For five years Andronov played for Togliatti “Lada”, and in 2009 he moved to CSKA.

Sergey Andronov: "I came to Sergei Nemchinov ready, because the school of Pyotr Ilyich is worth a lot, I would like to pass it to all young players. The most important principle is discipline plus defense without mistakes. Vorobiev instills this from an early age."

Was one step away from debuting in the NHL

In 2009 he was selected in the third round under the overall 78th number by the club "St. Louis Blues". Andronov spent two years in the AHL and was close to making his debut in the NHL, but he never got his chance.

Sergey Andronov: “Something I didn’t show what I wanted to see, in something I didn’t work. Although, to be honest, it’s very difficult to break through in the NHL. Moreover,“ St. Louis ”won the regular season last season, gaining a record number in its history points. And how to get into the main team, if there are 16 strikers on one-sided contracts, and you are on a two-sided one. I was raised twice, but I failed to play, I just practiced. "

Won the junior world championship

Ten years have passed since the last triumph of the Russian national team at the junior world championship. Sergei Andronov was one of the players of that golden squad, as well as his current teammate Kirill Petrov, and together with Yevgeny Dadonov they are now going to the World Championship, only as an adult.

Sergey Vladimirovich Andronov was born on July 19, 1989 in Penza. He started playing hockey in hometown, having started his career in the local club "Diesel". In 2006 he moved to Togliatti Lada, where he played until the end of 2009, after which he moved to Moscow, signing a contract with CSKA.

Sergei did not manage to get into the capital's army team at once and he had to be content with performances for the "Red Army", in which Andronov became the owner of the Kharlamov Cup, winning the Youth hockey league... In 2012, he decided to try his hand overseas, starting to play in the AHL, but two years later he returned to CSKA.

After returning to his homeland, Andronov managed to break into the main squad, having established himself as a reliable player. In the 2015/2016 season, he was close to winning the Gagarin Cup, but in decisive game CSKA lost to Metallurg Magnitogorsk. At the end of the season, Sergei Andronov was included in the expanded composition of the Russian national team for home championship world 2016.

Awards

Bronze medalist youth championship world (1): 2009
World Junior Champion (1): 2007
JHL Champion (1): 2011

The correspondent of "AiF-Penza" failed to talk to Sergei Andronov - he has no time for journalists now. But we talked to his mother, Olga Andronova, who talked about her son’s difficult path to his dream, his first joys and failures, and how to raise a champion.

Sports "legacy"

At home, Sergei's parents have a real sports corner, where medals and photographs of their son are collected. According to Olga Anatolyevna, Sergey became interested in sports as a child. And it was hard not to get carried away: the father of the future Olympian, himself former hockey player, constantly took his son with him to matches. They even had the same first coach: the legendary Vasily Ivanovich Yadrentsev. Such is the continuity of generations.

“At the age of six, we brought Seryozha to Rubin, to sports section, - says our interlocutor. - Of course, then no one could have thought that someday he would go to Olympic Games... And there was no such goal. We just wanted our son to grow up healthy and strong. "

But then it seemed to start spinning by itself: the first steps in sports, the first competitions, the first victories. And the first sports injuries: Olga Anatolyevna recalls how at the age of seven Sergei had an eyebrow cut with a stick. There was a lot of blood, but the son did not even think about giving up classes. Soon after, his father made a metal hockey mask for him instead of an unreliable goalkeeper “soap dish”. Sergei played in it for two more years and then, many years later, passed it "by inheritance" to his nephew, who, inspired by his uncle's successes, also decided to become a hockey player.

Sergei's father, Vladimir Nikolaevich, did a lot of tinkering for his son. Normal sports equipment at that time it was not available, so I had to improvise. He fastened the toes of his boots with molten plastic so that they would not get so much confused, wrapped them in asbestos cloth, and sewed leggings himself. Vladimir Nikolaevich talks about all this with a modest smile. Says: "If a person wants, he will do everything."

Next - the Volga Region Cup, the youth team. At the age of sixteen, Sergei was invited to Tolyatti, where he played for the professional club "Lada" for two years. Then there was Moscow, a game with the famous CSKA, then the States - in 2012-2014, the future Olympian played for the Peoria Rivermen and Chicago Wolves teams.

Sergei's mom says that his son has never openly rejoiced at victories and successes. Restrained, calm, he just walked towards his goal, not paying attention to obstacles.

“As a member of the youth team, Seryozha went to the championship in Canada,” continues Olga Anatolyevna. - Before that there was a big selection, a lot of hockey players gathered in Novogorsk near Moscow. The fact that Seryozha joined the national team was announced the day before the end of the selection. He then called and said: “Well, yes, I went in, everything is fine. Yes, only the last. " We answer him: “Son, what's the difference? The main thing is that you are in the squad, you will go to Canada! "

Only victory!

The news that Sergei entered the country's Olympic team to participate in the 2018 Games was a surprise both for himself and for his family members.

“Until recently, his candidacy was in question,” continues the mother of the sports star. - We tried not to talk about it again. On January 25, a few days before the end of the selection, Serezha received an invitation to Korea. He reacted to this very calmly: "Well, yes, well, he got it." And what is going on in his soul, I don’t even know ”.

Olga Anatolyevna admits: at the thought that her child went to the Olympic Games, she stands shoulder to shoulder with legendary hockey players, defends the honor of the country, her heart aches and tears are welling up.

Sergei calls up with his parents every evening. “He has a fighting spirit,” our interlocutor laughs. - The day before I told him: "Son, if you get into the top three, it will be great." And he replied: “No, mom, no triplets. Only victory!".