Path to stardom: Timur Kol

KHL.ru continues telling stories of those who showcased an exceptional level of playing despite their young age, with today’s talk being about blueliner Timur Kol. The defenseman, who has recently been traded to the SKA organization, had an eventful 2023-2024 campaign, playing in three leagues within the Avangard system.

Timur Kol is a product of the CSKA system, but he moved to Avangard in December 2021. His journeys didn’t stop there, as this offseason, he was traded to SKA in a three-way trade that brought Mikhail Berdin to Omsk. At the age of 16, he made his debut in the JHL and played six regular season games. He didn’t participate in the playoffs, where Omskie Yastreby reached the finals. The 2023-2024 season has been eventful for Kol. He quickly earned a place in the Omskie Krylia lineup in the VHL, accumulating 8 (5+3) points in 23 games. In December, at the age of 17, the defenseman played two games in the KHL for the Hawks.

“The regular season was quite challenging for me. I played in three leagues, and the constant flights were a serious burden, but I managed to make it through. [Of course, moving up in leagues poses a challenge also in terms of logistics and transfers.] In the juniors, we play in the Eastern Conference, where there are no long flights, most are around three hours. With Avangard, I’ve been to the Far East and Moscow, so basically, I’ve flown all over Russia,” [smiles].

Timur Kol

He had a Far East trip with the Hawks, when Avangard visited Amur and Admiral. 

“In the KHL, you have the opportunity to adjust everything for the team during road trips. In the Far East, we lived by Omsk time, waking up during the day, so the living situation wasn’t problematic. But the flights were tough,” 

Timur Kol

However, having teams in all three leagues is an advantage for Avangard: the players don’t need continue adjusting. 

“All the teams in our vertical play by the same system, so transitioning from one league to another isn’t difficult. It's no secret that we play attacking hockey, the only difference is the speed of decision-making. In the KHL, the guys are much more skilled, with masters like Vladimir Tkachyov. Every team in the Omsk system has a solid roster of players. But I won’t reveal all the secrets.

Timur Kol

Playing offensive hockey may not be that easy for young defensemen like him, but Kol doesn’t mind. 

“I enjoy playing in the attack, so I like this style. But I can’t forget about our own third, as it’s my primary responsibility. Our system involved all five players playing both offense and defense. The entire line must participate in both attacking and defending situations.”

Timur Kol

Avangard coaches gave him much freedom, though. 

“In the VHL, I was allowed quite a lot: I played on the power play and was trusted on the ice despite it’s a pro team. In Avangard, the coaches told me to keep it simple, but I also understood that the team already had players who could execute at a high level. My job was just to take the puck and pass it forward without overcomplicating things.”

Timur Kol

At the time of his VHL debut, Kol had only played 12 games in the JHL. He definitely had a fast transition, and not all the players can boast that. 

“I went through preseason training with the VHL team, where we were already being prepared for the season. In the 2022-2023 season, I also trained a lot with the junior team, but I wasn’t given much playing time. Apparently, the coaches decided to prepare me for the new level this way. In the championship for my age group, we didn’t have many games, and sometimes we didn’t play for two weeks. So, I spent all my free time training in the gym and working on my shot, which helped me achieve results.”

Timur Kol

Kol enjoyed playing in the VHL, and he finished the season with 23 games played in the second-tier league. 

“It’s a big experience. After all, it’s always good to play against pro players. But I have good size for physical play [he stands at 6’3, 198 lbs] so it was easier than I expected. You can still feel how harder the pros check, but with quick decision-making and keeping my head up, I managed to either avoid dangerous situations or hit the players myself. In any league, you need to be ready to take a hit. There are plenty of big players everywhere, especially now, with many playing physically. The main thing is to be alert and take any hit without falling apart after the opponent’s checks and to look for opportunities to make checks yourself. However, everything should be within the rules.”

Timur Kol

In another interview, Kol said that differently from many other players, he wasn’t overly anxious about his KHL debut. 

“My experience in the VHL helped me a lot – I was already familiar with senior locker rooms. The first team coaches prepared me well for my debut, telling me to play my game and not to worry. I played eight and a half minutes in the game against Sochi. It’s not a lot of ice time, so I didn’t get too tired. I was happy with my long-awaited debut and felt great.”

Timur Kol

That night, Kol earned a plus-1 rating. He remembers well how Avangard scored. 

“Our defenseman started the attack, and I moved into the opponent’s zone. Vladimir Tkachyov made a cross-ice pass to Reid Boucher. He scored a one-timer literally five seconds after I stepped onto the ice.”

Timur Kol

Before that game, Kol was listed in the lineup for two games, but watched them from the bench. However, he still says that it’s useful experience. 

“Everyone has to go through this, to ‘stew’ on the bench and feel the atmosphere. I was constantly focused and watched the game closely. During the warm-up, the coaches told me to be ready to step in and play at any moment. Those two games were very intense, so the coaches didn’t find a spot for me. Being included in the lineup was already a success, and I understood that I would get a chance to play.”

Timur Kol

Being part of the team was a honor for Kol, who had a chance to have a look at how players practice and play from close range. 

“Once I joined the senior team, I realized that everyone here approaches their work professionally. From a playing perspective, Vladimir Tkachyov made a very strong impression on me. He, Reid Boucher, and Ryan Spooner have great chemistry, which is why their line is considered one of the best in the KHL. I don’t see myself as similar to anyone there. I try to take the best qualities from each of them: physical play from Sergei Boikov, shot-blocking and power play game from Damir Sharipzyanov.”

Timur Kol

However, there are also players from other teams. 

“Alexander Radulov. [The veteran has recently signed a one-year deal with Lokomotiv.] I remember his performances for CSKA. I used to go to KHL games as a kid and watch him play – it was just incredible! He impressed me a lot back then, so I really want to play against him.”

Timur Kol

In Omsk, Kol had a chance to meet Bob Hartley, at the time working with the Avangard Academy. 

“When I was playing in my age group, Bob Hartley attended several of our practices and acted like a coach: he explained exercises and shared many interesting nuances, especially about stickhandling. Although I didn’t train under his guidance for long, it was a very valuable experience that definitely benefited me.”

Timur Kol

And considering Kol’s resilience and fast adaptation to new places and leagues, moving to SKA won’t be a hard task for him, most likely. It will be interesting to see whether he will be able to secure a full-time spot in his new organization right away.