Regina players off to World Junior Championships

The Regina Midget AA Capitals will soon be without their two international stars, Dani and Michael Boudnikov.

Both players will be representing their former home country, Israel, in International Ice Hockey Federation third-division men’s under-20 and under-18 world-championship tournaments.

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from,” Dani said. “Every time you have the opportunity to represent your country, it’s a huge honour.”

The Boudnikovs were born in Russia, but shortly thereafter moved to Israel, a country with only 849 hockey players and three indoor rinks, according to the IIHF.

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They lived in the small city of Maalot for 16 years. Dani recalled his dad Andrey putting him on skates when he was six years old. Dani and Michael took to the game immediately.

“The speed of the game is something fun to do every day,” Dani said.

Despite having a rink that was only a fraction of the size of a regulation playing surface to play on in the small city of roughly 20,000 people, the Boudnikovs caught the attention of Israel’s national hockey program.

“This is something (that happens) when you grow up in a small country,” Dani said. “Everyone knows where you’re from and what’s your name and how you play and the coaches just try to motivate (you) from a young age to play for a national team.”

Two years ago, the brothers and their dad moved to Regina, where Michael (who is now 16) and 17-year-old Dani attend Martin Collegiate. Dani immediately noted the change in hockey culture.

“The motivation from each hockey team is bigger and the coaches and everyone takes it more seriously,” Dani said. “It’s different (and) it’s nice.”

Capitals head coach Dave Diewold is in his first season with the Boudnikov brothers, and he certainly likes what the two forwards bring to the team. He said Michael has good hands and is effective off the rush, whereas Dani is the bigger, more prototypical power forward who works hard in front of the net and in the corners.

Aside from their talent on the ice, Diewold noted that the two brothers have fit in really well in the team’s dressing room. He noted that it helps that several other players attend Martin as well.

Diewold will be without Dani’s services for the next few weeks, as he will be in Mexico City to take part in the Division III under-20 world championship. The championship gets underway Friday and Dani is looking forward to the competition as well as the opportunity to meet new friends and see what other countries can bring to the game.

“It’s a big honour after every game when you hear the national anthem,” Dani said. “It’s something that gives you chills.”

Dani was supposed to be joined by Michael in Mexico City, but a broken wrist has sidelined him.

In March, the two will be in Bulgaria for the Division IIIA under-18 world championship.

“First of all, it’s an honour to represent your country and it makes me proud to be with friends and play with them,” Michael said.

Dani will be participating in his third under-18 championship, but his time in Mexico City will represent his debut with the under-20 program. It is a challenge that he welcomes.

“I hope to get the chemistry together as fast as we can,” he said. “It’ll take us time, especially since it’s a new team. It’s the first time we’ve played together. I hope we can get the best we can get from the talent we have.”