Belleville’s Kuptsov benefits from big ice, new teammates

Last season in the Ontario Hockey League, Sergey Kuptsov, a Yekaterinburg native, could barely speak English. After a full season it didn't take him long to bond with his teammates in Mississauga.

He was looking forward to come back there for another year but then things quickly changed.

"It came out of nowhere," said Kuptsov regarding his trade to Belleville. "I learned about it when I was getting ready for the season with my dad down south. My agent couldn't reach me so it was (Belleville forward and fellow Russian) Daniil Zharkov who broke the news to me. He was like 'We're playing together now.' Later my agent told me they traded me because they changed the (owner)."

Kuptsov was surprised by the move since Steelheads' coach, James Boyd, had told him he'd increase his ice-time this season in Mississauga.

"He told me I'd play more minutes in the next season so I needed to train harder and improve my speed (and) endurance," said Kuptsov. "I worked hard with my dad on it this past summer. We worked on my athletics so I could skate faster and longer. We'll see how it's going to be this season. Hopefully, I can avoid the slumps I experienced last year."

In his first nine games of the season Kuptsov scored three goals and picked up four assists. While his start in Belleville was not as flamboyant as it was in Mississauga, Kuptsov hopes the transition will go smoother for him.

"Hopefully, this season I would be more consistent," he says. "Last season I scored 13 points in the first 10 games and then I couldn't score a goal for like 15 games. I hope it's not going to be like this now. I think my start of the season wasn't bad but, certainly, it could have been better."

The Bulls and Steelheads may be in the same league, but there aren't a lot of similarities between the two teams. Even the towns they represent are entirely different according to Kuptsov.

"Belleville is a lot smaller than Mississauga... the people on the streets recognize you all the time. It wasn't like this in Mississauga. Here no matter where you go, people can come up to you and ask for an autograph. That's the main difference," said the 6-foot-2, 185-pound winger.

Kuptsov also stresses that Bulls have a completely different set of goals in the season.

"Here the coach asks us for more. He tells us that we always have to be in top-5 in power play, penalty killing, number of wins and points, etc.," said Kuptsov. "Our goal in every game is to win. It wasn't like this in Mississauga. They asked us for more in Belleville and I think they're going to ask for even more in the playoffs."

The Bulls play on European-sized ice, which must be a big advantage for Kuptsov. Or is it?

"It has its advantages," he said. "For instance, there's more room to move the puck around on a power play. However, I wouldn't say there's a big difference. It's easy to get used to both rinks. We play one game on the road, where we have to play on Canadian-sized ice, then we come back and play on European-sized ice. You really can't tell the difference. I mean, yeah, you have to skate more when you play home and you have to pay more attention to positioning when you play on smaller ice. Although, the games go one-by-one so fast, you really can't tell the difference."

Surely, the Bulls must have an advantage playing at home as their opponents aren't as comfortable on the bigger ice as they are?

"Of course. I remember when I played for Mississauga last season I was shocked when I came here. I would dump the puck in the way I usually do and start chasing it. And then it would dawn on me that I have no energy left in me and I still don't have the puck because the rink is bigger. We only played twice last season in Belleville and it really felt that we were playing on a bigger rink. So, yeah, I guess we have a certain advantage when we play at home but then again everyone does have an advantage when they play at home, right?"

Despite being exposed to so many new things in Belleville, Kuptsov still found a few familiar faces — his former linemate in Mississauga and Anaheim Ducks prospect Joseph Cramarossa, and Oilers prospect Zharkov, whom Sergey played with on Team Russia last spring at the U18 World Championship were both with the Bulls.

Import players are often put on the same line on CHL teams but that wasn't the case for Zharkov and Kuptsov.

"We played a few pre-season games on the same line. To be honest, for whatever reason we just didn't click," said Kuptsov with a shrug. "The coach didn't like that and put us on different lines. He did put us back together for one game, though, and I even scored from Zharkov's assist. Yet I think we have a better chemistry with [Brendan] Gaunce and Cramarossa."

Zharkov isn't the only one on the Bulls Kuptsov can talk to about his Russian Motherland. Goalie Malcolm Subban was a member of Team Canada at the recent Super Series that took place in Yaroslavl, Russia and Halifax in August.

"He told me about his trip to Russia and how they went to see the Kremlin," said Kuptsov with his signature smile. "He also impersonates the Yaroslavl goal-horn. He says it drove him crazy and he didn't like it. I said 'You didn't like it because it meant you were scored on'. We had a good laugh about it."

Kuptsov said he is fascinated by Subban because he's never come across another goalie like him.

"I know a lot of goalies. I'm friends with some of them. I have never seen a goalie like him," said Kuptsov. "He can be dancing before games or singing. He's a very talented guy, he can really dance and sing, I'm not kidding. He's a very entertaining guy before games. He doesn't keep to himself before games. In fact, he's more relaxed before the games than a lot of other guys on the team. I'm telling you, I've never seen a goalie like this."

As for the NHL draft, Kuptsov says he doesn't think about it too much.

"I think about it from time to time. I think about when I'm going to be picked. I don't think about it too much, though. If you do, you won't make it too far," he said. "Plus, there's really no point in it as the season has just started. I focus on the way I play and on my team. I try to play hard in every game and every shift."

Willingness to work hard shows in Kuptsov's play. He's not afraid to play rough if he needs to — something a lot of scouts would certainly add to their reports to go with his numbers.