Daniil Miromanov on Monday’s legendary foe: ‘Ovi was the man you appeared as much as. He was the model, ever since he began taking part in within the NHL’
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Daniil Miromanov dreamed of scoring targets like Ovi.
On Monday, his high precedence is to cease certainly one of his childhood idols from padding his unbelievable stats.
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Miromanov, a Russian rearguard who has made a heck of an impression in a handful of appearances thus far with the Calgary Flames, may very well be in pinch-me mode as he faces Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for the primary time.
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“It’s going to be particular, man. I’m excited for it,” Miromanov stated after a St. Patrick’s Day apply on the Saddledome. “He’s an absolute residing legend and he’s carried out a lot for hockey and for Russian hockey, as effectively. It was all the time a dream of mine taking part in towards him or taking part in with him. I had a dream, too, to play towards (Pavel) Datsyuk or with Datsyuk, and I had the privilege to play towards him throughout his final yr of hockey, when he was within the KHL. And now I’m actually excited to play the Caps.”
For any defenceman, the joy of matching up towards Ovi is a case of careful-what-you-wish-for.
We’re, in any case, speaking about one of many best lamp-lighters in NHL lore.
Ovechkin has cashed 841 profession targets. He’s chasing solely Wayne Gretzky (894) on the all-time charts. At age 38, Father Time is his greatest opponent in his quest to bump the Nice One to second spot. (A nine-time winner of the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy, Ovechkin has managed solely 19 markers this season, together with eight on the person benefit.)
Miromanov, identical to Ovi, hails from Moscow.
And keep in mind, the Flames’ rising fan favorite was already taking part in Midget AAA when he made the swap to defence. Earlier than that, he was filling the online as a right-shot winger. Sound acquainted?
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“Ovi was the man you appeared as much as,” Miromanov stated, mentioning Ilya Kovalchuk as one other of his twine-tickling function fashions. “He was the model, ever since he began taking part in within the NHL, simply scoring so many targets and mainly scoring on a nightly foundation and celebrating prefer it’s his first purpose each single time. His ardour and his love for the sport, and what he’s carried out, it’s going to by no means be taken away.
“That’s Ovi. He’s a legend.”
The 26-year-old Miromanov remains to be getting settled on the Saddledome. It has been a whirlwind week-and-some since he acquired phrase that he had been traded from Vegas to Calgary, and that his new employers had been desperate to get a contract extension signed that very same night time.
The Flames’ scouts have lengthy been fascinated by Miromanov’s offensive upside and this late-blooming blue-liner has already tucked two targets on behalf of his new workforce, together with a juicy rebound within the third interval of Saturday’s 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Much more necessary, particularly for a man who arrived in Calgary with simply 29 nights of NHL expertise, is that Miromanov hasn’t appeared in the least overwhelmed as he goals to show he’s able to filling a top-four function. Throughout Thursday’s overcome the Golden Knights, he labored a career-high 20:53. He eclipsed that whole towards the Habs, logging almost 23 minutes.
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“I do know what sort of participant I’m and I do know my potential,” stated Miromanov, who’s presently partnered with MacKenzie Weegar and has additionally been quarterbacking the power-play. “I used to be simply ready for that chance, and proper now’s just the start. Extra and greater issues are coming. I’m simply very completely happy and I’m simply utilizing the chance one of the best that I can. That’s one of the best factor I can do.”
To date, so good.
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“He has nice poise with the puck. That’s one factor with him,” praised Flames coach Ryan Huska. “And I really feel just like the extra that he performs, the extra that he seems like, ‘Yeah, I’m (settling) in right here now,’ I feel you’re going to see it even get higher and higher. Generally, if you take a look at gamers like that, you’re pondering, ‘Jeez, does he get nervous? Does he really feel the stress?’
“As a result of he has that vibe about him the place he’s like, ‘Oh, no drawback, I’ve acquired this taken care of.’ It takes me a bit bit to get used to these sort of men. However he has nice poise with the puck and I feel the extra we see him, the higher he’s going to proceed to get.”
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If he can present that very same poise towards certainly one of his hockey heroes, towards one of many all-time greats, it is going to be an excellent signal.
If he may maintain him off the scoresheet, even higher.
“Simply get pleasure from it,” Miromanov stated as he ready for Monday’s matchup with Ovechkin and the Caps (6:30 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). “While you’re a child, you may solely dream about this stuff. After which if you’re rising up, if you’re slowly on that highway, you form of perceive that, ‘Wow, that is the complete cycle.’ As a result of I used to dream, trying as much as these guys, idolizing these guys. And now you’re taking part in towards them, the identical sport that you simply’ve been watching if you had been a child …
“That is particular. This life is particular, and the sport is particular. So it’s an important feeling. Simply get pleasure from each second of it. It’s going to be thrilling.”
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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