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Buchnevich holds little back in interview |
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Pavel Buchnevich didn't hold back in his feelings - or more likely relief - at coach Alain Vigneault's firing in an interview with Sport Express (http://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/nhl/reviews/inostrancy-boyatsya-ehat-v-rossiyu-dlya-nih-eto-nechto-strashnoe-medvedi-s-balalaykoy-i-butylkoy-vodki-1399441/). As seen from the translation below, Buch touched on usage patters, ice time, AV, etc. in the interview. Some of what Buch said might be lost in translation, as certain terms may not mean exactly what he said in his mother tongue, but it's pretty clear that Buchnevich isn't shedding terms on Vigneault's departure.
Not all the blame for Buchnevich's uneven season can be laid at the feet of the coach. As jimbo said in the comments, Buchnevich "only scored one goal after January 21st, and only 3 after December 13th and only 5 of his 14 goals came against playoff teams." We spoke many times about AV's usage of younger players, especially focusing on Buchnevich, who was in-and-out of the lineup earlier in the year and who bounced between lines. The KZB line had some success, but then it was broken up with Buchnevich shifting up and down the lineup.
Here are a few key quotes, with the rest able to be translated from the column via Google Translate (https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sport-express.ru%2Fhockey%2Fnhl%2Freviews%2Finostrancy-boyatsya-ehat-v-rossiyu-dlya-nih-eto-nechto-strashnoe-medvedi-s-balalaykoy-i-butylkoy-vodki-1399441%2F) and also from the SNY Rangers blog. What it does is confidence plays a key role in the success of an athlete, even an elite one. Once that confidence is lost or questioned by the coach, the player needs to have that internal fortitude to fight through that and force the issue. But that depends on the coach's willingness to use the player and put him in position for success.
"Because everything depends on my confidence. When you do not think that the error will lead to consequences in the form of a reduction in playing time, then it is much easier for me. But everything turned out differently. A couple of matches you are doing well, in the third you do not show yourself and instantly find yourself in the fourth (line) with a five-minute playing time. It’s hard. Moreover, you are still told, they say, where are your qualities, show me. And you’re doing ten minutes with the majority on the ice.”
Yes, he (AV) did not talk to the players. Something to me at the meetings talked about the "fight for the puck," but that's it. Once I was on the bench, although I did not understand the reason. There was a strange moment. If the team was losing, then in the third period I played a lot. And if the winning, then all the time I sat on the bench.
He was happy with how the season started but then started to struggle, saying "I already explained why this happened. You are constantly sitting, frightened, you do not know what awaits you in an hour."
The combinations changed daily, sometimes it seemed to me that they were created in a random way, as the cards from the deck get out.
He "did not feel anything" when Alain Vigneault was let go and he learned about it from "the news."
This is a big year for Buchnevich. He should be more comfortable with his place on the team due to the addition of a new coach and his ability to communicate in English much improved from when he came over. In addition, Alexandar Georgiev is likely to be the backup goalie while it's possible Ilya Kovalchuk ends up in NY or Vladislav Namestnikov remains, provining Buch additional countrymen to continue his transition. As a RFA after the season, a big year from Buch sets him up for a large pay raise and maybe a multi-year deal.
Excuses won't fly this season. I would be shocked if Buch is not in the top-six. But with that chance comes the responsibility to produce on both sides of the ice. His advance metrics show that his P/60 was towards the top of the team and his goals-against while on the ice were solid as well, so a step up in either department, especially offensively, is extremely likely. Hopefully whichever coach is hired his offensive system takes advantage of the talent in place or brought in, with Buchnevich a big part of that game plan. It will be up to Buchnevich to make the most of that chance.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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