began his journey into big hockey – “Spartak”. Afterwards he continued his career at Krylia Sovetov.

Kanareikin came to the third capital club - CSKA - as an assistant head coach, and we can say that at that moment he found his calling. Already working as a senior coach at Lokomotiv, Fedor Leonidovich was considered one of the best assistants in the league. First he helped Vladimir Vuitek, and then Karri Heikkilä.

It doesn't happen often in sports when a good assistant also succeeds as a head coach. But Kanareikin succeeded. After the resignation of Dave King in 2006, the then general director of Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Gennady Velichkin, decided to entrust the post of helmsman of the team to Kanareikin, who had previously been part of the headquarters of the Canadian specialist. Fyodor Leonidovich did not refuse the offer.

Kanareikin brought order to the “star” team and finished the regular season in fourth place. And in the playoffs, Magnitogorsk was completely unstoppable. In the decisive fifth match of the final series, Kanareikin and his team broke the resistance of Ak Bars and won gold medals for Magnitogorsk.

Unfortunately, the very next season Kanareikina left the team and returned to it only four years later, after working in Atlanta. And a little later, the famous coach came to Spartak for the third time.

As a player. European champion among juniors-1973, two-time world champion among youth-1974, 1975. Champion of the USSR-1976. Repeated winner of the USSR Championships 1979, 1989.

As assistant head coach. Champion of Russia 2001

As a Trainer: Champion of Russia 2000, 2007. Bronze of the Russian Championship 2004, 2005, 2006.

He played for the Moscow "Spartak" (1972-1979) and "Wings of the Soviets" (1979-1987, 1988-1989), the Finnish "Jokerit" (1987-1988), the Austrian "Feldkirch" (1989-1992). He coached Metallurg Magnitogorsk (2006-2007, 2011-2012), Atlant (2007-2009), Spartak Moscow (2012 – present), Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 2000-2001, 2004-2005.

He played 332 matches in the USSR championships, earning 128 (49+79) points.

Kanareikin Jr. not so long ago he played for Spartak, and now he has been appointed as a scout for the club. About his professional goals and life after his playing career Leonid told the red-white press service.

- Leonid, our congratulations on your return to Spartak! What challenges are you facing now?

Thank you for your congratulations. My task is to monitor the Spartak youth playing in the farm club from Krasnoyarsk. In just a week I’m flying to Krasnoyarsk. I will also watch the matches of MHC Spartak, naturally, the matches of the main team.

- So it will depend on you which players in the club system to bring into the main team?

Yes. Determine who can already play at the highest level.

Probably, in Krasnoyarsk everyone will keep a closer eye on Artyom Pugolovkin, since he still fits the limit of young players?

For sure. It’s a pity that Alexander Denezhkin is injured now, I wanted to see him. And so I will pay attention to seven or eight people.

After you finished your playing career, you already worked as a coach and are studying at the Higher School of Coaches. Tell us a little about this stage of your life.

I ended my career in the major leagues. I felt strong and wanted to play. Signed a player-coach contract with Titan from Klin. He had a decent season and was one of the three most productive defensemen in the league. I extended my contract, but after playing twenty matches, I decided it was time to call it a day. I spent my entire career at the highest level, so I no longer wanted to suffer in this league. It turned out that the president of the club, Vyacheslav Ivanovich Belov, suggested immediately putting on a jacket (smiles). That's how I became a coach.

- And you immediately entered the Higher School of Technology?

I found out about admission ahead of time, but they told me that while I was a professional player, I couldn’t study there. As soon as I finished playing, I immediately entered. I'll finish it this coming spring.

- What will be written in your diploma?

- You had coaching work, now it’s more organizational, how do you think about developing your career?

I'm interested in working in hockey, that's the most important thing. In principle, I like coaching more, I am drawn to the ice, I want to pass on my experience to young guys and grow as a coach.

- What impressions did you have from Spartak during the 2008/2009 season? Do you communicate with anyone from that team?

In general, I always felt comfortable at Spartak. I am a student of Krylia, and Spartak and Krylia have always been on the same side of the barricades against CSKA and Dynamo (smiles. I remember that season with warmth. We reached the playoffs, passed SKA in the first round with Kasparaitis in composition... I communicate with Max Rybin, he is the godfather of my children, one might say that he is a brother. I often call each other. Less often with Upper, Akifev.

A few years later, as fans released personalized scarves for the players of that team, your personalized “rose” has found its owner.

