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Player Discussion: Dmitri Voronkov

It's not at all uncommon for North American players to feel isolated/lonely while playing in a country where they know no one and their language is not spoken. I've met several ECHL players who returned from various European/Asian teams due to this and accepted a lower rate of pay.

Given the number of Russians on the roster, I'd hope that Voronkov's experience isn't miserable. Who knows if the information in this tweet is true. But it wouldn't hurt to provide an intensive Berlitz or other quick language learning course which could be of help to the kid.

He's on an ELC and can probably make about the same money in Russia, so if it's true Jarmo & Co. had best do what they can to make the situation better.
 
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No doubt not knowing english is hard, but you'd think support group of 4 russian players would be enough to keep him satisfied. Althrough losing 9 games in row probably wont help with any thoughts of leaving

Edit. "Not liking living in America" does make it sound like propaganda
 
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Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen confirmed reports from Russian media outlets this week that Voronkov is homesick and has considered returning to Russia.

“We are dealing with it internally,” Kekäläinen told The Athletic. “It’s normal for a young player to feel homesick at times. And so we’re dealing with it.”

The two-year contract Voronkov signed in May has an “out” clause if he’s not on the Blue Jackets NHL roster by the end of December, but that’s not an issue. Voronkov has become a regular with 3-6-9 in 15 games heading into today’s game vs. Carolina.

If Voronkov insists on returning home, the Blue Jackets would have to loan him to his club in Russia’s KHL, Kazan Ak-Bars, for him to resume playing. But the Jackets are hoping it doesn’t come to that.

Voronkov arrived in Columbus in late August, a couple of weeks before the start of training camp. He is not married and does not have any family members with him.

The biggest hurdle is that Voronkov speaks almost no English, and it was hoped that the Russian players on the roster — Ivan Provorov, Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov — would help with his adjustment to a new culture.

“He gets along with everybody,” Kekäläinen said. “He’s got a really good personality. He seems to be well liked in the room. There’s a twinkle in his eye. He’s been a very good teammate, from what I’ve gathered so far this season.”
The Blue Jackets took steps to help Voronkov acclimate when he first arrived, but those efforts will be redoubled in the coming days.

“We going to introduce him to some Russian people in Columbus,” Kekäläinen said. “We’re planning to get (former NHL defenseman and central Ohio resident) Fedor Tyutin involved, if he’s willing. He helped us in the past with Marchenko. He’s a good man and a Blue Jackets alum.”
Kekäläinen said he has extensive experience dealing with young players who get homesick early in their careers. He’s worked in the NHL with Ottawa, St. Louis and Columbus since the mid-1990s, but he also has personal experience.

When Kekäläinen left Finland to attend Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., it was rare for European players to attend U.S. colleges on hockey scholarships. He knows what it means to be a stranger in a strange land.

“I remember my first year, and on the first day school was over, I was on a plane heading back to Finland,” Kekäläinen said. “It gradually got better, obviously.”
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I'm frankly shocked Tyutin wasn't involved already. The team seems to have dropped the ball getting him acclimated to the local Russian community from the beginning but with the 3 other Russians on the roster you'd wonder how much they hang out away from the team.

It's probably tough living in a hotel too. I didn't recognize him at the time but I could tell he was a large hockey player heading to the arena for a game one night as I was leaving work. He was standing on the corner of Nationwide and Front in really nice suit walking towards the arena. Seems like he was walking from the hotels that direction.
 
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majormajor said:
I'm a bit surprised that they hadn't already set up Voronkov with the Tyutins and other Russian folks in town. I assumed they had already tried that.
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Probably figured they had enough guys in the room to make the transition as easy as it could be. I just wonder how much he worked on his english before coming over and how much the team assisted
 
majormajor said:
I'm a bit surprised that they hadn't already set up Voronkov with the Tyutins and other Russian folks in town. I assumed they had already tried that.
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Isn’t that part of Rick Nash’s front office responsibilities?
 
I wonder if a person who has believed in their government and media their entire lives moves to a country where that truth is questioned on an hourly basis can make them dislike that new country so much they want to leave, even if it harms them financially and professionally.
 
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spintheblackcircle said:
I wonder if a person who has believed in their government and media their entire lives moves to a country where that truth is questioned on an hourly basis can make them dislike that new country so much they want to leave, even if it harms them financially and professionally.
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- Russian propaganda is more of the variety where everything is made disreputable and truth is questioned even more. The strongman benefits when there is no objective reality.

- Dmitri isn't reading our media.
 
spintheblackcircle said:
I wonder if a person who has believed in their government and media their entire lives moves to a country where that truth is questioned on an hourly basis can make them dislike that new country so much they want to leave, even if it harms them financially and professionally.
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You are assuming he believed in their government. We don't know and if he didn't, it is probably pretty wise to keep it on the down low over there.

I don't think this has anything to do with politics. Just a guy who is alone and has probably never left Russia before for any length of time and having trouble adjusting.
 
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Just manipulating Jarmo to get that NHL pay cheque :sarcasm:. Hes earned it though, falling off a touch as was expected but not looking like he doesnt belong
 
stevo61 said:
Just manipulating Jarmo to get that NHL pay cheque :sarcasm:. Hes earned it though, falling off a touch as was expected but not looking like he doesnt belong
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If that's the case, then he wants to stay in the NHL rather than returning home.

Iron Balls McGinty said:
You are assuming he believed in their government. We don't know and if he didn't, it is probably pretty wise to keep it on the down low over there.

I don't think this has anything to do with politics. Just a guy who is alone and has probably never left Russia before for any length of time and having trouble adjusting.
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The I part of DEI is inclusion. Do better, front office.
 
Iron Balls McGinty said:
You are assuming he believed in their government. We don't know and if he didn't, it is probably pretty wise to keep it on the down low over there.

I don't think this has anything to do with politics. Just a guy who is alone and has probably never left Russia before for any length of time and having trouble adjusting.
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I said, "I wonder".

I didn't assume anything.
 
Marioesque said:
It's coming from Russia so that's what it's going to be.
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Aged like a fine milk lol.


Seriously though, Voronkov, as expressive as he is on the ice, outside of the ice doesn't speak not only English, but any language at all, so I wouldn't be surprised that he isn't getting along too well even with fellow Russians, also the issue could be that they are relatively young and not in a some sort of a leadership role like let's say Gavrikov was.
 
My guess is that Vronk just needs to feel good enough outside from hockey, because he needs to put in so much effort in practices and games with the language and culture handicap that it’s draining. Expat communities exist for a reason.
 
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