Jeremy Smith: “Reaching playoffs is our real target”
Kunlun Red Star was one of the sensations in this first part of the season, and one of its best players was their starting goalie, American-born Jeremy Smith, who represented China at the 2022 Olympic Games on home ice.
Following the first couple of weeks in the new season, the team led by Viktors Ignatjevs had four wins, Jeremy Smith was awarded Best goalie of the week, and on Sunday, the goalie stopped 42 shots as Kunlun Red Star defeated CSKA (3:2 OT).
“The team has truly come together, and if we’re discussing teamwork, it’s been an incredible journey,“ Smith says to start the talk. “The camaraderie inside the locker room is nothing short of phenomenal. We’ve got a fantastic group of individuals, and we’re well aware that each game is bound to be closely contested. Every match demands our best effort.“
In the home game win against CSKA, there were 2,315 in attendance – that’s significantly more than the usual numbers. “It’s nice to have a crowd present, even though most of the fans were CSKA supporters. Playing in front of fans and experiencing that electric atmosphere is a great feeling.“ Having so few home fans isn’t a problem to Smith. “I think as a professional, every time you step on the ice, you’re expected to perform. And so, whether there’s 20,000 people in the crowd or two people, we should be able to play at our top every night.“
This summer, Kunlun Red Star has changed coaches, appointing Viktors Ignatjevs. He was one of Greg Ireland’s assistants last year, and it looks like the move is paying off. “He’s been an outstanding coach,“ the goalie confirms. “He was our coach last year, so we got to know many of the players. This year, he’s stepped into the role of an amazing head coach. He communicates effectively with the players, coaches them, and attentively listens to everything. He’s a wonderful person to have around, which is a valuable trait in a head coach. A leader is someone who can engage in meaningful conversations and provide constructive feedback. We’re fortunate to have him as our head coach.“ Not always do a former assistant make a good job as a head coach. “Each coach is unique, thriving in different scenarios and roles. For Viktor, he’s been waiting for this opportunity for a while, making the most of it, just like many of our team members who have been eagerly awaiting their chance to play at their best.“
It looks also like Smith is enjoying working with Kunlun’s goalie coach, Vladimir Kulikov. Before joining the Dragons, Kulikov worked, among the others, with the Russian U20 national team. And there’s no language barrier between the two. “He speaks English quite well and teaches me Russian as well. It’s beneficial as we can discuss the language barrier. He’s a great person, always protecting the goalies and providing fair feedback on our games. He’s a really excellent coach. I remember Nikolai, our general manager, told me that we had a great goalie coach coming in, and I was excited to work with him. In my first week with Vladdy, we focused a lot on skating, which he emphasizes during the initial pre-season training. Vladdy is an excellent goalie coach who possesses in-depth knowledge of the position. He has worked with numerous high-caliber goalies. I know that Pyotr Kochetkov was at the rink in Mytishchi almost every day for the first three weeks when we were there, skating with Vlad. If I were in his position, I would do the same to prepare for the NHL season.“
Kunlun Red Star seems to be well-fitted between the piping, with also Matt Jurusik and Alexander Lazushin in the mix, albeit the latter is injured and hasn’t played yet this season. “Jurusik has been fantastic, and it’s worth noting that Kunlun has consistently had a strong goalie tandem. We’ve had talented partners like Simon Hrubec, a KHL Champion who was my first partner, and Dmitry Shikin, another KHL starter. Going down the line, there’s Alexander Lazushin, a KHL icon from a goaltending perspective. Now, it’s me and Jurusik. We’ve had two strong goalies for a long time, and it’s great to be his partner. From a goalie’s perspective, we don’t compete against each other. When I’m in the net, he’s not, but together, we are a team, and our sole focus is on the team’s success. If I’m not in the net, I’m rooting for the other goalie because I want the team to win. That’s my primary concern.“
Being a Kunlun goalie, however, is often a tough job. There are so many nights where the goalie needs to stop so many shots from the opposition. “I like making a lot of saves, whether it’s a game with 15 or 40 shots. The dynamics change significantly between those scenarios. With fewer shots, it’s about staying prepared for the occasional ones, whereas with 50 shots, you’re constantly engaged,“ Smith explains. “The puck is in your end frequently. However, it doesn’t really bother me either way.“
