Tomas Jurco: ‘I came to Kunlun to play a bigger role’

26 August 2024

Over the weekend, Russian sports website Championat.com ran a big interview with the Dragons’ summer signing Tomas Jurco. Our Slovak forward had plenty to say for himself about returning to Red Star, reuniting with Mikhail Kravets and how Kunlun can make the playoffs this year.

– How are you settling in with Kunlun?

– Pretty good. It’s only been a couple of weeks. There’s a lot of new guys, everybody’s getting used to new things, a new coach.

– What do you think of the changes that happened since you left the club?

– The team is almost the same, but there are some new guys. The coaches are new as well. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same. It’s too early now to see the changes except the big ones.

– The game against Ak Bars was very intense for a preseason game. What was it like to watch it from the stands and not play?

– I don’t expect to play every game in preseason. Of course, you wanna try to help your team when you see it from upstairs, but you can’t jump in. It was a good, close game. If the team plays in a similar way in the season and scores more goals, we’ll be good.

‘I REALLY LIKED IT WHEN I WAS HERE LAST TIME’

– When did you get the offer to come back to Kunlun?

– I think it was July. I was talking to my agent, Shumi Babayev, and he came back with an offer from Kunlun. I have to say I really liked it when I was here last time. I know there were other options, but I wanted to come back to Kunlun. I want to have a bigger role, play a lot of minutes and help the team to reach the play-offs, which is good for us. I wanted to go somewhere where I know the guys and the coach. It was a big opportunity for me.

– Avangard’s GM Anton Kuryanov said that the club offered you a new contract but you declined. Was it before or after Kunlun came with their offer?

– It was before, around the same time. Yes, I got an offer to stay in Omsk.

– Why did you turn it down?

– I was looking for a bigger role, to play more minutes, to be a powerplay guy. I had that in Kunlun before. It was a big reason why I decided to come back here.

– Were there any other options in the KHL or elsewhere?

– Everything happened really quickly. I didn’t really talk to my agent much in the summer. I got injured in the last game of the playoffs, so I was rehabilitating and getting ready for the new season. In July I started talking to Shumi and everything happened in about 10 days. Maybe if we waited a little longer there would be some other options, but I’m satisfied with this one.

Tomas finished last season with Avangard, playing under Kunlun’s new head coach Mikhail Kravets. He was there when the Hawks unexpectedly fired Kravets during the second round of the playoffs – “it was a little bit weird,” he recalled – and got to grips with a Russian-speaking locker room for the first time.

– Is your speaking in Russian better than reading?

– I can’t read [in Russian]. I was in the KHL for three seasons, but only for three months each time. In Barys there were 12-15 imports, so we didn’t use Russian. Here in Kunlun there is no Russian, it’s English everywhere. There was only that time in Omsk where I mostly using Russian. I feel like after those three months I understood more, but I haven’t learned to read. Before I came to Russia, I thought it would be more similar to my language. I didn’t think it would be so different. Some words are the same, but most of the sentences are totally different. I think it would take a few more months on a Russian team for me to learn to read and speak. But I’ve never had to do it.

– Are games vs Avangard going to be something special for you?

– Yes, especially in Omsk. I had nice memories from there. I can’t say my time there was too successful because we wanted to go further in the play-offs but at the same time it was very nice and I loved playing in front of the home crowd, it was very energizing. Obviously, the game in Omsk will be special to me.

‘I ALWAYS KNEW THE KHL IS MORE MY STYLE OF HOCKEY’

– How do you like your line with Chartier and Wilkie?

– I like it now, but we’ll see how it’s gonna go. It’s very early to say, but there is a big potential in both of them, they are two good players. We’ll see how they’ll adjust to the league because they never played in the KHL. From my own experience in Switzerland, every league in Europe is different. Sometimes it feels like it’s a different sport! Playing in the KHL is very different from playing in Switzerland. It’s gonna take some time for them to adjust to the KHL style of hockey. Once they get used to it, they’re gonna be good players.

– What’s the difference between the KHL and Switzerland?

– Bigger ice. Teams play different systems. In Russia you hold on to the puck more, there are more1-on-1 situations. In Switzerland it’s called “overload” – there are two guys coming at you right away and you don’t have time for anything. In Russia they let you skate around the offensive zone while they protect what is called the “house”. Five guys are protecting the most dangerous area of the D-zone in the middle. In Switzerland you touch the puck and there are two guys on you right away, and it’s very physical. It’s hard to explain, but you feel it as a player. They’re both very good leagues but in different ways. I think the KHL is the hardest league. Some guys like this style of hockey, but it’s very individual.

– Which style do you like?

– I like KHL hockey more, that’s why I came back. I tried to play in Switzerland. It wasn’t bad, it was very good, but I always knew the KHL is more my style of hockey.

‘WE HAVE A CHANCE THIS YEAR, AND WE’LL DO EVERYTHING TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL’

– You’re going to play with former #1 NHL draft pick Nail Yakupov. What can you say about him?

– Nail is one of few Russians we have. We’re not always hanging out together, but I can see he is very professional. I’m surprised to see how much effort he puts into getting ready and taking care of his body. It’s not an easy position for him so far, because he hasn’t played much even when he was in the lineup. It’s very hard to say because it’s only a preseason and things can change during the season. But I can see why he was drafted so high. – quickness, skating. He is very powerful, which is what I like about him very much. He needs some time to get used to everything, it’s a new team for him. I think he’ll be fine.

– Do you think he can reignite his career here?

– It is possible for sure. We’ll see. It’s not entirely up to him. He is in a tough position. Depends on how much he will play, and how well. I’m pretty sure he can have a great season.

– How quickly can Kunlun make a strong team?

– I feel like we can make the play-offs this year. This is the year where we can take one step to be better and become a team that makes the play-offs. We all have to get used to the new style with Mikhail Kravets. On paper, this team is better than it was in the last few years. We have a chance this year and we’ll do everything to achieve this goal.

– Kravets said Kunlun’s goal is to fight for hardware.

– I have to say it’s a bold statement. I wouldn’t go that far right away. With this team, we have to go step by step. We’ll see how the beginning of the season goes for us and slowly become better and better. For me the goal is more like to make the playoffs comfortably and not be fighting to the last game. Sixth-seventh position is more realistic. If we can do better than that, I’ll be only too happy.

– Your contract is only for one year. Was that your decision?

– Yes. I always wanna sign only for one season. You never know what might happen in that season. Let’s say I might get a very interesting offer somewhere else. I focus 100% on this one season, trying to have the best season for the team, and go from there. In the last few years, I came later to the season because of some problems that I had. So, for me it’s better to sign for one season and be 100% ready to put all effort there. It’s like a motivation – if I sign for one season, I have to work very hard to get another good contract.

– Do you see yourself moving to China if Kunlun goes back there one day?

– I don’t know. It’s another reason why I signed for one year. I’m not sure, it’s hard to say. We all have families, so it would be a discussion – being so far away from everyone. I heard good things about it from older guys that were there. I’m not saying no, but it’s hard to give an answer.