Fedotenko is still one of the best role-players in the NHL. Not surprised that he decided to play there for at least another year. I have a feeling that he'll end up playing for Donbass or (if there ever is one) another Ukrainian KHL team.
Don't count on Ponikarovsky ever playing in Ukraine though.
Don't count on Ponikarovsky ever playing in Ukraine though.
Unless he is going to retire relatively early, he'll soon be in KHL. If you would of asked where he'll spend this coming season in January, I'd would of answered - the KHL. Trade to NJ really helped restoring his NHL stock. How soon it will last, we'll see.
well, he'll be 33 next year....how many more years will he play, till hes 36? more? and how many more 1 year deals can he get in the NHL? It wouldn't be strange to see Winnipeg re-up him for another if he works out with Antropov
Unless he is going to retire relatively early, he'll soon be in KHL. If you would of asked where he'll spend this coming season in January, I'd would of answered - the KHL. Trade to NJ really helped restoring his NHL stock. How soon it will last, we'll see.
I agree that he may be in the KHL soon, but unless they offer a significant amount more I doubt he'll be in Ukraine. I don't know why, but I've never got the feeling that he sees himself as Ukrainian. I also have my doubts that he ever represents Ukraine internationally again.
He did refer to himself as Russian in at least one radio interview he did in Toronto. He can't speak Ukrainian (when I got his autograph, I asked for it to be in Ukie and he was like..."derrr how about Russian?"
http://hcsokol.kiev.ua/article_6326.html
- says it would be interesting to play the WC in Kiev, but can't due to possibility of playoffs. Obviously never made the playoffs that year with LA anyway.
He does get interviewed enough by the Ukrainian press it seems....digging through more stuff...
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As for Fedotenko, didn't his entire family move to the US? He's an American citizen now. He's stated its unlikely he ever plays for Team Ukraine again due to scheduling, and that his life is in the US now.
He did refer to himself as Russian in at least one radio interview he did in Toronto. He can't speak Ukrainian (when I got his autograph, I asked for it to be in Ukie and he was like..."derrr how about Russian?"
http://hcsokol.kiev.ua/article_6326.html
- says it would be interesting to play the WC in Kiev, but can't due to possibility of playoffs. Obviously never made the playoffs that year with LA anyway.
He does get interviewed enough by the Ukrainian press it seems....digging through more stuff...
---
As for Fedotenko, didn't his entire family move to the US? He's an American citizen now. He's stated its unlikely he ever plays for Team Ukraine again due to scheduling, and that his life is in the US now.
Interesting.
It'd be nice to see at least one of them play for Ukraine again. Ponikarovsky is a Canadian citizen now so I'm not sure what he thinks about actually playing for them again.
He did refer to himself as Russian in at least one radio interview he did in Toronto. He can't speak Ukrainian (when I got his autograph, I asked for it to be in Ukie and he was like..."derrr how about Russian?"
http://hcsokol.kiev.ua/article_6326.html
- says it would be interesting to play the WC in Kiev, but can't due to possibility of playoffs. Obviously never made the playoffs that year with LA anyway.
He does get interviewed enough by the Ukrainian press it seems....digging through more stuff...
---
As for Fedotenko, didn't his entire family move to the US? He's an American citizen now. He's stated its unlikely he ever plays for Team Ukraine again due to scheduling, and that his life is in the US now.
Considering he left before the recent revival of Ukrainian linguistic nationalism and was born in Kyiv, it's not shocking he doesn't speak Ukrainian. Doesn't mean he wouldn't play for the Ukrainian team. The bigger problem would seem to be the scheduling issue.
Considering he left before the recent revival of Ukrainian linguistic nationalism and was born in Kyiv, it's not shocking he doesn't speak Ukrainian.
Well, he's from Kyiv, not Crimea. Most people are Ukrainian speaking or bi-lingual, to not be able to come up with a "best wishes" type phrase was kinda shocking IMO.
Well, he's from Kyiv, not Crimea. Most people are Ukrainian speaking or bi-lingual, to not be able to come up with a "best wishes" type phrase was kinda shocking IMO.
Kyiv was and is very much a Russian speaking city. More people are bilingual today, but when Ponakarovsky lived in Kyiv (80's and 90's) it was not. Not to mention Ponakarovsky moved to Russia in his youth to play hockey. Russian is still by far the dominant language used in Kyiv today.
Kyiv was and is very much a Russian speaking city. More people are bilingual today, but when Ponakarovsky lived in Kyiv (80's and 90's) it was not. Not to mention Ponakarovsky moved to Russia in his youth to play hockey. Russian is still by far the dominant language used in Kyiv today.
Any idea if he's been to Ukraine at all in recent years? Or Fedotenko for that matter?
Any idea if he's been to Ukraine at all in recent years? Or Fedotenko for that matter?
No idea about Ponakarovsky, I read an interview with Fedotenko last year and he stated he hasn't been to Ukraine since 2006. He didn't bring the cup to Kyiv when he won with Pittsburgh in 2009, instead opting to have his day with his family in the USA.
Official stats and what people report isn’t the same as what actually happens on the ground. I was in Kyiv this May and I can assure you that Russian is the language the vast majority of people use in every day interaction.
Well, he's from Kyiv, not Crimea. Most people are Ukrainian speaking or bi-lingual, to not be able to come up with a "best wishes" type phrase was kinda shocking IMO.
Ukrainian was not an official language until 1991. If he grew up in Kyiv and went to school there he would never have had any reason to learn the language and unless he spent a lot of time in rural areas he rarely would have spoken or heard it. Most of the older urban generation know hardly any Ukrainian and especially for a guy who left in 1998 it's not surprising he doesn't know it. It wasn't until 2004 that many urban schools and universities began teaching courses in Ukrainian. (and hilariously teaching Russian as a second language).
Ukrainian was not an official language until 1991.
Yes it was. Ukraine was officially bilingual until '91. (de facto and de jure)
I did just find a source confirming that in 1989 25% of Kiev students went to Ukrainian language schools
Quote:
Originally Posted by finchster
Official stats and what people report isn’t the same as what actually happens on the ground. I was in Kyiv this May and I can assure you that Russian is the language the vast majority of people use in every day interaction.
Russian or Surzhyk?
I know someone from Kiev, and she's only ever spoken fluent Ukrainian with me, and she's older than Ponikarovsky. She goes back and forth often enough, I'll ask her what it's like living there; but while my impression has always been that Russian is heavier in the city, it's never been lopsided.
Yes it was. Ukraine was officially bilingual until '91. (de facto and de jure)
I did just find a source confirming that in 1989 25% of Kiev students went to Ukrainian language schools
Russian or Surzhyk?
I know someone from Kiev, and she's only ever spoken fluent Ukrainian with me, and she's older than Ponikarovsky. She goes back and forth often enough, I'll ask her what it's like living there; but while my impression has always been that Russian is heavier in the city, it's never been lopsided.
We'll just have to disagree on the de facto part. If you wanted to go anywhere in the Soviet Union you needed to study in a Russian school or University.
It might be caused by over-lighting of the photos, but as far as I can see this season Donbass jerseys will be in a bit less poisonous colour, which of course, is good.
He brought it to Kiev after winning with Tampa in '04 though, so maybe he just felt like doing something different the second time?
Read a Ukrainian interview with him I think last year, he brought it to Kyiv in 2004 because he got an extra few days with the cup because it was the first time it was in Kyiv. When he won with the Pens he only got one day so decided to spend it at 'home'.
