Evgeny Groshev, a 24-year-old forward from Tolyatti Lada, spoke about the pressure he feels this season in the Continental Hockey League (KHL). His remarks underscore the mental side of high-stakes hockey, where every game can tilt the season’s trajectory.
Groshev described the weight of a run of losses, noting that a string of defeats builds psychological pressure across the roster. He emphasized that the drive to deliver results is shared by the entire team, and the fear of missing the playoffs is a real concern for players at every level.
In the current KHL campaign, Groshev has appeared in 35 games, contributing six goals and four assists. His production sits in line with a developing player who demonstrates flashes of potential and the ongoing adjustment to elite competition.
Lada has not secured four consecutive wins in a stretch, having faced a tough run that included an 8-15 tally over those games. The team sits seventh in the Eastern Conference with 58 points after 50 games, reflecting the competitive nature of the league and the demanding schedule teams endure. The Tolyatti squad is slated to meet Yaroslavl Lokomotiv on January 11, a match that could influence the late-season momentum and push for a playoff position.
CSKA Moscow remains the reigning champion of the Gagarin Cup. On the club’s 100th anniversary, celebrated on April 29, the army team clinched the seventh win of the final series against Kazan Ak Bars, securing the cup as a historic milestone in Russian hockey.
Within the league’s broader landscape, discussions around refereeing and officiating have periodically sparked debate among fans and analysts. The KHL has seen various discussions about how games are managed and how calls affect team momentum, with fan discourse often reflecting the passion that accompanies hockey at this level.