We continue to represent Molot-Prikamye players who came to the club before the start of the new season. Today we will talk with defender Leonid Kanareikin.

Dossier: Leonid Kanareikin (08/21/1976). Master of Sports of international class. Role - defender. A student of the Moscow hockey school “Wings of the Soviets”. He played for the following clubs: “Krylia Sovetov” (Moscow), “Motor” (Zavolzhye), Salavat Yulaev (Ufa), “Severstal” (Cherepovets), “Spartak” (Moscow), Dynamo (Moscow), CSKA (Moscow), “ Atlant (Moscow region). Played 7 matches for the Russian national team. Achievements: winner of the European Champions Cup (2006) as part of Dynamo, bronze medalist of the Russian Championship 1996/97 as part of HC Salavat Yulaev. In HC Molot-Prikamye he plays under number 42. Married. Three children.

Hockey fans probably know that Leonid is the son of the famous player and coach Fyodor Kanareikin. The student of the Krylyevsk hockey school has traveled around Russia quite a bit. He played in all four capital clubs that played at the highest level. “Molot-Prikamye” has already become the 9th team in Kanareikin Jr.’s bright career.

Leonid, probably, whether you should be a hockey player or not was not a question in the family?

— Yes. We can say that I did not escape the fate of any child from a sports family. Already at the age of three, my father put me on skates, but not on hockey ones... At first I was involved in figure skating, but from the age of seven - hockey. My father took me to the school of the Moscow “Wings of the Soviets”, and thus I became a student of this club. Started out as a striker. Until I was 13, I played in attack. Well, then the coaches put me in defense. So since then I have remained on the defensive...

Who is your first coach?

Anatoly Alekseevich Sergeev. He led our team born in 1976. By the way, I still have close relationships with the guys from “Wings”. We communicate as families, our children often go for walks with each other.

When you were a child and a teenager, didn’t the burden of your surname weigh on you?

My father has always been a role model for me. But I didn’t observe any pressure from him. I always strived to get into the team of masters. But no one compared my game and his.

There were periods when you played under the leadership of your father - in “Wings”, “Spartak”. Was it difficult to communicate with Fedor Leonidovich not as a dad, but as a coach?

If I say that the relationship was only business, I would probably be lying. It is clear that relatives worry about each other more than about anyone else. But I didn’t receive any favors on the court from my father.

How did your professional career begin?

I made my debut in the Wings team of masters in the 1995/96 season. This was the last year of the MHL. I remember I played the only match against Tivali Minsk. But the coach of the main team, Igor Dmitriev, did not see me on the team. He apparently did not like short defenders. So I played for two seasons in the second team of “Wings of the Soviets”... Well, in the 1996/97 season, at the age of 20, I went to play in the major league in the Volga region “Motor”. In December, my father calls and asks: “Will you go to Ufa to see Ishmatov?” I was literally dumbfounded. After all, Salavat was in good standing even then: the team twice won bronze in the championship and played in the IIHF Cup. It is clear that he agreed. Everything turned out well, Ishmatov believed in me. And in the same season, together with the Ufa team, I won bronze at the Russian Championship.

You have a rich track record. What can be considered your main achievement to date? What match do you remember most often?

Together with Dynamo, he won the European Cup in January 2006. The feeling is great! Then the format of the main European Cup of the continent was somewhat compressed: two matches in the group and the final. In the decisive game with Karpyat, of course, both myself and the fans’ nerves were pretty frayed. We won 4:2, but allowed the Finns to equalize. Thanks to Shakhraichuk and Mirnov, who converted the shootouts.

Was the most memorable goal of your career scored in this match?

- Yes (smiles). True, the combination was simple. Then the puck bounced onto the patch, and I threw it into an empty corner.

Do you remember playing for the national team?

This stage in my career has been passed. Boris Mikhailov also invited me to the national team in the spring of 2002. I came to the training camp in Novogorsk, but I didn’t manage to break into the base and get to the World Championship, which became a silver medal for our team. Later, two years later, Viktor Tikhonov called me, and I played three matches at the Swedish Games in 2004. I had a chance to gain a foothold in the national team. Apparently I did something wrong somewhere.

How did you end up at Molot?

After Atlant I found myself without a team. I trained in the summer. I was looking for options, and an offer came from Perm. I didn’t think twice, got ready and went. I still want to play at a good level.

Have you already gotten to know the city?

