Nikita Shashkov, the latest addition to the Avtomobilist hockey team, has expressed his excitement about joining the club and settling down in Ekaterinburg. His move to Avtomobilist, he says, was largely influenced by head coach Nikolai Zavarukhin, who has made a significant impression on him.
Shashkov has admitted to hearing rumors over the summer about potential transfers to renowned teams like Ak Bars and SKA. Reflecting on these speculations, he said, "Kazan was close, then something went wrong at the moment." Despite the hiccups, Shashkov noted there were no concrete developments with SKA, commenting, "I knew they were interested but had no specifics."
The player, who has spent the previous six seasons with Siberia, underscored the motivation to excel during matches against Kazan after the recent comments from Mарат Валиуллин, which suggested other players could rival him. "It will certainly be motivation for the games against Kazan," he affirmed.
Shashkov has only played five matches this KHL season, assisting on one goal so far. Since his trade from Siberia, he has begun to familiarize himself with the team and hopes to leverage his experiences as he settles down with Avtomobilist.
Looking ahead, fans will be eager to see how Shashkov performs against Lada, hailing from Togliatti, as they face off on December 30th at 15:00 Moscow time. This match will be broadcast live online, allowing fans to catch the action as Avtomobilist aims to improve their position within the Eastern Conference.
Currently, Avtomobilist ranks fifth with 47 points after 38 games, following their recent narrow defeat to Metallurg, which ended with a score of 1-2 after penalties. Meanwhile, Lada is positioned tenth with 33 points from 36 games, coming off an equally close contest where they lost to Avangard, 6-7.
With Shashkov’s determination and the strategic leadership of Zavarukhin, Avtomobilist fans are hopeful for exciting performances and victories as the team navigates through the season.