"I don't see Magnitka as having any second-season syndrome"

Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey player Dmitry Silantiev has had one of the most unusual careers in the KHL over the past year and a half. By the beginning of last season he was playing in the WHL, but in the summer of 2023 he unusually got to Magnitogorsk for a viewing in Magnitogorsk after he sent the club a cut of his game highlights. As a result, a contract was signed with him, and in the spring of 2024 Dmitry became one of the main creators of the team's victory in the Gagarin Cup.

This season, the 24-year-old forward became a participant of the KHL All-Star Game for the first time. In an interview with Izvestia, Silantiev shared his impressions of the event, explained the reasons for Metallurg's difficulties this season and assessed the opportunities for other players to get a job at a top KHL club in the same unusual way.

- How did it feel to participate in the first Match of Stars in your career?

- It was a cool event. Enjoyed the event both days I was there. A lot of new acquaintances with interesting people - it was very interesting to talk to them and gain some experience. I think that's the cool thing about the All-Star Game, that you can talk to new people, whether it's hockey players and coaches that you didn't know personally before, or various hockey personalities. It's great to have an event like this that brings so many interesting people together in one place at the same time.

- Last season you surprised the hockey community when in just one year you went from a player with a less than stellar career in the WHL to one of the main heroes of the KHL playoffs. Can you say that getting to the Match of Stars is a new stage of recognition of you as a significant hockey player in the league?

- Life goes on, it goes its way. You have to enjoy every day. Especially those days when you get new emotions, whether it's last year's campaign for the Gagarin Cup and winning it or this year's getting to the All-Star Game. It's important to enjoy what's happening here and now, and already think about what will happen tomorrow. And not to live in the past. For me, last year's victory is an old story. Now there's a new season, there's getting to the Match of Stars, where you are with unusual people, with famous athletes. We have to make the most of it and move on, try to win a new trophy with the club.

- Roman Kantserov, then unknown to no one, participated in the KHL All-Star Game the year before last, having made his way there through the MHL Challenge Cup. Last spring he became one of the leaders of Metallurg when the latter took the Gagarin Cup. Yaromir Ermakov played for your team in the current MHL All-Star Game. Can he repeat Roman's path?

- I think so. Everyone is capable of it. The main thing is to believe in yourself and work. And try to get the coaching staff to trust you, to reach a new level. The key is work, character, patience.

- The story about how you made video clips of your moments for Andrei Razin to get a job at Metallurg before last season has already become a legend. Do you think anyone else in the KHL will repeat a similar career rise? Has anyone tried to follow your example?

- Some hockey players have called me, talked to me about it. But for someone to take the same example from me and repeat my path.... I don't know, I haven't heard about it yet. In any case, I think that everyone should have their own path in their career. Take Ovechkin - you can't be like him, even if you can sometimes repeat his shot. You have to be who you are. Be yourself.

- Metallurg had a very rough start to this season, and even now the team is outside the top four of the Eastern Conference. Can you say that Magnitogorsk has faced the syndrome of the second season, when after winning a trophy the results get worse?

- Actually, I don't see any syndrome. Yes, it was difficult at the beginning of the season. For many reasons - there are injuries to players, and the arrival of new people to the team, who needed time to get acclimated. And those who stayed from the championship season had to start all over again. But now we are reaching the level that allows us to fight for the highest places. And it is obvious that we can play even better. The main thing is to show all our best qualities in the playoffs, where it will be the most interesting.

- Does it make any difference where you go to the playoffs?

- Of course, I want to finish the regular season as high as possible. To play more games at home in the playoffs. But regardless of that, in the playoffs, where all the games are elimination games, you have to go out and play at your best under any circumstances, thinking only about winning. Just at home there is always an important advantage in the form of fan support. They support us in Magnitogorsk very strongly - it was especially noticeable during last year's playoffs and helped us win the Gagarin Cup. So we'll do everything we can to go higher in the regular season.