Dynamo81
Registered User
Big post coming right up
So reading Bryzgalov's interview from later 2011 got me interested. He basically said it is better to go to the AHL and earn $50-$75k per season to chase the dream of playing in the NHL than selling your soul playing in the weaker help KHL. Well that was basically his point. I think he was talking about it from a Goaltender perspective.
Interview for those interested
http://prosports.ru/articles/bryzgalov181
Russian Goaltenders in the NHL (Not including Nabokov and Khabibulin).
Bryzgalov
Age: 32
Played 44 games in the RSL
Moved to NA at 21 years of age
Played four seasons in the AHL before making the transition to the NHL at 25 years of age.
423 games in the NHL
Varlamov
Age: 24
Played 99 games in the RSL
Moved to NA at 20 years of age
Spent less than one season in the AHL before making the transition to the NHL ( He transitioned in the Play offs) at 21 years of age.
129 games in the NHL
Bobrovsky
Age: 24
Played 99 games in the RSL/KHL
Moved to NA at 22 years of age
Did not play in the AHL, therefore making his transition into the NHL at 22 years of age.
90 games in the NHL
Khudobin
Age: 26
Played in the CHL
Played 16 games in the RSL
Moved back to NA at 21 years of age
Playing for five seasons in the ECHL/AHL, yet to transition into the NHL (7 appearances), currently 26 years of age.
I feel some similarities in Varlamov with Bobrovsky, and to a lesser extent Bryzgalov and Khudobin in terms of career movement.
Others Currently in the North American System
Igor Bobkov
Age:21
Played 14 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 20 years of Age
Played 84 games in the CHL (OHL)
Currently played 14 games this season Norfolk Admirals in the AHL
Andrei Makarov
Age:19
Played 22 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 17 years of age
Currently played 118 games in the CHL (QMJHL and WHL)
Nikita Serebryakov
Age: 17
Played 1 game in the MHL
Moved to NA at 17 years of age
Currently played 11 games in the CHL (OHL)
Sergei Kostenko
Age: 20
Played 65 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 20 years of age
Yet to play a game for Reading Royals(ECHL) or Hershey Bears
Alexander Pechurskiy
Age: 22
Played 5 games in the MHL before leaving during season to NA
Moved to NA at age 19
Played 27 games in the CHL (WHL)
At 19 played 1 game in the NHL (Penguins) before returning to the CHL (WHL) playing 3 games followed by playing in the Central Hockey League a total of 42 games. After those two seasons in the NHL where he played in the WHL, NHL and Central Hockey League he returned to Russia playing 5 games in the KHL and also playing 29 games in the MHL when returning to Russia and now is currently in the VHL having played a total of 39 VHL games in the past two seasons.
Others
Andrei Vasilevski
Age: 18
Played 73 games in the MHL
Made 2 appearances in the KHL replacing the pulled goaltender.
Might add a few others such as 23 year old Gaiduchenko who has played 76 games in the KHL.
What are everyone's thoughts? I was going to place this in the Russia section but I was wondering about the situation with young goal tending prospects in other nations competing in the KHL or MHL too.
Btw this thread is not to bash any leagues although the KHL is better than the AHL and each case is unique but I do want to hear what people think about the best route as a goaltender into the NHL or becoming a better goaltender.
So reading Bryzgalov's interview from later 2011 got me interested. He basically said it is better to go to the AHL and earn $50-$75k per season to chase the dream of playing in the NHL than selling your soul playing in the weaker help KHL. Well that was basically his point. I think he was talking about it from a Goaltender perspective.
Interview for those interested
http://prosports.ru/articles/bryzgalov181
Russian Goaltenders in the NHL (Not including Nabokov and Khabibulin).
Bryzgalov
Age: 32
Played 44 games in the RSL
Moved to NA at 21 years of age
Played four seasons in the AHL before making the transition to the NHL at 25 years of age.
423 games in the NHL
Varlamov
Age: 24
Played 99 games in the RSL
Moved to NA at 20 years of age
Spent less than one season in the AHL before making the transition to the NHL ( He transitioned in the Play offs) at 21 years of age.
129 games in the NHL
Bobrovsky
Age: 24
Played 99 games in the RSL/KHL
Moved to NA at 22 years of age
Did not play in the AHL, therefore making his transition into the NHL at 22 years of age.
90 games in the NHL
Khudobin
Age: 26
Played in the CHL
Played 16 games in the RSL
Moved back to NA at 21 years of age
Playing for five seasons in the ECHL/AHL, yet to transition into the NHL (7 appearances), currently 26 years of age.
I feel some similarities in Varlamov with Bobrovsky, and to a lesser extent Bryzgalov and Khudobin in terms of career movement.
Others Currently in the North American System
Igor Bobkov
Age:21
Played 14 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 20 years of Age
Played 84 games in the CHL (OHL)
Currently played 14 games this season Norfolk Admirals in the AHL
Andrei Makarov
Age:19
Played 22 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 17 years of age
Currently played 118 games in the CHL (QMJHL and WHL)
Nikita Serebryakov
Age: 17
Played 1 game in the MHL
Moved to NA at 17 years of age
Currently played 11 games in the CHL (OHL)
Sergei Kostenko
Age: 20
Played 65 games in the MHL
Moved to NA at 20 years of age
Yet to play a game for Reading Royals(ECHL) or Hershey Bears
Alexander Pechurskiy
Age: 22
Played 5 games in the MHL before leaving during season to NA
Moved to NA at age 19
Played 27 games in the CHL (WHL)
At 19 played 1 game in the NHL (Penguins) before returning to the CHL (WHL) playing 3 games followed by playing in the Central Hockey League a total of 42 games. After those two seasons in the NHL where he played in the WHL, NHL and Central Hockey League he returned to Russia playing 5 games in the KHL and also playing 29 games in the MHL when returning to Russia and now is currently in the VHL having played a total of 39 VHL games in the past two seasons.
Others
Andrei Vasilevski
Age: 18
Played 73 games in the MHL
Made 2 appearances in the KHL replacing the pulled goaltender.
Might add a few others such as 23 year old Gaiduchenko who has played 76 games in the KHL.
What are everyone's thoughts? I was going to place this in the Russia section but I was wondering about the situation with young goal tending prospects in other nations competing in the KHL or MHL too.
Btw this thread is not to bash any leagues although the KHL is better than the AHL and each case is unique but I do want to hear what people think about the best route as a goaltender into the NHL or becoming a better goaltender.
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