Anton Slepyshev makes impression in any language
The language is foreign, the culture very different from what Anton Slepyshev knew in Russia. Even the NHL has distinct variations from the Kontinental Hockey League.
Still, the winger has excelled since reporting to the Edmonton Oilers training camp.
Not only is Slepyshev set to play in the club’s final pre-season game, he’s expected to play with Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall on Saturday when the Oilers meet the Canucks in Vancouver.
Head coach Todd McLellan said on Friday that it’s hard not to consider what the 2013 draft pick brings to the lineup.
“We watched the video again ... the video doesn’t lie,” said McLellan. “He did a lot of the things we worked on today, in the game. He’s a young player but he’s played pro hockey before. You can see it.”
Slepyshev has registered two goals, both game winners, and a pair of assists through the teamhigh six games that he has played in the pre-season. He has earned plenty of praise for his game, as well as his ability to adapt.
The 21-year-old spent the last three seasons playing for Ufa Salavat Yulayev.
“I came back from the lockout with great respect for the guys coming over and not being comfortable with the language,” said captain Andrew Ference, who played for Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic during the 2012-13 work stoppage.
“It’s not only the language. Just the day-to-day stuff. It’s completely different so making those adjustments and still playing so well and having it dialed in for games and practices is very, very impressive. It can’t be easy to go through the Xs and Os and video when you’re a step behind in the language (yet) he doesn’t seem to be missing anything.”
McLellan said that it can be a challenge to relay instructions to a player when there’s a language barrier but that there are alternatives. The coaches can demonstrate their message visually, usually by walking through it on the ice. They have also leaned on countrymen Nail Yakupov and Nikita Nikitin to translate.
Assistant coach Jay Woodcroft too knows a spattering of Russian words and Slepyshev is picking up a few English terms along the way.
“He’s alert, and maybe that’s why he’s having a pretty good camp,” said McLellan. “He has to be alert all the time.”
Anton Lander, who has played on a line with Slepyshev, said when he came over from Sweden, he had Magnus Paajarvi to guide him through the newness of Canada.
Yakupov spent two years in Sarnia, Ont., playing for the Sting before he headed west to Edmonton and he had goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin in the Oilers lockerroom when he arrived. He then spent a significant amount of time in Edmonton after the 2013-14 season, watching television and mov- ies to better his language skills.
Lander said in his first year, hockey terms were the first phrases he picked up.
“I think Anton is good on those things. It’s more those situations where Todd or Jay will be explaining something in the faceoff where he might have some difficulties. But he really wants to learn,” continued Lander, who said he leaned on his Swedish teammates for things like hotels and restaurant orders in his early years. “It helps a lot if you have a guy who speaks your own language.”
“I won’t translate for him all the time,” said Yakupov of Slepyshev. “You have to work for it. Sometimes it’s painful but I know I didn’t go to restaurants when I couldn’t speak English. “He’ll get there.” And he’ll have a better chance of getting there if he has another strong game in Vancouver.
He’s alert, and maybe that’s why he’s having a pretty good camp. He has to be alert all the time.