Russian Artem Zagidulin is the goalkeeper of the Finnish ice hockey championship, statistics – 17 October 2022
Dmitry Yerykalov
In the past, Kareev was the best.
It’s amazing how the world can change in just a few years. Although the latest events on our planet make us think that a 180-degree turn is possible even by detecting traces. But if we talk about hockey, then only the lazy one does not talk about the dominance of the Russian goalkeeping school. Even overseas journalists admit that not a single Canadian goalkeeper would have made it to our team. From year to year, the NHL distributes “Vezinas” among the guys. But not so long ago, meeting a Russian goalkeeper in the strongest league in the world was not so easy.
We will not go into this phenomenon again. Vladislav Tretyak is sure that all this is due to his decision to impose a tax on foreign goalkeepers. There is a version that this breakthrough was observed by foreign goalkeeping coaches, who not only pulled up their wards, but also set the standards inherent in their Russian colleagues. Be that as it may, for our hockey one less headache. But the dominance of Vasilevsky and Shesterkin in the NHL is not even surprising. They are unique. What is more surprising is the success of rather average Russian goalkeepers abroad. Especially where the goalkeeping school has traditionally been strong.
Right now Artem Zagidullin is the goalkeeper of the best championship in Finland. Championship, from where even 10 years ago Russian managers pumped out goalkeepers, just like drilling rigs pump oil from Russian subsoil. it has been established that goalkeepers are brought to the Super League, and then to the KHL, according to a single principle: because they are Finns. The Suomi school has proven itself so well that it has become synonymous with quality. Metsola and Syateri, Norrena and Noronen, Vehanen and Ramo, Koskinen and Olkinuora. There were, of course, failures, but there were more top keepers from the northern country. Now it seems that Finland and I have switched places.
94.2% save rate, just over 1 puck per game, 8 wins in 13 games. Such is the statistics of Zagidulin. For Lucco, he spent the second season, but the performance of the processor last year was not great. And the whole team worked pretty average, finishing the regular season in tenth place and quickly taking off from the playoffs. Now Zagidulin’s team is the sole champion of the leader, and Artem himself is its unconditional first number. Although at the beginning of last season, this goalkeeper outright singled out the competition for the tandem from Magnitogorsk Koshechkin – Olkinuora. In order not to sit on the bench and not go to the VHL, our goalkeeper reaches Finland.
Last year, the number of Russian goalkeepers in this championship reached five people, including Zagidulin. However, in the off-season, Konstantin Volkov returned to Dynamo Moscow, Andrey Kareev to Salavat Yulaev, Stanislav Galimov found work at Avangard, and Vadim Zherenko decided to try his hand at St. Louis. And only Zagidullin stayed for another season. In part, this may be due to the fact that the mass gathering of Russians is not welcome in some European countries, including Finland. However, what is paramount is that there was a real demand for all goalkeepers.
Surprisingly, Zagidulin’s renaissance is taking place at the same time that Finland imposes restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens on a Schengen visa for tourist purposes and on the transit investigation of Russians in other Schengen countries. Having lingered in this country despite the unfavorable driving, in a season Artem can follow in the footsteps of the same Kareev. Andrei became the MVP of the Finnish playoffs, waited for Metsola to leave and took his niche in Salavat. Zagidullin, in turn, can replace Vasily Koshechkin in Magnitogorsk. Of course, if the giant goalkeeper does not wish to stay in big hockey for a while.
For a goaltender who couldn’t break through with Calgary, and his home club is pure competition with experienced goaltenders, the trip to Finland was definitely put to good use. Already now we can say that Zagidullin saved his personality. It’s just not worth the hassle. Kareev and Volkov, who returned to the KHL after the Finnish team, are decently written, but do not pretend to be the league’s best goalkeepers informally. They are strong middle peasants, nothing more. Looking at the statistics in the Finnish league, you need to remember that the general level of hockey, and goalkeepers in particular, in this championship has not been the same for a long time. Legionnaires coming from Finland are more likely to disappoint. Not such a feat. But to help regain self-confidence – this is the Finnish league of ability.