From Alexander Nikulin\'s blog

[fzusher]

http://www.sports.ru/blog/nikulin/5342273.html

Nikulin, who was invited to attend Ottawa\'s prospect camp in Mid August, will contact Ottawa to ask for their permission to skip prospect camp and arrive directly for the main camp later in August. Nikulin is currently training under Sergei Gonchar, who has for several summers now has held a summer training camp for fellow Russian NHLers while they are home in Russia for the summer (Malkin is also currently attending this camp). As part of this camp, Gonchar has also arranged with Barry Smith, head coach of SKA St. Petersburg, for the players training with him to also partake in pre-season practice and games with the team, and Nikulin believes skating and training with them will better prepare him for the main camp than attending prospect camp.

So, Nikulin owners, if he doesn\'t show up to prospect camp, don\'t panic :cheer:

[ultrawhiteness]

i\'m not an owner, but thanks for that great info. people would be freaking!

on a totally unrelated note, i want to choke some kittens right now. maybe kick some puppies. shake some babies. burn some flowers. disrespect my elders. swear rambunctiously around little children. buy a humvee and drag-race in front of environmenalists. i just shot my worst round of golf this summer, and thats saying it kindly. i destroyed that low score! it wasn\'t fun, but writing this out has helped. sorry for the rant. hah. hah. argghh.

[Shoeless]

Ahh the great humiliator - golf.

[angus]

fz, is this the same Barry Smith who the Canucks let go?

His blogs have been funny and insightful (Nikulin), I have been reading them all year.

[fzusher]

Ultra, you\'re in good company. Kovalev entered the Russian open (an official PGA European Tour tournament) earlier this summer and finished dead last (144th) with a +40 to par (the next best guy had a +25).

angus,

it\'s the Barry Smith who was an assistant with the Wings 1993-2004, before that with the Sabres and Penguins, after that with the \'Yotes. hockeydb also list him as coaching with the \'Nucks 07-08 but that is impossible as he coached in Russia last season. I am assuming hockeydb got their Barry Smiths wrong and the guy who was with the \'Nucks in 07-08 is the same guy who was with them since 2003, a different Barry Smith.
There is a distinct tone of reverence when the Russians write of Smith, so he must have really impressed people there last season.