Выбранный в 5-м раунде драфта 2000 года, 26-летний нападающий Максим Сушинский, к удивлению многих специалистов и любителей хоккея, сумел пробиться в основной состав команды-новичка "Миннесота Уайлд". Сомнения вызывала в первую очередь физическая подготовка Максима, перенесшего этим летом двойную операцию на аппендиците. Однако во время предсезонных игр результативная игра Сушинского (4 очка в 6 матчей), который в прошлогоднем чемпионате России занял второе место среди бомбардиров, убедила руководство Миннесоты дать шанс россиянину проявить себя в регулярных матчах НХЛ.
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GREG JOHNSON STAFF WRITER 

Imagine leaving your native land and trying to earn a living in a country
in which you can't speak the language.

Russian right wing Maxim Sushinsky has lived this existence since he
reported to the Minnesota Wild's first training camp Sept. 7.

When coach Jacques Lemaire talks to the team, Sushinsky has an idea of
what's going on, but he doesn't know for sure until he watches other
players perform in drills and games.

In the early days of camp, his darting eyes left no doubt he was a bit
uncomfortable and not sure what was going on around him.

He has overcome all the obstacles, and his reward is one of the 23 spots
on the Wild's regular-season roster.

``The first few days were a little difficult, but now I understand the
instructions a lot,'' said Sushinsky through interpreter Gary Greenstin, also
the player's agent. ``I try to pick things up from the other players. I
understand the hockey language.''

Greenstin, based in Los Angeles, was in the Twin Cities on Tuesday to
help Sushinsky, Sushinsky's wife, Elena, and their 5-year-old daughter,
Victoria, find a place to call home.

Sushinsky, 26, lived in a downtown St. Paul hotel during training camp.
His family arrived from Russia on Monday night after a 14-hour trip that
included stops in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Chicago.

``I'm a big family man, and I'm not used to being away from them this
long,'' said Sushinsky, who is from St. Petersburg.

Sushinsky, the Wild's fifth-round pick in the June entry draft, was ready
to come to the United States on Aug. 22. Greenstin had set up a training
schedule for him in Detroit. Those plans were scratched when Sushinsky
had to have his appendix removed Aug. 20.

When he reported for training camp, Sushinsky was unable to compete,
because he needed time to recover from the procedure. Not having a
chance to show off his speed and playmaking skills caused Sushinsky
much concern.

``I was worried because three weeks after the operation, I wasn't able to
do anything,'' said Sushinsky, who has played seven seasons in the
Russian elite league, the last four for Avangard Omsk. ``I worked hard
all summer and was ready. But since I've been playing, I'm in good shape
again.''

Sushinsky played in the last six exhibition games and registered two goals
and two assists. His four points tied Scott Pellerin and Jim Dowd for the
team lead in the exhibition season.

Lemaire had to sit him the last six minutes of the exhibition game against
the Vancouver Canucks on Sept. 23 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He wanted
shorter shifts, but his message didn't register with Sushinsky.

Lemaire said he has come up with a simple solution to the problem.

``It's easy; you don't talk to him,'' Lemaire joked. ``It's funny; since he's
been here, I haven't talked to him once. I talked to (Sergei) Krivokrasov
(the only other Russian on the team) once to make sure (Sushinsky)
understood what I was saying. He wasn't doing what I wanted. That was
the only time I had to. He's looking at the other guys, and he's starting to
do the right things. He seems to understand well, and I don't have to talk
to him.''

Greenstin added: ``(Sushinsky) understands some English and just needs
to open up his mouth. He's an educated guy. He says dealing with the
language (barrier) is no problem, but he would like to be able to talk to his
teammates more. He likes the organization so far. Very soon he'll have
an English teacher. The team will probably provide it, and if not, I will.
(Wild general manager) Doug Risebrough has promised that after the
first road trip.''

``The hockey language is pretty basic,'' Risebrough said. ``It's more of an
issue of enjoying being over here, which can sometimes have an effect
on their mood. If their wife isn't very happy, then ultimately it's going to
affect him. But as far as communicating, he picks up things. I've dealt
with other Europeans who are stubborn in their approach.

``I had to deal with (Sergei) Makarov (then of the Calgary Flames), who
was a great player, but when we went on the ice, five guys played the
way Makarov wanted to play. In some ways that was good for the team.
He forced guys to play a certain way. In practice, he would put his stick
down, and if the pass was too far in front of him, he wouldn't move the
stick. He wanted to make them hit the tape (of the stick). He'd look over
at them like, `You missed the tape.' Guys had never seen that before. . . .
There was a style of play that was conducive to Sergei. I have not felt
that way with (Sushinsky).''