After his first stint in North America with the Syracuse Crunch and the Orlando Solar Bears, Russian netminder Amir Miftakhov returned this summer, inking a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. Miftakhov is now playing in the American Hockey League with the Chicago Wolves, where he has seven wins in twelve games.
In this translated interview, originally appearing on the Russian website Evening Kazan, Miftakhov (the Tampa Bay Lightning’s sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft) reflects on his return to North America, the challenges of adjusting to the AHL, and his approach to chasing an NHL opportunity.
**You can read the original interview in Miftakhov’s native Russian by Pavel Melnikov on Evening Kazan here**
Miftakhov’s Move to Chicago
This season, Miftakhov has enjoyed the vibrant city of Chicago and the market, although he has yet to take in any Blackhawks or Bulls games. “I haven’t had time yet,” Miftakhov said. “It’s been constant games, practices, travel. When you get back from a road trip, you just want to rest at home and have a quiet day. So we haven’t gone to any games so far, but I’d really love to get to an NBA game.”
Amir Miftakhov, Chicago Wolves (Jonathan Kozub / Manitoba Moose)
He has also seen some familiar faces in Chicago, like Artyom Levshunov and Ilya Mikheyev. However, contact is limited. “I saw Levshunov once, but that’s about it. Everyone has games, a packed schedule, practices. Everyone kind of lives their own life within their team.”
Miftakhov’s Return to the AHL
Miftakhov returned to the AHL after three seasons. It hasn’t changed much, he said. “A lot of time has passed, some things fade from memory,” Miftakhov noted. “Compared to the KHL, it’s definitely tougher for goaltenders here. The attacking play is more unconventional, everything is geared toward offense, and the game itself is faster. Statistics don’t always reflect what’s really happening: a team might have 20 shots, but 15 of them are genuine scoring chances.”
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The play is still very tough, however, tougher than at home. “Yes, it’s a meat grinder here. They hit, and they hit hard. It’s allowed. Sometimes you watch the hits here and think that in the KHL, players would be thrown out of the game for that.”
Even with the Wolves, the Hurricanes’ coaches are always nearby. “We’re in constant contact,” Miftakhov confirmed. “We connect over Zoom after games, and coaches from Carolina come in person as well. The communication is ongoing — we discuss situations, practices, everything.”
Team Matters
With the Wolves, Miftakhov shares goaltending duties with Cayden Primeau, while German goalie Nikita Quapp had four games. “Honestly, it’s hard to say exactly how it works. Lately, we’ve been used pretty evenly — one game each, sometimes two. The coaching staff has a plan that we follow, and at the beginning of the week, they tell us their decision for the crease. It’s not like they tell you the day before who’s playing.”
There have been no discussions about a move to the NHL, though. “We don’t talk about that. In general, there’s no situation where someone tells you about your “chances.” There’s no percentage scale that goes up or down. I live one day at a time. It’s not like I’m waiting for something. If I have a game tomorrow, that’s what I’m preparing for — trying to play the best game I can.”
Moving to a new league also meant a new preseason for Miftakhov. “First of all, it’s summer hockey — it’s different. Second, it’s definitely different from the KHL. On top of that, I had issues with my equipment: I played the summer games in brand-new gear without having practiced in it even once. So I looked at those games calmly — the season is long, you need to work, you need to adapt.”
Miftakhov Growing as a Goalie
“On top of that, I spoke with the coaches, and they told me right away that I shouldn’t put pressure on myself. ‘We’ve watched all your games throughout your career, so we know who you are. You just need to find your game,’” he said. “No one expected me to come in and immediately become the best goalie in the world. It’s naturally a completely different kind of hockey.
Add to that the second half of last season, when my ice time dropped noticeably. I didn’t play hockey for half a year — that affects you. You practice a lot, but you don’t play. Of course, I felt out of place. There’s no point hiding it. But I understood that it would be that way, and I just kept working. There’s nothing unusual about that.”
Amir Miftakhov in his KHL days (Photo Credit: HC Ak Bars)
This summer, Miftakhov inked a one-year, two-way deal with the Hurricanes worth $775,000 (in the NHL), but he isn’t thinking about his future just yet. “It’s hard to say,” he noted. “The season is ongoing, and anything can happen at any moment. I came here to try to make the NHL, to chase my dream. I’ll do everything I can for that. I try to do my job at 200 percent, to do everything that depends on me, and then we’ll see what happens.”
With some more work, a game in the NHL might not be far off for Miftakhov.
