Traktor will compete for the cup, my team choice was obvious."

The coming offseason has become one of the most striking and at the same time controversial in the history of the KHL. But even against the background of everything, the event that happened to the top scorer of the KHL regular season, Canadian forward Josh Livo, is out of the ordinary. Salavat Yulaev, who is suffering a financial crisis and counting every penny, found a formal reason to abandon his main goalie, who did not arrive at the team's location on time due to visa problems. Ufa terminated the contract ahead of schedule, forcing Livo to urgently look for a new team. The 32-year-old striker, who broke Sergei Mozyakin's record for the most goals in a regular season, told in an interview what he thinks about it.

So far, I like everything in Chelyabinsk.

— How successful is your adaptation in the new team?

— I am very lucky that I got this option after leaving Salavat. Traktor is a very good team that played in the Gagarin Cup final last season. There is a great team here, many experienced players, a strong coaching staff, and all the processes within the organization are well organized. I joined a new team very easily. I still have to get used to some things, but right now I feel quite happy and can only think about hockey. A little time has passed since the end of the training camp. I think that with the start of the regular season I will turn on the cruise control mode.

— You had several suggestions.

— Traktor reached the final and intends to improve the result, so my choice was obvious. I want to win too. In this, our goals are the same. The team has a very strong squad with top-level players. It's easier to prove yourself next to such partners. I know Steve Kempfer and Buddy Robinson, who played here last season, and I had a good idea of where I was going. I've been to the city before too. My choice was considered and informed. Winning titles is always cool. I was lucky enough to become an AHL champion one day. Of the teams that came out to me, Traktor is the closest to the title. So far, I like everything in Chelyabinsk.

— Alexey Volkov, General Manager of Traktor, has been hunting for you for a long time.

— I chose Ufa earlier and I don't regret that decision because I spent a good time at Salavat. The city and the fans are wonderful. This place became my home for two years. I would have stayed there for a couple more years, but everyone knows what happened. We have to accept this and move on. Sometimes such moments happen in life and in your career, but you shouldn't dwell on them. It's a business. Now my task is to help the Tractor.

When I learned about Salavat Yulaev's decision, I was upset, but I managed to pull myself together.

— When and how did you find out that Salavat decided to terminate the contract?

— I was planning to fly to Ufa the next day, so I was completely shocked to learn the news from my agent. At that moment, I was just going to work out at the gym. This is a very unexpected situation for me, which I have never encountered before. But what can I do? Life goes on. Right now, I'm focused on the new team and the upcoming season. It's good that we managed to come to an agreement with Traktor quickly, and not sit around and worry. I managed to come to the training camp, get to know the team and have a few exhibition matches.

— Sometimes players refuse to return to the KHL after such situations.

— This question was not in front of me. I like everything about Russia. Words are not enough to describe how many good things have happened to me here. I can only say good things about the league and the country as a whole. Two great seasons confirm this. I feel comfortable here and even persuade my friends from North America to move to the KHL. What happened to Salavat in the summer is the only negative moment during my stay in Russia.

— What should I do to forget this trouble as quickly as possible?

— Approach the issue without unnecessary emotions. Of course, I was very upset, but I immediately pulled myself together and went to the gym. My agent Ivan took matters into his own hands, and we quickly resolved the issue of continuing our career.

— Will you remember your time in Ufa without negativity?

"That's right. I love the city, the fans treated me great. I am grateful to them for this. It was a pity to leave, but now I feel great at Traktor. I am looking forward to the matches against Salavat with great impatience. It's always interesting to play against your former team and old friends. I have no enemies left in Salavat.

— But you had a conflict with Grigory Panin in the playoffs, didn't you?

— I have a good relationship with Grisha. He's a great captain. I respect all my former teammates. It's up to journalists to write about something, and indeed, we had some moments in our relationship with Panin. But this is a common situation for any hockey team. It's not a big deal. I don't know what he's going to say about me, but for my part, I can only say nice things to him.

In the playoffs, the level of emotions is off the charts. In the away game against Spartak, the situation got a little out of control. Back then, there were many controversial judicial decisions that inflamed passions. I lost my temper a little bit myself. But the next day, everything calmed down, we shook hands and continued to do the same thing.

— Do you agree that we should have played better in the playoffs?

— In the playoffs, hockey is more intense and intense. I was unlucky — I got a couple of injuries that affected my game for the worse. I was still trying to get everything out of myself for the sake of winning. Everyone who has played with me knows about this. I am always very emotional and I want to win. It was a shame that after a good regular season I didn't manage to show the same level of play in the playoffs.