The Kyiv Capitals forward spoke about how he spent the holidays, his adaptation in Latvia, and compared the level of competition in the Optibet Hockey League and the Ukrainian Championship.
Andrii, how did you spend Christmas and New Year?
I spent the holidays at a relatively calm pace. The main thing for our players was to recover and recharge so that we can continue delivering winning results in the new year.
How do these holidays differ in Ukraine and Latvia?
In Latvia, Christmas is the most significant holiday, whereas New Year’s Eve plays a lesser role. That’s probably the main difference.
How have you adapted to a new country?
Everything is going very well. My teammates have been very helpful in this regard. My wife and our cat are here with me now, so everything is excellent. I also really like Riga – it’s a beautiful city with incredible architecture and atmosphere.
What are your impressions of the part of the season that has already passed?
Without a doubt, the impressions are positive. I suspect that most Optibet League fans didn’t expect us to be among the leaders. We managed to secure many wins, although, unfortunately, the ending of the stretch was a bit disappointing. Starting in January, we’ll try to correct that.
Do you see an analogy with last season in the Ukrainian Championship, where a group of four teams emerged to fight for the top positions?
Yes, there is such a top four, but the teams outside of it can also pose serious competition. There are almost no easy games, and you can pay the price for a lack of proper focus. Several surprising results have already emerged in the league.
The team had a nine-game winning streak in the Optibet League but lost the last two matches. What was missing in those head-to-head games against direct competitors?
In my opinion, we looked pretty solid in those games. Discipline let us down – we took unnecessary penalties. In addition, our finishing wasn’t at a high level. I don’t see this as a significant problem because the primary battle is still ahead.
You’ve already scored ten goals this season. Are you satisfied with your current production?
I think my teammates created many chances for me, so I should have scored more. I’ll work on improving my finishing.
The coaching staff named you the Player of the December. How pleasing is this recognition?
This kind of recognition is certainly gratifying, but I understand that a large part of it was achieved thanks to my teammates’ efforts, for which I am very grateful.
For the second season in a row, you’ve had good chemistry with Yang Hu when you play on the same line. Are you happy about his return to the team?
Of course. I’m very pleased that Yang is back with us. We became good friends back last season. He fit into the team well because the atmosphere in the locker room was very friendly. It’s great that we get to share the ice here in Latvia as well. I hope he feels the same.
The start of 2026 also promises to be challenging. How is the preparation for the game against Zemgale/LBTU going?
We had a bit of rest and are now training hard again. We went through a tough preparation cycle between Christmas and New Year, and we’ve continued working in the same spirit in 2026. Everyone is in a good mood after the holidays and has missed hockey.
