Sharks Played Hockey That 'Kills The Player In You,' Says Alexander Barabanov

4 min read
Aug 28, 2024, 10:02 AM
Alexander Barabanov

Alexander Barabanov played four seasons in the NHL // Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

 

Forward Alexander Barabanov returned to the KHL this summer and signed a contract with Ak Bars Kazan after four seasons in the NHL, where he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks. Barabanov never got to play in the playoffs or compete for the Stanley Cup, but he remembers his North American experience with great respect and joy.

"It was a cool experience," Barabanov said in an exclusive interview with RG.org. "Of course, there was a feeling of incompleteness because I really wanted to play in the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But overall, I enjoyed it. They let me play a lot, especially in San Jose."

Barabanov arrived in the NHL in 2020 and played 13 games for the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Sharks.

"It's tough to break into the Toronto roster," Barabanov said. "Many factors have to come together. During negotiations, they can tell you that you're going to play one position, and then, like in my case, it turns out not to be the case. I played five minutes in the first game, and in the second, four minutes. After that, I called [agent] Dan [Milstein] and asked what I was doing wrong. But the team had a great scout, Jim [Roque], who communicated with me helpfully and told me that I needed to play at least 20 games to understand what kind of league this was. But then they traded me to San Jose, where I played 18 minutes a game. And I realized that you can easily play that much time."

Barabanov had options to stay in the NHL but was not satisfied with the offers. In the 2023-24 season, he played 46 games, scoring 13 points (four goals, nine assists). In 206 games in the NHL, the forward scored 107 points (32 goals, 75 assists).

"The last year was difficult because of injuries," said 30-year-old Barabanov. "And in the NHL, everyone judges by your last year of contract. I've been offered to play in the fourth line, but I want to avoid repeating the same mistake. I went through this in Toronto, and I understand what it is. So there was no point in it. It's better to play in the KHL.

I've probably already closed the door to the NHL for myself. I don't see the point in going there and sitting on the bench or playing in the AHL. It's a shame because my style of play fits the NHL. But the speeds there are getting higher every year, and you're not getting any younger."

From a hockey point of view, two seasons with the Sharks, who are going through a rebuilding process, were painful for Barabanov despite a lot of playing time.

"I got much pleasure from the hockey processes, from the whole league, but in the last year, I suffered from injuries, and the team played primitive hockey," Barabanov said. "You run around without the puck and don't understand why you need all this. We didn't even try to keep the puck, play for your partner. It was the most simple hockey that kills the player in you. But after all, this helped them get [Macklin] Celebrini. I hope that the team will finish a rebuild. They have many good young players with great future."

Barabanov was also happy with his life in California. But not with the prices that had to be paid for it:

"I enjoyed California. I stayed there for the summer last year because my wife was about to give birth. And we decided to go on a road trip around California. It's a very cool and diverse state. Two hours, and you're in Napa Valley. There's everything nearby: the ocean, the desert, the Sequoia National Park. But you have to pay high taxes for it. Prices are generally high. Last year, I rented a house for $10,000. This is what I'm not going to miss".

Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.

Interests:
NHL
EPL
FIFA
UCL
NFL
NBA
tennis
BWF
Hiking
Poker

More RG Exclusive Interviews

Our Authors

Paruyr Shahbazyan began his business career in 2000 as a private entrepreneur. Over thirteen years, he developed a deep understanding for business and leadership, laying a solid foundation for his professional journey.

In 2013, Paruyr stepped into the sports and betting industry as the founder and president of Bookmaker Rating. This online mass media platform, which he led until 2020, focused on providing in-depth analysis and insights in sports betting, earning a reputation for its quality content. 

Continuing his innovative approach in 2022, Paruyr co-founded Azuro, a decentralized betting protocol. This venture showcases his dedication to integrating advanced technology in the evolving landscape of sports betting. Through these diverse experiences, Paruyr has continuously influenced and shaped the betting industry, driving new trends and setting high standards.

 ExperienceYear
Engaged in private entrepreneurship2000-2013
Founder and President at Bookmaker Rating, an online platform focused on sports and betting2013-2020
Co-founder at Azuro, a decentralized betting protocol2022

"Innovation in sportsbetting comes from a deep understanding of both technology and the human element of sports." 

- Paruyr Shahbazyan, Founder, RG

 

Principles and Ethics

Paruyr Shahbazyan's core beliefs lie in the power of informed decision-making and integrity in the betting industry. He understands that the foundation of successful betting is not just about odds and predictions, but also about the trust and reliability of the information provided. Paruyr advocates for a betting environment where transparency and knowledge are paramount, ensuring that bettors are well-equipped with accurate data and insights.

Strategic Vision

Paruyr's vision is to revolutionize the sports betting industry through the integration of technology. He sees the future of betting as a blend of traditional sports knowledge with innovative tech solutions, like decentralized protocols, to enhance user experience and fairness. His aim is to create platforms that are not only user-friendly but also uphold the highest standards of ethical betting, contributing to a more responsible and enjoyable betting culture.

