"Shipachev's 1,000th point will be a huge event for the entire league"

On January 8, Dynamo Minsk hockey player Vadim Shipachev may become the first player in the history of the KHL to score 1,000 points using the goal+pass system. On January 6, the 38-year-old central striker scored an assist in the away match of the regular season against CSKA Moscow (2:4), and it was his 999th point. Now his team will play away against Severstal Cherepovets, Shipachev's hometown club. The 2014 world champion, the 2018 Olympic champion and the 2022 Olympic silver medalist can reach a milestone there.

Meanwhile, Dinamo Minsk itself is fighting for leadership in the Western Conference of the regular season and has a good chance of repeating the success of last season, when the Belarusian club reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time in its history. However, after the New Year, the team lost both of its away matches — 2:4 to CSKA and 4:5 to Traktor Chelyabinsk. In an interview with Izvestia, Dynamo Minsk captain Andrei Stas commented on the club's current results and Shipachev's imminent historic achievement.

— What do you attribute the difficulties of your team in the first two matches in 2026?

"It's not exactly a problem... We just played a lot in unequal squads. And for two games, everything flies into our goal. Luck is not on our side. But it must be earned. We need to reach our level again. So let's work on the bugs and go ahead.

— Such defeats against Minsk have recently happened at the moment when the team becomes the leader of the Western Conference. Does being at the top somehow put pressure on Dynamo?

— I would not say that there is any pressure. All the fun will start in the spring. Therefore, there is no pressure — we play our game. We try to impose our actions on our rivals.

"CSKA cannot be at the bottom of the standings"

Kirill Dolzhenkov, an Army hockey player, talks about the fight for entry into the KHL playoffs and the team's results in recent matches

— Is there a fundamental difference between where to enter the playoffs?

— Let's live to see it. But of course, the higher the better.

— Is there a rush in the team from Shipachev's upcoming 1,000th point in the KHL?

- of course. Everyone is worried about Vadik, everyone is sure that this is about to happen. I think it will be a great event for the whole league.

— In the match against CSKA, the referees did not count Dynamo Minsk's goal, scored from Shipachev's pass, this point could have been his 1000th already in this match. Is everyone guessing so that he does it in his native Cherepovets, where do you need to play the next meeting?

—Not really. But it would be great if he scored the 1000th point in the same place where he scored the first point. Everyone in our team and, I think, the whole of Belarus is worried about him in this regard.

— How do you explain why Vadim has been playing at a high level in the KHL for so many years and has almost reached this level?

— The explanation is simple — this is a great master. And, of course, he had strong teammates.

— Last season, Dinamo Minsk reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time in its history. What is keeping you at the top of the table now?

— We've probably improved a little bit in all aspects. Plus, the club's transfer policy, in my opinion, was good. All this adds up brick by brick and gives a result.

— What result in the playoffs will you consider successful this year?

— I won't guess anything. I think everyone has a dream.

— What kind of dream?

— Well, what do you think?

— Maybe we can reach the final of the Gagarin Cup?

— Why does professional sports exist at all? In order to become the first.

— Don't you even think in such categories about how to go further than last season?

— I'm talking about the next game. I'm only thinking about her now.