March 1, 2000

Calgary Loss Is Atlanta’s Gain: Dimitri Vlasenkov

It is evident that this season for Calgary Flames is not a great success. To prove this statement I recommend just to have a look at the tournament standing and players’ stats. Here I’m not going to search for the reasons of unsuccessful plays its up to the coaches. I just want say that a recent four-players trade between Calgary and Atlanta in which Russian prospect Dimitri Vlasenkov has been involved can not be considered as a profitable one for Flames. On the contrary for Thrashers as well as Dimitri, the deal could prove beneficial.

Those who have seen Vlasenkov on the ice know he has the chance to be an exceptional player; he gives no indication of slowing down and promises to become a decent NHLer.

Dmitri is a good, strong skater with excellent mobility … has very good puckhandling skills and can maneuver in heavy traffic … has a good shot with a quick release … has the ability to play a strong two-way-game … has a good vision and excellent hockey sense … a hard working forward with a scoring touch … a team player.

Vlasenkov, 22, is an unsigned draft choice, originally selected by the Flames with their fourth-round pick in the 1996 draft. He has spent the last four seasons with Yaroslavl of the Russian Elite League. In 1998-99, he finished second in the scoring race behind current Dallas’ center Roman Lyashenko on Torpedo Yaroslavl with 55 games played including play-off with 13 goals. He also was fifth with 21 points gained.

Not much for the forward whose primary aim is to score but this 1999/00 season Dimitri made a great progress. In 34 games played he scored 15 goals and made16 assists. He is among top-ten scorers of the Russian hockey championships. Moreover his penalty time was considerably reduced from last year’s 32 minutes to 8 of this season. This fact tells only about his becoming a mature player who can control his actions and behavior on the ice.

Dimitri Vlasenkov started his sporting career at the age of 6. He went in for soccer and only a year later started playing hockey. It was, of course, Vlasenkov’s father who had predetermined his career as a player and partly lucky coincidence. When Dimitri’s soccer coach left, his father sent him to the hockey school instead. His team often competed against Torpedo’s children of the same age. The coaches of Torpedo were so impressed by his play they invited him to join their team. Years later, he made his pro debut at the age of 18. Firstly there were no empty spot for him in the Torpedo’s line-up but lately with the coming of Peter Vorobiev as a head coach he made the roster. He won the gold of 1996/97 Russian Hockey Championships with Torpedo Yaroslavl.

Peter Vorobiev, the head coach of Junior Team Russia as well became for Dimitri, the coach who played a key role in his development as a player. Under Vorobiev’s supervision, Dmitri helped lead Russia to a bronze and silver medallist at the 1996/97 and 1997/98 Junior World Championships.

People may ask, "Well, everything you’ve told us is good but what is special about this player?"

The thing that distinguishes Dmitri from many others is his tremendous but more importantly the ability to score very important goals game tying and winners. In particular the finals of 1997/98 Junior World Championships where team Russia took on Finland. After two periods, Russia led with Vlasenkov scoring the only goal. At the beginning of the third half, the Finns equalized and unfortunately the game was lost by Russia in the third overtime. Despite the setback, Dmitri played well.

In 1999 at the third stage of Euro Hockey Tour named "Baltic Cup" Dimitri was selected for the senior Team Russia scoring a game winner in the game against Finland. Moreover, he became a full member of the Russian national team by 1998 and since that time he proves, time and again, his professional attitude towards the game evidenced by his solid play for Team Russia and Torpedo Yaroslavl.

Yevgeny Zimin, a legendary forward for the 1972 USSR team that narrowly lost to Canada in the Summit Series says of Dimitri Vlasenkov, "He is a technically and tactically well-equipped player. His actions on the ice are rational: so-to-say fundamental well-thought. Though Dimitri is a forward he does lots of offensive work. He knows how to show that he is open and perfectly controls the rival wingers’ actions. He is an easily governed player who does exactly what the coach demands. He is not very noticeable on the ice but when he steps onto it he turns out into "death weapon" for any opposing defenseman or goaltender owing to his creative flair and cunning. I think he is still growing-up as a player and his talent is still in progress."

Those who think that Vlasenkov is a smallish may prove wrong. This guy is 184 cm in height and 88 kg in weight. That is fairly enough for NHL forward of his type, with his skills. So it doesn’t matter who was a key player in the Calgary/Atlanta deal. One fact is evident: Calgary lost twice refusing to protect and sign Dimitri Vlasenkov. Calgary bosses made a great mistake at the very start of the 1999/00 season when they signed a young Canadian forward Daniel Tkazchuk instead of offering a profitable contract to the Russian prospect. After all this guy is not even playing for the Flames this season. Secondly they have been wrong to trade Vlasenkov to Atlanta for Botterill, 23, who has split the season between the Thrashers and Orlando of the International Hockey League. Originally a first-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 1994, the 6-4, 220-pounder Botterill had only one goal and four assists in 25 games with the Thrashers and seven goals and eight assists in 17 games with Orlando.

It will be much easier for Vlasenkov, as a young player, to find his rhythm on a youthful expansion team where he will be given the time to develop. Calgary’s own troubles and attitudes of the mass media in traditional Canadian hockey cities might not allow for it. It is also clear that Sutter’s attitude towards European players- particularly Russians- has not changed for the better.

Dimitri comments his trade, " I’m happy to be traded. If there was any need in my services on the part of Calgary earlier I would have a profitable contract long ago before the trade. As far as I see the Thrashers are interested in my services and it proves that they have more need in my hockey talent and help than the Flames."

On the question of his relatives’ attitude towards Dimitri’s choice to be a pro hockey player he says, " They approve it. Afterall, I managed to achieve something in my hockey life. I‘m constantly on the roster of Torpedo Yaroslavl. I make the line-up of Team Russia as well. Moreover I’m drafted by one of the NHL clubs. The most important for me to have an aim and my relatives will be always a great support for me in its achievement."

When asked if his hockey life interferes with a personal one he says, "There is nothing to do about it. It is the destiny of many pro hockey players. As for me everything is ok with my personal life. My wife, Mary, and my little daughter Angelica are always waiting for me at home."

For the moment only one thing remained for Vlasenkov and his family to tell, "Goodbye Canada! Hello America! All that has recently happened with Dimitri might be for the best.