Igor Larionov is confident Russia has built a team that can win the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time in 10 years.
Larionov will coach Russia at the 2021 WJC for the first time, replacing Valeri Bragin, who had coached Russia for the previous six tournaments. Larionov was an assistant under Bragin at the 2020 WJC, where Russia finished second.
Russia has finished in the top three in nine of the past 10 tournaments but last won the event in 2011.
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"I guess it's time to reconsider the standings ... maybe reshape the standings," Larionov said. "I played for a team that hadn't won the Stanley Cup for 42 years (before winning in 1997) in Detroit, so now maybe it's time as a coach, as a leader, to lead Russia
(Nashville Predators), and forwards
Vasily Podkolzin
(Vancouver Canucks) and
Maxim Groshev
(Tampa Bay Lightning). Since I couldn't view players during this difficult time (in a pandemic), with no camps and nothing to see from exhibition games in the traditional Canadian Hockey League Canada Russia Series during the November tour in Canada, it gave us an opportunity to see the boys play in the Kontinental Hockey League level, playing against men. I'm looking for skill, character, speed and a mind that's ready to sacrifice and play for the team."
Askarov is 18 years old; is he one of the best Russia-born goalies you've seen at his age?
"It's not the secret that everyone is talking about Askarov, but we have three really good goalies, Askarov, Artur Akhtyamov (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Vsevolod Skotnikov (2021 draft eligible). Obviously, [it isn't often] you have a young talent like [Askarov,] and looking back on [the 2020 WJC], when he had so much pressure, he was kind of a little off his game. This time around we hope it's going to be his tournament. Obviously we're not going to rely on just the goalies. We're going to rely on everybody else too, but [Askarov] is going to be the guy who stops the puck."
What are the advantages of having three returning players (Askarov, Podkolzin, Groshev)?
"Well, they became one year older and the experience last year wasn't very pleasant, losing in the final (to Canada), but it's still experience and this year they came with one purpose: to help the team to be better in every way for the best possible result."
What has impressed you about defenseman Daniil Chayka, who received an A rating from NHL Central Scouting for the 2021 NHL Draft and is the only projected first-round selection on the roster?
"I like the way he's developing and the way he plays. Obviously there's some mistakes and he's only 18, but I like his hockey sense, his poise with the puck ... so there's a good future. When you see a player like that, it's obviously a pleasure to have him on the team, believing that players can play with him at the same time and on the same unit because they know he's going to make the right decisions. Sometimes there are some mistakes made, but you need to expect some mistakes. But he's good enough and smart enough to play in this tournament."
