He\u2019s already taking the leadership aspects to heart. Medvedev is a dev camp veteran at this point, helping show the ropes to invitees Nils Robert Maurins and Anders Miller. \u201cObviously you know what to expect from it, and you\u2019re mentally prepared for all the things you\u2019re gonna do,\u201d Medvedev said. \u201cThey\u2019re here for the first time, so helping them out, introducing them to some of the concepts, and whatever is expected from just helping them that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the goalies worked on the ice with Abbotsford goalie coach Justin Pogge, Ian Clark could be seen on the bench, offering advice and coaching during water breaks. Medvedev\u2019s working relationship with Clark has provided the Russian goalie with invaluable help, including monthly check-in calls to discuss bigger-picture philosophies, like how to approach the game. \u201cI feel like just the way he sees the game, it\u2019s really different from other people. So all of his insights are really valuable to me, and I try to soak in as much as I can,\u201d Medvedev said of Clark.<\/p>\n
After winning the Memorial Cup with the Knights in his first OHL season, Medvedev\u2019s second year was a much greater challenge. He struggled down the stretch, going 16-15-5 with an .891 save percentage and making fewer starts than his London counterpart Sebastian Gatto. The Knights were unable to defend their title, losing in the first round of the playoffs. But Medvedev took it all in stride.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like, obviously, I had a little bit of an off year. I was off to a really good start, but then I lost my game a little bit,\u201d Medvedev said about his season in London. \u201cBut I thought it just gave me a really good perspective on the game of hockey. When you\u2019re in that discomfort of not playing your best, you keep looking for stuff to improve your game. So I was able to find so many great things that helped me and explore them a lot more in this offseason.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Medvedev has approached that adversity with a level of maturity beyond his years and a refreshing perspective; the earlier in your career you learn how to understand your own struggles, the shorter those stretches will be in the long run. For many players, those moments don\u2019t arrive until after they turn pro, where it\u2019s much harder to adapt and stay in the league. That\u2019s why Medvedev sees last season as a blessing in disguise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like this year just made me realize how important that is, and I never really faced that much adversity. Especially as a second [round] pick, you\u2019re coming into a year with a lot of expectations, and then you\u2019re not quite playing up to them. Just realizing how important that is and learning from it, just using it to your benefit, that\u2019s my biggest mindset,\u201d Medvedev said. \u201cI feel like that might have been one of the best things that\u2019s happened to me. Especially that early on in my career, it\u2019s really valuable experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the cerebral approach he\u2019s taking to his craft, the next time Medvedev returns to Vancouver, he\u2019ll be a much better goaltender for it.<\/p>\n
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