Interview with defenseman HC Metallurg Robin Press.
Photo by Ilyas Omarov
Photo by Ilyas Omarov
Robin Press is a defenseman whose name resonates as a symbol of reliability and skill on the ice. This Swedish hockey player, who became a Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) champion with Magnitogorsk’s Metallurg last season, showcases confidence in defense and an outstanding ability to join his team’s offensive plays. Magnitogorsk’s No. 19 seems to have stepped straight out of the legendary sagas of Scandinavia, where each of his shots - powerful, precise, and devastatingly directed at the opponent’s net — feels like a strike from Thor’s hammer.
His ability to maintain a solid defense while sharpening attacking combinations can change the course of any game. His style on the ice is reminiscent of Viking legends, where every action is a step toward Valhalla, maintaining a perfect balance between steely discipline and inspiring creativity. This Swedish defenseman embodies the ideal of modern hockey prowess, combining not only reliability but also effectiveness and spectacle. Robin Press is not just a champion; he is a true king of the ice, whose game inspires admiration from fans and commands respect from his opponents.
Before the game regular championship of the KHL with the club "Barys" from Astana, one of the strongest defenders of the league, the swedish legionnaire of the club "Metalurg" kindly agreed to talk with our correspondent.
Photo by Ilyas Omarov
Last November you have had another interview with my colleague. So much things have changed since this time. Now you are champion. What emotions did you experience when you won a Gagarin cup?
- It's hard to really put it into words. But it's obviously like you're happy and everyone is so excited, it's really special when you have a group of guys like that over eight or nine months. We do something together that it doesn't happen often, so it's really special for sure.
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- In playoff finals, you won four games in a row against Lokomotiv. Can you share with us with the secret of such successful performance?
- It's a good question. I don't know if there's like a secret. I think you need a little bit of luck. You need a couple good bounces and you need to play good, which we did. But there were all tight games, we played as a really good team. So yeah, we played good hockey, but we’ve got all the bounce on our side and guys stepping up at the right time.
- How did the championship experience affect you personally and for team’s play?
- I don't know if it changes that much. It's a great thing to win and everyone is happy and excited, but I think you just try to stay the same and do what got you the success in the first place and just keep doing those things.
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- Did you manage to take cup home with you?
- No, we thought we could, but it had to stay in Russia, unfortunately.
- Last time you said that you were born in a year when Smirnov won the Olympics. But it was also the year when Swedish National Hockey Team won a gold medal of Olympic Games in Norway. And it was the very first time when they did it. Don't you consider it as a good sign for you?
- I guess, you could say that. It's not something that I really thought of. But I think 1994 was a really good sports year for Sweden. So, there might be something there. It was a good sport here, so I guess, it's a good thing being born in 1994.
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- Do you follow the national team’s games?
- Not really. We're kind of busy with our own schedule. I check the results and stuff, but I don't really watch them.
- So you didn't watch the last championship?
- Not really. I just watch the scores. But like I said, we're just busy with our own schedule and we're on the road and we're playing.
Photo by Ilyas Omarov
- Do you follow the NHL games or news?
- Kind of the same thing there. I check this course every now and then. I watch some highlights if I can, but not too much.
- As far as I remember, you're from Uppsala. It's the fourth largest city in Sweden. Do you often get to go home? What is the very first thing you do when you return home?
- I try to see my family and my friends, have some of my mom's cooking. That's usually the first thing I do. And hang out with the people that I don't get to see for the months that I'm over here.
- And your career started there. What contribution has the Swedish hockey system made to your professional development?
- Well, that's where I got my chance and that's where I came up. I'm happy for that. And I would say in Sweden you learn how ещ play a team game and a lot of structure and hard work over there. So that's obviously something that you learn pretty early there, which is a good thing. And then, the mentality like Swedish League and Swedish players usually like hard work and good foundations.
- As a defenseman, you are great at the joining for the attacks. You score almost in every game you play. How do you manage to be effective in both attack and defense?
I always try to play with the puck and try to help offensively the best as I can, still I'm a defenseman. You have got to focus on that and make sure you do that work as well.
- Based on your experience, what challenges might you face when you need to quickly switch between the roles of the defenseman and the offensive player?
- You have got to find the rhythm and find your spots where you can be creative, and maybe play simple. I don't think there's like a switch that anyone has. It's just you with experience and hockey IQ, whatever call it whatever you want, but you learn. And from that, you just try to manage that as good as you can.
- In your opinion, what are important skills for the attacking player to be effective in attack without leaving the defense vulnerable?
- I think it's kind of the same thing. You have got to have the hockey IQ like to play with the puck, your vision, your passing, having a good shot. All those things help you and whatever is kind of your strengths, just try to use those as much as it possible.
- How would you describe your game style?
- I would say I'm probably an offensive defenseman. I like to play with the puck and I try to start the attacks, to have a good first pass and join, try to finish as well if there is an opportunity.
- There is a concept of Njuta. And this should be from Sweden. If I’m not mistaken, what means to relax.
- Yeah, something like enjoy and relax. Probably would be, it fun scene.
- As athletes you spend holiday times on the roads or at games. How do you usually celebrate holidays?
- Like you said, we're playing and we're traveling, so usually it's not much. Just try to call my family, my people back home and see what they're doing and try to get it a little bit through them. But usually it's not much for myself.
- This year is ending, and holidays like Christmas and New Year are ahead of us. So, how do you usually celebrate these holidays?
I usually spend Christmas with my family. For Christmas Eve, we watch a cartoon middle of the day, and then have the big meal with family, and at night open the presents and just hang out.
- There is another holiday, I guess, it's celebrating only in Scandinavian countries. It is holiday of Midsummer. Tell us more about that, please.
- It is the longest day of the year. We are celebrating the middle of summer, basically. We have like a pole or like a cross with rings on it, and people sing and dance around it, and then we play games, some drinking and fun that way for the older people. But even kids dancing and singing.
- What is your favorite holiday and what makes it so special for you?
- That's a good question. There's a lot of holidays that I haven't celebrated in a few years, but I think it has to be Christmas. The food a big part. I really like the Christmas food and the gifts too. It's a little different now when you get older. But especially for the younger kids to give them and see how excited they are and they get to see Santa. So I think Christmas my favorite.
- Many people set goals or wishes to the new year. So do you have a habit to set new goals for the year or for the season?
- Not really, it's more trying to keep develop and keep the progress going. You can always get better. And to me, like it doesn't matter if it's New Year or any other day, just same mindset.
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- What do you usually give as a gift for your family members or friends?
- Obviously different every time. Just sometimes if they want something specific, you try to get them that, but for me it's more like experience. I like to do that more than things. That's interesting.
- What is your hobby out of hockey or sport, what helps you to relax between the games?
- I don't know if I have much of a hobby. We're on the road, so for the downtime I'm big into podcasts and do Netflix and all that stuff. When I was younger I played a little bit of video games, but I don't have the focus for that anymore. So I don't know if I have, maybe I need a good hobby.
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Marzhan Abisheva, Astana