The Dragons had a good start of the season, and one wonders whether they grown tired of losing games after a few seasons. “Our past record doesn’t affect our motivation to win because every night we're determined to win. There’s no one on our team who doesn’t want to win,“ the goalie says. “Throughout my time here, we’ve always given our all to win every game. However, the KHL boasts an extremely high level of hockey with top-tier players and teams, making it the second-best league globally, just behind the NHL. Facing teams like CSKA, Ak Bars, and Dynamo Moscow is a challenge as they’re prestigious in the league. For Kunlun, we’re focused on steady improvement with each game as we strive to climb the ladder.“
Smith feels like the team is growing, but that it won’t be easy. “I think it might not continue to go like this throughout the season. It’s a very long season. There will always be ebbs and flows, ups and downs. But I think if we learn from this and continue to, to play well, it will only benefit the team in the long run.“
With that in mind, Kunlun Red Star is proudly fighting for a playoff spot now: “Our primary objective is to reach the playoffs and build on that momentum. While I can’t predict the future, I can say that our locker room is filled with a group of guys who have high expectations for ourselves. We aim to perform at our best and secure a spot in the playoffs, and from there, we’ll see where it takes us.“
It looks like the Dragons enjoy a good locker room environment, also helped by the fact that they have two couple of brothers, with Parker and Spencer Foo, and Tyler and Austin Wong. “It feels like a family in there, like brothers. The locker room is great, filled with banter that brings us closer together. We laugh a lot, and these moments strengthen the team’s bond. It’s a positive thing because when you’re in the heat of battle, you want to trust that the guy next to you has your back.“
The goalie is in his fifth year in the KHL, having stepped on the ice for the first time back in 2019, so he should have a good idea about the league’s functioning and progress. “When people ask me about the KHL, I always tell them it’s incredible,“ he says. “I say that reffing is the best of the world as they use radios and microphones to discuss calls and review video footage. It’s leagues ahead of any other league in the world in terms of officiating, ensuring every game is fair. The league keeps evolving. It keeps getting better. My family watches every game, and they love the camera angles. It’s professional, top world class. Camera angles, slow motion. It’s incredible to watch. But it’s nice because we put our heart and soul into this game and the KHL is able to show it to the world. Especially right now. I’m watching one game and every, dangerous hit it’s taken they’re watching like for 30 seconds and okay. Penalty or no penalty, they keep playing. You know and that just shows how many cameras they have because it’s almost like they don’t miss anything. If it happens, they will have a view of it from some angle or another. And so, yeah, the league’s developing and it’s good for us as players to protect ourselves and good for the league because they’re able to have a product that is fair and equal.“
After so many seasons in the league, it’s normal that the Dragons feel some teams more than others, especially since for them, each game is a playoffs battle. “Each game is a rivalry,“ Smith confirms. “We always play hard against CSKA because they always plays hard against us. SKA is very talented, but it’s fun to play in their building. It’s been a little different because we play more of the West Conference teams now. Before my first year or two years, we played Eastern Conference teams more. But regarding rivalries, I don’t think we’ve beat Dynamo Moscow yet.“