Future Perspectives

Looking towards the future, Paruyr envisions a betting landscape that is more inclusive, technologically advanced, and globally connected. He anticipates a significant shift towards more decentralized and transparent betting systems, driven by blockchain technology. Paruyr is committed to being at the forefront of this change, continuously exploring new possibilities and innovations that can redefine what it means to engage in sports betting in a digital world. His focus is on building systems that prioritize user empowerment, fairness, and the global growth of the sports betting community.

 

Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Sol Fayerman-Hansen
Editor-in-Chief

Sol has over 20 years of experience in writing for diverse industries including sports, gambling, regulation, technology, and startups. As the Editor-in-Chief at RG.org, Sol brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, focusing on delivering transparent, evidence-based content grounded in thorough research. Sol's mission is to empower readers to enjoy gambling responsibly and make informed decisions, enhancing their overall experience through insightful and engaging content. Under Sol's leadership, RG.org prioritizes the highest standards of integrity and reliability, ensuring that all information provided is accurate and trustworthy. Sol's dedication to transparency and research-based writing helps create a responsible gambling environment where readers can truly benefit from the content. This commitment to excellence has positioned RG.org as a leading source of information in the gambling industry.

Experience:

  • Over 20 years in writing and editing across multiple industries
  • Former head of regional innovation at BMO Finanacial Group
  • Senior Writer, Online Casino Reports
Cristina Varela Galan
Cristina Varela Galan
Problem Gambling Expert

Cristina used to work as a Psychology Assistant in the Bizkaia Pathological and Risky Gamblers Association. She was also part of a research team in Deusto University, specializing in pathological gambling area. While working there, she managed to develop her own project 

 “Exploring the association between emotional regulation, alexithymia, stressful life events and gambling in adolescent and young adult women”.

Nick Ashbourne
Nick Ashbourne
Senior Writer

Nick has been fascinated with sports since he was first taken to a Toronto Maple Leafs game back in 1998, and he's written about them professionally since 2014.

Nick has covered baseball and hockey for outlets like The Athletic, Sportsnet, and Yahoo Sports, and his sports betting expertise has grown since its legalization in Ontario in 2022. 

Between 2022 and 2023 he worked for a betting startup called NorthStar Bets, and in 2024 he contributed to Oddspedia before joining the Responsible Gambling team.

Sergey Demidov
Sergey Demidov
Head of News Department

Sergey has been in sports journalism since 2007 as a reporter, editor, and manager. He has covered the Olympic Games, soccer World Cups, the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the European championships, the Stanley Cup Finals, IOC events, and many others. Sergey interviewed the sport's greatest athletes, coaches, and executives. Since 2016, he has been an Independent Senior Editor of NHL.com/ru.

Anna Kravtcova
Anna Kravtcova
Problem Gambling Expert

Ph.D. in organizational psychology, an internationally certified psychologist (EuroPsy 2022, Cognitive behavioural therapy of mindfulness 2020, International Society for Emotional Intelligence 2017, Russian Psychological society 2014, American Psychological Association(Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologist) 2011), speaker of many international conferences (USA, Brazil, Portugal, Czech Republic, Russia, etc.). TEDx speaker.

Mark Medina
Mark Medina
NBA Reporter

Mark Medina is a longtime NBA reporter that includes stints as a Lakers blogger with The Los Angeles Times (2010-12), Lakers beat writer with the Los Angeles Daily News (2012-17), Warriors beat writer with Bay Area News Group (2017-19) as well as an NBA reporter/columnist for USA Today (2019-21) and NBA.com (2021-23). Medina is also an NBA insider with Fox Sports Radio and frequent contributor to CBSLA's SportsCentralLA with Jim Hill and with Spectrum Sportsnet.

Daria Tuboltseva
Daria Tuboltseva
Hockey Reporter

Daria went to St. Petersburg State University and earned a bachelor of international journalism. Working as a sports journalist from 2014, from 2016 as a hockey journalist. Covered 5 World Championships, 2022 Winter Olympics, 2020 World Juniors, 6 Gagarin Cup Finals. 

Owner of a telegram channel Coolest Game on Earth.

Integrative nutritionist specializing on sports nutritionology.

Paul M. Banks
Paul M. Banks
Sports Reporter

Paul M. Banks is a professional Content Creator whose career has seen bylines in numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Yahoo, MSN, FOX Sports and Sports Illustrated.

Banks has made scores of guest appearances on live radio and television, featuring regularly on NTD News, WGN-TV, CCTV, ESPN Radio, the History Channel, SiriusXM and CBS Sports Radio.

He is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank.net, which has been featured and linked in hundreds of leading media outlets all across the world.

He has also authored two books, one of which, "No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in Sports Media," became an assigned textbook in journalism courses at State University New York-Oneonta.

Marco D'Amico
Marco D'Amico
Hockey Reporter

Marco D'Amico is a beat reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL Draft, while also being a recurring guest on TSN690 and BPM Sports. His work primarily on NHL CBA breakdowns and prospect analysis, all while covering the Montreal Canadiens on a day-to-day basis.

Show More