Dmitri Khristich Chat
Transcript
December 14, 1998
Dmitri Khristich: Welcome to the chat everyone.
Thanks for being here.
Hegario asks: You have started this season in
spectacular fashion. Did you prepare yourself differently
during pre-season or are the Bruins just more mature?
Dmitri Khristich: I didn't do anything different in
the offseason. The team has more experience compared to last
year and that's why maybe I'm playing better, too.
JD_Britton asks: Is the line of you, Allison, and
Samsonov the best line you've played on in your career?
Dmitri Khristich: I wouldn't say it's the best but
it's very good. I hope I've got a lot of years to go and I'll
have some time to play with some even better lines in the
future.
Tim_Bouchard asks: After a couple of full seasons,
it seems the Bruins and the fans are starting to feel at home
at the Fleet Center. Home ice advantage is very important. How
do you and the rest of the team feel about the new arena?
Dmitri Khristich: Even though I played in the old
Garden, I wasn't a Bruin and it wasn't my building. I changed
teams and arenas. I didn't have to go through changing home
arenas as a Bruin. Therefore, it didn't effect me as much. The
fan support is good and they like to see us play well.
D-doo asks: Do you think European players have an
advantage now that there is extra room behind the goal?
Dmitri Khristich: I wouldn't say so because if
nobody told me I would've never realized right away. Maybe
later on. I don't think it changed the style of play too much.
For me, it didn't feel any different.
nhl4caps asks: How do you feel about the new NHL
rules and regulations regarding the line, crease, and ref
changes?
Dmitri Khristich: I like the crease rule. I've
scored quite a few goals because they took part of the crease
area away. I like that one.
demitri asks: What's your secret to scoring on
Hasek?
Dmitri Khristich: I didn't score against him this
year in two games but there is really no secret. You have to
shoot; if you don't shoot you're not going to score.
Ded_Bor asks: Dim, Serega Samsonov budet zvezdoi?
;-)
Dmitri Khristich: Da. Yes, I do think Sergei
Samsonov will be a star.
roenick32 asks: I'm from Montreal, Canada but I was
born in Russia...Why do you think Russian players leave their
country to come play in the NHL?
Dmitri Khristich: It's not just Russians. A lot of
players from Europe come over and there's a lot of reasons
why. The NHL has the best players on the ice and the money is
better here than anywhere international.
Josh Rourke asks: Dmitri, I'm from Ukraine and want
to ask you, do you plan to play for the Ukrainian National
Team in the World Championship in May 1999?
Dmitri Khristich: I don't have plans but I'm not
sure what Group they're in. If they're not in Group A, their
tournament will be during the NHL season. I'll have to see.
I've never really been invited to play any games for them yet,
so we'll see.
Ilpo asks: Hello Dmitri! You have been traded twice
and both time with Byron Dafoe. Is there something special
with you that you play always on same team or is that just
coincidence?
Dmitri Khristich: I think it's just a coincidence,
but we don't mind. :-)
Michelle_Coulon asks: Who is the toughest defenseman
in the league?
Dmitri Khristich: Raymond Bourque is one of the top
defensemen. It's better to be on the same team with him than
to play against him.
Dawn asks: Privet Dmitri! In his book, Tod Hartje
shared with us what the experience of being the first North
American to play for a Soviet pro hockey team meant to him. As
a member of team Sokol Kiev at that time, can you share what
it meant to you and your teammates to have Hartje join your
team? Spasibo!
Dmitri Khristich: That was definitely new for us. He
wasn't one of the best players to come to our team but he
brought something new to us, a North American style. He didn't
speak Russian and, because of that, I tried to improve my
English. It was good because about a month later, I was
leaving to come to North America. He also learned some
Russian.
Thomas Coolberth asks: How is the ice quality at the
Fleet Center?
Dmitri Khristich: It's not the best but it's not the
worst. A lot of new buildings have some problems. Some nights
it's better than others. It's average.
Nathaniel_Wood asks: Who was your idol growing up
and why?
Dmitri Khristich: Helmut Balderis. He played in the
Russian League and, I think, a year or so with the Minnesota
North Stars in the NHL. He was a big, strong forward and he
scored a lot of goals.
Graeme asks: Hello. Is there any special reason for
you wearing number 12?
Dmitri Khristich: No special reason. In LA,
Washington and Kiev I played with number 8 most of the time.
Here, Cam Neely was 8 and they're keeping it for him. 12 was
just a random number picked.
Goobs asks: How do you compare hockey's roughness to
other professional sports today?
Dmitri Khristich: It's tough but hockey is a
physical sport and a contact sport. That's what brings
roughness into the game.
frosher asks: What has Pat Burns coaching style
brought to the Bruins?
Dmitri Khristich: I don't know what it was like in
Boston before Pat but he brought discipline and responsibilty
to this team. You have to feel responsible for doing your job.
He doesn't like to lose, in fact, he hates to lose.
Chris_Glionna asks: Dimitri, What is your favorite
part of living in Boston?
Dmitri Khristich: Everything is good here. My summer
house is in New Hampshire and, during the season, I live
pretty close to the city. It's fun to go out to dinner and
stuff.
guest9 asks: Hi Dmitri! I love the way you play! Can
you tell me what you think is the biggest part of the success
your team has made during this season? Thank you!
Dmitri Khristich: We play a patient game, a
disciplined game. We have to stick to Pat's gameplan because
we are not a team with a bunch of talent. If we stick to the
plan we'll have a lot of success, which we've had so far.
Dmitri Khristich: Thanks again for being here to
chat with me today. We appreciate all your support and we hope
to see you at a game real soon!
Thanks for chatting with Dmitri Khristich today. Check back
for more chats here on NHL.com!
