Kirill Tulupov: There were too many shady moments in Russia. I was even close to quitting hockey

The 23-year-old Russian defenceman Kirill Tulupov told that he was offered to Edmonton by the legendary ex-forward and agent Igor Larionov. He also stated that he felt himself uncomfortable in Russia.

«I met Larionov in Bratislava, he came over and skated with our team. We got talking, and we decided that he will be my agent. I’m very grateful to him, having him as a guard for me is really good.

«I wanted to get back to North America, though I liked my time in Slovakia. As for Russia, there is nothing I’d like to speak about. Too many shady moments. It was a really hard experience, there was a moment where I almost gave up, but I had to keep going.

«I didn’t like leaving North America because, mentally, I’m more Canadian or American, than Russian. Staying over in America until you’re 20, then you leave ... I missed many things. You get close to the people here, you get girlfriends. Back in Russia, there were many uncomfortable moments.

«I’ve been on the same Russianmade plane on which Lokomotiv crashed. We all travel on the same kind of crappy planes in Russia. I knew a couple of those players in Russia, Alexander Vasyunov and Sergei Ostapchuk. I was really close to them. Vasyunov was also drafted by New Jersey, him in the second round, me in the third. We were at the Devils’ camp. We played under-18s,» Tulupov said as quoted by The Montreal Gazette.

It’s worth noting that Tulupov was drafted by New Jersey in 2006, played in the Quebec Junior Hockey League for four years, and that joined Slovan Bratislava. At the beginning of the previous season he played in four Kontinental Hockey League matches for Spartak Moscow.

Now Tulupov signed a trial contract with the Edmonton Oilers and currently is in the club’s training camp.