I went out several times to the center for a walk and to have dinner at a restaurant. There is no time for a more detailed acquaintance. However, I came here before when Molot played in the Super League. The atmosphere here is good, hockey-like. Great Sports Palace. People go to hockey games.

How do you generally spend your free time and vacation?

I like to relax somewhere by the sea. In the summer I like to play tennis. In general, I like to spend my free time with my family.

Tell us about your family.

IM married. My wife's name is Elina. We have three children. The eldest Danila is 9 years old, his twin brothers Ivan and Gleb are two years younger. Everyone continues the sports dynasty, playing hockey in their native sports school “Krylya Sovetov”. But if something doesn’t work out for them, I will under no circumstances insist on them playing hockey...

Press service of HC "Molot-Prikamye". Materials from the Atlant HC website were used in preparation.

Today in Togliatti, Avangard opens the final segment of the championship, which the site discussed with one of the coaches of the Omsk club

"HAWKS" IS A NEW LEVEL FOR ME, A SHOWTRAIN OF THE CITY AND REGION

You haven't given many interviews this season. Could you tell readers and fans about your functions on the Avangard coaching staff? - we begin a conversation with a 40-year-old specialist, ex-defender of Spartak, Dynamo Moscow, Salavat Yulaev and a number of other clubs.

Together with Dmitry Ryabykin, we are responsible at the headquarters of Fyodor Leonidovich Kanareikin for working with defenders and preparing video analyzes of the opponent. Also, after the training of the main team, we remain to work with hockey players who, due to injuries or for some other reasons, cannot yet help the team, we prepare them in functional terms.

- In your previous teams, did you close the same area of ​​work?

No, I didn’t work on the bench at Spartak, I was mainly responsible for selecting hockey players. Well, in “Titan” from Klin he served as a player-coach for a season and a half.

- Compare Omsk with your previous places of work?

Of course, this is very difficult to do. “Avangard” is one of the leaders of our entire hockey, a completely different level. The management here has created ideal working conditions. This applies to both the organization of the process and the selection of players. "Hawks" is a showcase of both the city and the region.

WE SAW THE PROGRESS OF OUR SPECIAL BRIGADES AT THE BACKGROUND OF "MAGNITKA"

- How did Avangard spend the break in the regular season?

In this regard, our calendar may be quite successful. Unlike most teams, they received a five-day break, which they used for a fairly intensive training process.

- Omsk has been experiencing difficulties with the majority all season. Did you manage to fix it?

We have been paying great attention to this component not only in recent days, but also in recent months. Gradually, we manage to tighten up the majority, as shown by the paired matches against Magnitogorsk, a club with the best majority and minority teams in the League. They allowed Magnitogorsk to capitalize only once - and at the end of the second meeting. Well, they themselves punished the opponent twice for deletions.

- Do the double matches with Magnitogorsk illustrate the progress of Omsk?

I think you noticed the trend correctly. At the same time, we understand that we are rather at the beginning of the process - the team still has a lot of work to do. As well as undisclosed reserves.

- When will one of the Avangard attack leaders, Sobotka, return to duty?

Literally before the interview I spoke with our doctor. There is a very serious possibility that Sobotka will play against Lada. There is a 90 percent chance that we will see a Czech in Tolyatti. I am also ready to please the fans with the news that Khokhryakov, who has already recovered from his injury, will play in Tolyatti.

Another forward, Pyanov, is also making good progress, although he is still not going on the Tolyatti-Nizhnekamsk trip.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE A PLAYOFF OPPONENT

- How to explain the high injury rate?

We are not talking about global injuries, but rather about microdamages; this is generally a random process.

After the story with center forward Roy, everyone is closely watching how another North American striker, Booth, will develop in Avangard. He started out famously - with a double, but lately he has been playing more and more often in the third line. Meanwhile, North Americans are sensitive people, they value a coach’s trust...

Booth came to us without pre-season, already during the championship. At some points he had to speed up his preparation - and, in principle, he had already gained condition. But some downturns are possible in such situations, so at this stage he is a third-line forward. The team is highly competitive.

At the end of the championship, Avangard has eight matches left to play, with a 14-point lead over the Eastern Conference leader Magnitogorsk. Can we say that the champion of the East has already been determined?

We hoped to take six points from Magnitogorsk - and then the opponent would be at an attacking distance of five points. Unfortunately, it didn't work out.

But we will fight for the regular title until the last match. We are not going to sacrifice the end of the championship, much less choose an opponent. A club like Avangard is not interested in tasks of this level.