Now that masters like Sergei Mozyakin and Danis Zaripov retired, goalies may have it a bit easier. But good players still abound in the KHL. “I think Nikita Gusev is very dangerous. Radulov. I think there are so many dangerous players. You just look at every lineup. I mean, Spartak just traded Khokhlachyov to Amur and you say now they have a top scoring forward. But if you look at Spartak, they’re still so deep. They have so many good players, like Nikolai Goldobin. And so every team has these high skilled, high value forwards, big defensemen that can shoot the puck. Take Nikita Nesterov, you know that his shots are so hard. Or Mikhail Grigorenko. It’s just you look at all these good players and every team has a very deep lineup with players that are world class.“ There’s also Torpedo, which may not have any world-class star, but they’re still a good team. “Igor Larionov has done an amazing job in Torpedo,“ Smith says. “We played them last year, I think 4 or 6 times. Every game was nonstop for them in the offensive zone. It was like, you know, when you hit a bees’ nest, and it feels like the bees come out and swarm. It was like a swarm of bees. Everywhere I looked, there was a Torpedo jersey, and they were just moving around nonstop. So, he’s done a great job with Torpedo. We haven’t played them this year, but I’m sure that they’re going to play just as hard and just as good this season.“
This year, Smith will finally be eligible to represent China at the IIHF World Championships. “Yeah, I've waited. I've done my four years that I needed to do,“ Smith explains. “But, you know, I was lucky enough to play in the Olympics, and that was an amazing experience. Thank you to China and to the IIHF for allowing me to play and to represent China. It was an honor, a privilege to play for the host team in the Olympics. I never think I never thought I would dream of such a moment. But when I was out there, playing against Team USA, I look across the blue, the red line, and I look at China and they’re all my brothers. So, I knew I was home in China.“
Last year, Smith was a goalie coach for Team China as he couldn’t step on the ice himself. “That was different. It was new for me, but I wanted to be there with the guys to support them, to help, to help them win. We didn’t win, but it was a learning experience for everybody because it just goes to show how tough it’s not a full season. You only have those small number of games and you have to perform at your best.“
Another goal for most within the Kunlun Red Star organization is to qualify for the next Olympics in 2026. “I think it starts with our qualifying tournament in London. I think we have to prepare for that. The national team, the Chinese players, we have to come together and play well. We’re going to be facing very good teams that are going to be preparing themselves. And we know that’s the first rung in the ladder to climb to get to the Olympics. But I think I think it is possible. We just have to play our best.“
Recently, the female national team got promoted to the elite division. That’s motivating for the senior, men team. “It shows that that they can do it. And it means that we can do it. They had to play well, and they did. We were so proud in the locker room talking about how well they were playing. The games were very close. It was exciting because it was in Shenzhen, in China, in front of the home crowd. And it’s good because it grows hockey in China. I think that’s the ultimate goal for Kunlun. And as a Chinese hockey player, to grow the game of hockey in China to give opportunities for young Chinese hockey players to grow up and become professional players.“
Smith is also going to change his mask soon. “I’m still wearing the one from the Olympics,“ he explains. “But I have a I have a Chinese artist right now painting my new one for this season. It will have the Terracotta warrior on the one side, then the fast-changing Chinese masks from the Beijing Theatre. We’ll also have the Temple of Heaven and Kunlun Red star. I have a photo I can pull it up. It’s being prepared right now.“
The Dragons are still playing in Mytishchi as the restrictions made it hard to move the team back to Beijing. However, the team has anyways a faithful crowd in their new home, despite not being so numerous. “It’s great to have all the support. We have a lot of dedicated fans that have been with us for the last four years, and they grow to appreciate Kunlun hockey. And they’ve been with us in the ups and the downs, and I feel like they’re there every night waving the flags. We may not have as many fans as some other teams in the league, but you know, we got to keep growing and growing and growing because China has a lot of people. And so, who knows, maybe if we do well in the playoffs, we’ll have a lot of fans after that.“
Smith was awarded best goalie honors in the first week of KHL action. “I’m very thankful,“ he says with proudness. “Thankful to everything. This is an amazing league to play in. It’s a privilege to be able to play at such a high level. My family came to Moscow two years ago. My wife loves Moscow. She loves Beijing as well. But it’s a privilege and an honor to play in this league. So, I’m very thankful that they honored me this week with Goalie of the Week. Very thankful. But we got to keep growing as a team, keep playing well and it’s just a good thing that we got off on the right start.“
