Forward "Torpedo" Alex Potapov

In world hockey you can rarely meet a player who has been playing for a long time in the composition of his own club. But Alexei Potapov is a hockey player who is included in this number, already for 10 years being a hockey player of Nizhny Novgorod "Torpedo".

Carier start

Potapov Alexey Vladimirovich was born on March 2, 1989 in the city of Gorky - now Nizhny Novgorod. From early childhood, his parents took him to the hockey games of the local "Torpedo", instilling a child's love for the game. As a result, from the age of 6 Alexey began to go to the sports section. However, with a head in hockey, he plunged not immediately. After leaving school before the young sportsman there was a question on a choice - sports or high school? After discussing the situation with his relatives, and also weighing both sides, Alex Potapov decided to become a professional on the ice.

Attempts to play in the KHL

As a result, at the age of 18 Potapov began his career in his native Torpedo, most of the time speaking for a farm club. The debut in the Russian Superleague for Alexey took place in the season 2007/08 - the player was four times declared for the match, however he failed to note the resultant actions. A year later, the coaches once again entrusted the attacker with some time in the elite division of the competition, but following the results of 6 meetings, the productive score for "Torpedo" Potapov was never able to open.

In 2009, the forward, despite a small number of matches in the KHL, received a challenge to the youth world championship. As part of the Russian national team, the hockey player took part in 6 meetings of the world championship, gaining two points and becoming the bronze medalist of the tournament. In the same year, the coaching staff of the club began to trust the young talent, and then, having received a chance in 17 meetings, Alexey opened his scoring in the Continental Hockey League. Nevertheless, most of the time the player played for the youth team - "Seagull". In the MHL Potapov was highly productive, having scored 33 points that year.

A year later he started the season in "Seagull", but the coaching staff decided to raise the level of play for the prospective pupil and transferred him to the "Sarov", who spoke in the Higher Hockey League. In the farm club, Alex Potapov did not get lost and, regularly going to the ice and collecting points, soon returned to the time in the main part of "Torpedo", which after the championship extended the contract with the Russian player. In 2011, the forward account listed 4 points in the KHL matches.

Game as a basis

Every year, Alexei Potapov increasingly went for the main part of the Nizhny Novgorod club, attracting also to the games in the VHL. For "Torpedo" striker played with varying success - a powerful and confident game of the hockey player upset the coaches with poor performance. Nevertheless, even the annual "business trips" in the HC "Sarov" did not stop Potapov on the way to the cherished goal.

As a result, the Russian's dream came true in the season 2012/13 - despite only one goal in 19 KHL meetings, this year was the last for the player in the performance in two leagues. In 2013, Alexei Potapov played for "Torpedo" 30 games, getting the status of an alternative captain of the team. The next season, the striker began to demonstrate the qualities of the goalscorer, showing the best result in the KHL in his career, gaining 10 points.

The championship of 2015 for Alexei became no less important in his career. Together with the release to the semi-final of the playoffs at the end of the season before the start of the regular championship Potapov officially became captain of the Nizhny Novgorod club. Such trust of coaches and team-mates inspired the native of Nizhny Novgorod, and in the current season following the results of 53 meetings on Alexey's account 17 points, which helped "Torpedo" to break into the playoffs. And now the coaching staff counts on the experience and authority of Potapov in the battle for the Gagarin Cup.

Personal life

Alexei Potapov has been living in his life for several years, not alone, but with his wife Irina. The couple met by chance - the future wife of the hockey player was wrong number, after which the young began to meet. Soon after the wedding, the couple had children, and now the Russian, in his spare time from training, seeks to be with his family.