Freshman Friday is a Q-and-A feature with new members of the men's hockey team. This is the sixth of eight installments this year, featuring forward Max Andreev.
Q: Welcome to Cornell! So we're a couple months into your time here. What do you think so far?
A: I'm having fun. I love the team. The hockey hasn't been to the point where we've wanted (because of two losses to Michigan State), but I'm sure we'll pick it up. But I'm getting more and more comfortable every week, so I'm feeling good about it so far.
Q: What are you studying here?
A: I'm an ILR major (Industrial and Labor Relations). I'm probably going to go toward sports agency.
Q: Is that something you've always been interested in?
A: Partially. I've always been close with my advisor, and he told me ILR is a great place and a lot of important people in sports came out of this school – like (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman. So as soon as I committed to Cornell, I pretty much knew I was going to go to ILR.
Q: When did the NCAA route become something that you looked at?
A: I think after my first year in the States. I was talking to a bunch of people about what I should do with my hockey career. My uncle helped me out a lot with that because he's played in the NHL, and he knows how it is right now. And I talked to my advisor again, and he said, 'You're a really smart kid. If there's one kid from Russia that can play college hockey, it's probably you.' So I was kind of picking between major juniors and college hockey, and I wanted to stay in the States and chose college as my route. And I don't regret it at all. It kind of gives you more time to development as a player and as a person as well.
Q: It had to be a big decision for you to come over to the States when you were 16 years old, right?
A: Honestly, it was a sudden decision, but I guess my family was kind of getting me ready for it my whole life. Because I went to an English school back home (in Moscow), and I literally came over to the States every year. So it wasn't that new. It was still different, obviously. And it's a different lifestyle. Being away from home, it's tough for the first couple of months. But I was a little more prepared than everyone else. But it was a sudden decision. Half a year before that, I was all into playing junior hockey in Russia. But as the youngest kid, the way the coach and everyone else on the team treated me was really not the way I felt it should have been. So I decided to come over.
Q: You mentioned your uncle, Sergei Brylin, who played 765 games in the NHL and won three-time Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils. How much was he behind this whole move?
A: He was interested in the whole process and when I first decided to stay in Russia and play in juniors there. It was like, 'Are you sure about your decision? Because you can find a spot here (in the States) and maybe major juniors.' We were looking at some LMQHL teams at the time. … Then after I got drafted into the USHL, he started to get more involved in my career and help me out. He was actually very surprised when I chose Cornell. Because I had a couple other offers, and he was like, 'Are you sure you're going to be able to go to a school like that?' Because, academically, it's one of the best schools in the country. He questioned me a little bit. But I told him I could handle it, and so far it's been pretty good.
Q: So did you live with him when you first came over from Russia?
A: No, I lived with a host family. First year, I played on Long Island with the New York Bobcats. It was two hours by train away from him. The first year was tough, obviously. I missed home, I missed family. So every day off I'd go over to his house, because I've known his family for a long time. And then when I played in Jersey, I played in the south part and he lives in the northern part. So I didn't see him quite a much, but I had a chance to go over a couple times. So I lived with billet families my three years of junior hockey here.
Q: So from the team in southern New Jersey in the NAHL, you jump to the USHL in Central Illinois. How did that year go for you?
A: New Jersey and Illinois are so different. People are so different. It was a big change for me. I thought I was ready for it, but when I first got to Illinois it just didn't feel the same. People didn't know as much about hockey. People are more settled in, I want to say. They never rush. In New Jersey and New York City, everyone's always in a rush. Everyone wants to do everything quick and do as much as possible. It was different in Illinois, but I liked it. It was a good experience. It was cool to see how people lived there.
Q: Then you committed to Cornell early in your time there. You've touched on the academic side a little, but did you feel like Cornell was ideal from a hockey standpoint?
A: I actually never considered academics as part of my decision. I legitimately looked at it from the hockey standpoint – what programs are better; what programs are a better fit for me; where do I want to see myself in three years and what role am I going to play? I chose Cornell, because the team was great last year and I think we're going to be great for the next I don't know how many years if we keeping doing what we've been doing. And I really like the coaching staff and their effort and their way to treat players.
Q: What kind of players do you look up to and think that's the kind of player you want to be?
A: I would say ideally, Sergei Federov. But as of right now, (Nicklas) Bäckström and (Evgeny) Kuznetsov. I like the way they play. And I actually really like Ryan Getzlaf, too. But he's kind of a bigger dude. I probably don't have his size, but I like his game a lot.
Q: How do you see your path here playing out?
A: I have one goal in front of me – I want to win the national championship with this program. That's all I have lined up for myself, to be honest. I don't see anything that could potentially stop us. We have a good enough team this year. I know we can do it, it's just a matter of doing the little things right and staying together no matter what happens.
Q: Would you say you're the kind of player who prides himself on doing those 'little things right,' as you said it?
A: I think if you want to play professional hockey, you have to do the little things right. You have to pay attention to those on the ice and off the ice. I have a perfect example in front of me. One thing I will say is that I'm not a typical European import player.
Q: Why?
A: First of all, as a forward I love to say that I'm responsible defensively. And I know that's what the coaches want from our centers. We're a defensively-built team. So I would say that as much potential as I have offensively, I will always care about defense first and think defense first. Because that's the way you want to treat your game if you want to play professionally. Offense wins games; defense wins championships. I'm sure you've heard that a lot.
Freshman Friday Archives
Oct. 12 — Misha Song
Oct. 19 — Joe Leahy
Oct. 26 — Nate McDonald
Nov. 2 — Michael Regush
Nov. 9 — Liam Motley
