Kirill Lyamin Interview

Kirill Lyamin was the top Russian defenseman eligible for the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. At just 17, the talented blueliner spent the 2003-04 season skating for CSKA in the Super League (Russia 1), playing against well paid professionals in the second best league in the world. Lyamin was projected to be selected either late in the first round, or very early in the second round of the draft. Yet, despite a solid season in Russia and an impressive performance on the top defensive pairing of Russia’s gold medal winning U18 WJC squad in Belarus, the young defenseman had to wait until the latter half of the second round to hear his name when the Ottawa Senators picked him with their 58th overall pick. It seems that besides the general drop of most Russian players who opted into this year’s draft, Lyamin’s repeated bouts with injuries throughout the 2003-04 season. However, it now appears that Kirill Lyamin is completely healthy and the Ottawa Senators got themselves a steal late in the second round.

RussianProspects correspondent Evgeny Belashchenko was able to catch up with Kirill after the young defenseman was drafted by the Ottawa Senators.

RussianProspects: What are your thoughts about the Ottawa Senators drafting you?

Kirill Lyamin: I really wanted to be selected by this club. It is a very good team. I know that Anton Volchenkov plays there and I would love to get a chance to play on the same pairing with him. He is a great defenseman. I think the two of us could make a lot of noise together in the NHL.

RP: How long have you known Anton Volchenkov? Do you have any kind of a relationship with him?

Kirill Lyamin: I don’t know him personally, but we have the same agent and I have heard a lot of good things about him. If my agent is on the phone with him, I send him my regards and he does the same for me. I have also seen quite a few of his NHL games.

RP: Can you describe yourself as a player?

Kirill Lyamin: My style of play is somewhere between an offensive and a defensive defenseman. I can effectively join in on the offensive rush, and can also hold my own very well in my own zone.

RP: In November you were invited to the training of Russia’s U20 squad, which was preparing for the U20 WJC. However, you did not accompany the squad to the tournament. What happened?

Kirill Lyamin: Prior to the beginning of the training camp I suffered an injury, which was initially misdiagnosed to be a back injury, but was then diagnosed properly to be a muscle bruise. The injury sidelined me for about a month, forcing me to miss the U20 squad’s training camp, and the U20 WJC.

RP: Are you completely healed from that injury?

Kirill Lyamin: Yes, everything is fine!

RP: What were your expectations regarding where in the draft you would be selected?

Kirill Lyamin: I was told that I would go somewhere late in the first round, but it didn’t work out. I guess it’s fate and I am not disappointed. Ottawa is a great team and we’ll see what happens next.

RP: What are your plans for next season?

Kirill Lyamin: I have no idea right now. I am currently a free agent, meaning I don’t have a contract with any club over in Russia. Now that I am drafted, my agent and I will sit down with Ottawa’s management and discuss what would be best for me.

RP: Are you thinking of coming over to North America?

Kirill Lyamin: Anything is possible. I don’t know yet. I don’t have a contract, so I am a free agent and can end up anywhere.

interview courtesy Evgeny Belashchenko and RussianProspects.com