Vitaly Kolesnik is a man in an iron mask

Kolesnik Vitaly was born in Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) on August 20, 1979. The pupil of the school of hockey "Torpedo". For a long time playing in the attack. But, as the hockey player himself says, he always wanted to stand on the gate. In his childhood he often went with his father to hockey, and he liked to look at the goalkeepers. Once the coach invited him to try himself in this role. When Nikolay Myshagin headed Torpedo, Kolesnik played the main goalkeeper for three seasons.

The saga of "Metallurg"

As part of the national team of Kazakhstan, Vitaly Kolesnik participated in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Austria. The team took only the tenth place, but Vitali became the second among the goalkeepers. Here, he drew attention to representatives of the "Colorado". At the same time they offered to play for Metallurg, and in July Vitaly was in the Novokuznetsk club. According to the results of the championship, "Metallurg" took one of the last places.

In August, Vitaly spoke for the Novokuznetsk team for the LenWo prize. But the representatives of "Metallurg" did not hurry to sign a contract, they were waiting for something, they were looking closely. Soon the agent called and said that the "Colorado" made the hockey player an advantageous offer. Immediately remembered in the "Metallurg". But by that time the decision to enter into a contract with Colorado had been made. Vitaly Kolesnik went there without hesitation, as he always dreamed about the NHL.

Overseas

He played for two months at the Lowell Monsters farm club. In early December 2005, he was invited to Colorado, where Vitali Kolesnik made his debut in the NHL against Boston. On the goalkeeper's account three wins in the NHL. But as Vitaly himself says, the most memorable is the game with the New Jersey Devils. Then he reflected seven post-match throws. In a match against "Phoenix", says the hockey player, he showed a not very good game. Substitute already in the fourth minute. And soon the hockey player went to the AHL.

For a year the athlete in America learned a lot: tactical training, attitude to work, physical and psychological stability. So says Vitaly Kolesnik. The hockey player believes that everything is completely different there. Not like in Europe. Much higher speed, number of shots, intensity of the game. We need to quickly get together and react, since there is much less time to make a decision.

In the nuances of the new rules at first it was difficult to understand. Then I got used to it. Do not regret anything - it's a great school for the goalkeeper. In the spring of 2006 they offered to play again in the farm club, it did not suit, as he dreamed of playing at the highest level. And I signed a three-year contract with HC Atlant in the summer of 2006.

In the Super League

There were suggestions from other teams, but the athlete preferred the "Chemist". There are great coaches, excellent staff, says Kolesnik Vitaly. The goalkeeper accepted Russian citizenship. Despite this, for a long time was considered in the Super League as a legionnaire. The club was forced to pay a hockey tax, but this is 9 million rubles. In 2009, the goalkeeper moves from the Super League to the Ufa "Salavat Yulaev". Then, from 2012 to 2015, he plays for Lokomotiv.

Helmet with children's drawings

An interesting moment gave the season KHL in 2015, not only to fans of hockey. The press widely covered the act of the goalkeeper. Vitaly Kolesnik decorated the helmet with children's drawings. Usually goalkeepers are asked to draw on their helmet something related to the country or club. The goalkeeper's mask with children's drawings was a surprise not only for the fans, but for the art studio workers who designed the helmet.

The idea belongs to the wife of Vitaly. When they went with gifts to the orphanage, they saw in the eyes of the children a huge interest in the real hockey player. They asked the children to draw pictures that should be related to hockey and "Locomotive". The children tried very hard, because the pictures will be painted on the goalkeeper's mask. Of course, I had to work hard when drawing children's drawings on a helmet, recall the art studio employees. But one thing is certain: children from the orphanage will remember this for life.

HC "Barys"

Last season in "Locomotive" Vitaly Kolesnik played as a legionary. The hockey player said that he does not see any reason to continue playing. Kolesnik signed a contract with the Kazakhstan club "Barys". Vitaly presented a new helmet with a depiction of a leopard painted in the colors of the Kazakh club. He says he's happy to be back home. The hockey player's family settled in Astana. The couple, since 2003, have two daughters.