"With my first NHL salary, I might buy a car." Interview with Belarus's most promising hockey player Vitaly Pinchuk
"To lead Belarus to the Olympic Games and play there is my dream and huge motivation. Only two or three attempts left."
24-year-old forward Vitaly Pinchuk of Minsk "Dynamo" signed a one-year contract with "Nashville" and is leaving Belarus this summer. Onliner met with the hockey player in Minsk and talked about everything: from club selection to girls and Olympic dreams.
Why "Nashville"
Pinchuk's agent conducted negotiations all season while the hockey player himself was fully focused on hockey. After being eliminated by Ak Bars, video calls began with representatives from 15-16 NHL teams. According to Pinchuk, 29 out of 32 league clubs expressed interest. The final five included "Toronto," "Dallas," "Carolina," "Los Angeles," and "Nashville." He had to choose between the latter two.
A decisive factor was a conversation with Nashville's general manager Barry Trotz — the same one with whom Washington won the Stanley Cup in 2018. "Our club is the best opportunity for you to get into the NHL," he said. Pinchuk believed him.
Competition also played an important role: among Nashville's experienced center forwards, there is only Ryan O'Reilly, the rest are young. A real chance to fight for a spot on the roster.
About money and the first salary
According to published information, Pinchuk will earn about a million dollars per season plus a signing bonus of about $100 thousand. The hockey player himself does not deny the figures, but warns: "Half will go to taxes, if not more. So it's not as pretty as it looks." With his first salary, he says, he might buy a car — to bring it to Belarus later.
About the NHL, English, and family
Pinchuk is not worried about the language: a year in Canada, foreign players in Dynamo, and an excellent grade in English at school did their job. "My grammar limps, but I speak confidently," he quotes his teacher.
In "Nashville," there is already an acquaintance — Russian Fyodor Svechkov, who promised to help with adaptation. "Who else will I speak Russian with there?" Pinchuk jokes.
A family is not in the plans yet. "First, I need to establish myself in the NHL. And I want a Russian-speaking girlfriend — I can't live without jokes and sarcasm."
Dream – Olympics
The main goal for the future is not the Stanley Cup, but the Olympics with the Belarusian national team. "To lead Belarus to the Olympic Games and play there is my dream and huge motivation. Only two or three attempts left."
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