University of Connecticut Athletics
Getting to Know the #IceBus Freshmen: Yan Kuznetsov
2/13/2020 4:00:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Defenseman Yan Kuznetzov is the youngest member of the Huskies. He has yet to celebrate his 18th birthday, but he's been making plays all season for UConn. He's played in all 27 games for the Huskies this season, scoring two goals and tallying eight assists while blocking 18 shots on the defensive end. Kuznetzov comes to UConn all the way from Murmansk, Russia. We learned a little more about his background this week.
Q: What made you want to come to UConn?
YK: I just wanted to play hockey in college. That's my goal to play in the NHL, and the NCAA is a good league for developing and progress and for players in general. High competition, a lot of practice time. It's a difference between the CHL and the NCAA. I think UConn is a great school. I visited here last year when I played for the USHL, and I really liked it here so I came.
Q: What's your favorite thing about playing hockey at UConn so far?
YK: I really like the games because each game is very important for everybody. It's like an extension of the playoffs. It's very close, there's no games where somebody ran over the other team. Very competitive, no easy games.
Q: You played in the USHL prior to this. How do you think that prepared you for college hockey?
YK: Before the USHL, I played in Russia, and then I went over to the United States. It was pretty hard. High speed, a different game, a different style of hockey. It's more offensive, like you got to join the rush and help out offensively. It was pretty hard to get used to that.
Q: You won a gold medal with Team Russia in the World Hockey Challenge last year. What was that experience like?
YK: I mean we have a great national team in Russia. In the Under-18, we have a great team. Actually, we have no other goals different from winning the tournaments we go into, so it wasn't surprising. But yeah it's really fun to win with that group of guys.
Q: You've been able to play a major role on this team as a freshman. What's that like coming in right away and being an impact player?
YK: You know I just wanted to be helpful for the team, to help my teammates. To help the team to win the games to be high in the standings, that's all I want. I do everything to keep up with it.
Q: What have you been able to learn from the older guys on the team?
YK: I mean we have a great senior group, great leaders. You just look up to them, and there are different things every day they help the team with. They help the guys have confidence. They really give confidence to everybody on the team.
Q: Who's your favorite hockey team and hockey player?
YK: My favorite hockey team is the Los Angeles Kings. They're not good this year but I like them. And my favorite players are Victor Hedman from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Seth Jones from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Q: What do you think is your best attribute as a player?
YK: I have a big size, so I can play physically. I fill all the zones where I play and the tight gaps. The best part of my game is the defensive part I guess, but I'm working a lot on the offensive part too right now because I want to be a two-way defensive player.
Q: When did you first come over here from Russia?
YK: Last year.
Q: Is it difficult adjusting to life in a new country in addition to being in college?
YK: Oh yeah, it's different. In Russia, I lived in a boarding school for five years, playing hockey. And when I came over to the United States, I lived with a family. Yeah it was pretty different. You had to communicate with your family, you have some players living with you and a lot of stuff going on.
Q: What is your goal for this season? What do you want to accomplish?
YK: I want to play in the playoffs with UConn. We've got to do the best we can. We have some games left in the regular season. I'm sure we'll play in the playoffs, and then I'll have a World Junior Under-18 Tournament with the National Team in Detroit in April. That's really important for me too.