"AVANGARDE" HAS A DEBT TO "NEFTECHIMIK"

- Most likely, at the first stage your opponent will be either “Barys”, or “Kunlun”, or “Admiral”. Do you agree?

Not really. Yes, we are closely following “Barys”, where a lot depends on the top five, “Kunlun”, where many strong foreign players are gathered, and “Admiral”, which, in addition to game problems, adds, let’s say, transport ones.

At the same time, I would not discount Sibir and one of our closest rivals, Neftekhimik, who improved significantly in the second half of the championship. In particular, he beat us not so long ago in Omsk, so Avangard, as they say, owes a favor. So there is no need to prepare the team for Friday’s game in Nizhnekamsk.

- In general, what grade would you give Avangard based on the results of the 52-match period?

This is a question for the club president and our leadership in general. All the attention of assistant coaches is to specific areas of work for which we are responsible. And for which we will receive grades based on the results of the entire season.

Throughout last season and part of this season, he led the Titan onto the ice and was one of the last to leave, traditionally very warmly thanking the stands for their support. Now Leonid Kanareikin will lead the Klin team forward, being not on the usual hockey rink, but on the coaching bench with Andrey Amelin And Andrey Nikishov.

-Have you really decided to end your playing career?
- Yes it is.

- Have you been thinking about this step for a long time?
- You know, the season didn’t start the way I would have liked. And somehow I already feel a little hard about hockey. But most importantly, I stopped getting satisfaction from the game. After thinking about everything together, I made this decision.

Captain of the Klin "Titan" Leonid Kanareikin

This time had to come someday, and I decided that it had come now. Why delay?

- Can we say that you become a player-coach, but your place in the squad still remains?
- For now, yes, we decided to do so.

- Is there still a theoretical opportunity to see you on the ice?
- (Laughs). Well, perhaps only theoretical. In fact, I hope it doesn’t come to that. The main thing is that all our defenders are in line and we don’t have to come out in place of someone else.

- Have you thought about taking a time out, taking a break from hockey?
- For what? I really want to stay in hockey, I want to master coaching. After the season I’m going to go to study at the Higher School of Coaches. I’m definitely not going to stand still.

- What bright moments in your career do you remember?
- One day, three years ago, purely by chance, I opened a newspaper and saw that I had played 630 games at the highest level and was in 80th place in the history of our union hockey. It was nice! Now a couple of years have passed, and, of course, someone has overtaken me.

- Yes, and you, too, could have accumulated more matches.
- No, here it was the games that were counted at the highest level. Pleasant statistics, in general. I played seven matches for the national team and attended the Swedish Games. After the season, I was preparing for the World Championships with Mikhailov, but I didn’t make it into the squad - they cut me off. What else? Of course, my first game was my debut for my native team in 1995, when there was still the Intercontinental League. We played against Tivoli and won 5:0, still under the leadership

Leonid Kanareikin in "Atlanta"

the late Igor Efimovich Dmitriev. Season 1996/97: won bronze medals with Salavat Yulaev. I was still a young guy then, Ishmatov trusted me, and I played constantly. In 2006, we won the European Cup with Dynamo and scored a goal in the final. These are probably both the key and highlight moments in my career. If you think about it and remember, you can add something else.

- Do you think you have enough for coaching now, maybe except specific knowledge?
- Well, I still have some experience, I managed to work with many specialists. I have seen many programs, so I have some baggage, but, of course, not the kind I would like to have for this work.

- Does Fyodor Leonidovich already know about the decision?
- Yes, he knows.

- How did you react?
- Calm down, congratulations on finishing your career. A career that I consider successful.

- Will you turn to him for advice?
- At first, I’ll probably ask something. Not without it.

-Has Fyodor Leonidovich already offered his help?
- Yes, we haven’t talked about this topic yet. He has a lot of work to do now - Spartak is not in the place it should be right now. Therefore, there are already enough problems there.

- Would it be interesting to work together in a new capacity?
- Why not? Life will show.

- Will you still miss the fans?
- Certainly! I want to say hello to them all, thank you for your support and attention. Now I will work for the benefit of Klin in a different position. I will try very hard.

To be honest, for many of them your decision came as a surprise. One of the main questions on the podium now: “Will Leonid the coach treat the public as warmly as Leonid the captain?”
- I myself have not changed, only the status of a player has changed to the status of a coach. Changing activities is normal, this is how it should be, such changes are needed. But a person does not change at all, so everything will remain.

Leonid Kanareikin defending the Titan goal