Confirmed with Link: Soshnikov to KHL? (Nope, 1 year extension)

[BuLLeT1291]

I would take Sosh over Jaskin every day of the week and twice on sunday. May sound a little over the top but I honestly wouldn’t even tender Jaskin an offer.

 

[tfriede2]

I don't understand the Jaskin-hate. IMO, he's the perfect 4th liner. If you envision him on the 3rd line, then sure, you'll be disappointed. But I don't understand the disappointment if he's on the 4th line. His possession metrics (from what I recall) are excellent, he led the team in hits with 207 (53 more than the next guy, Schenn), and he's defensively responsible. What more do you want from a 4th liner? Well, he lacks speed...that's pretty much it, IMO, but he makes up for it with his physical play, at least some offensive ability, his defensive play, and his possession metrics.

 

[67Blues]

I'm confident that he is already a cornerstone for the Blues. He's about as fast as a stone and when you list our projected lines, he fits perfectly in the bottom right corner...

Well played sir...well played

 

[67Blues]

I don't understand the Jaskin-hate. IMO, he's the perfect 4th liner. If you envision him on the 3rd line, then sure, you'll be disappointed. But I don't understand the disappointment if he's on the 4th line. His possession metrics (from what I recall) are excellent, he led the team in hits with 207 (53 more than the next guy, Schenn), and he's defensively responsible. What more do you want from a 4th liner? Well, he lacks speed...that's pretty much it, IMO, but he makes up for it with his physical play, at least some offensive ability, his defensive play, and his possession metrics.

Indeed, he is well suited for the 4th line duties. Injuries put him in an expanded role which he wasn't equipped to handle and highlighted any deficiencies. I just think that the hype of him coming up just like the quote/article enhanced the disappointment of what actually has become his game. He's still young, he may improve to get to the 3rd line with consistency, but that is his ceiling in my opinion. Keep in mind we drafted Rattie ahead of him and Edmundson behind him, so to get 2 second rounders playing out of one draft isn't too bad.

 

[Brian39]

I don't understand the Jaskin-hate. IMO, he's the perfect 4th liner. If you envision him on the 3rd line, then sure, you'll be disappointed. But I don't understand the disappointment if he's on the 4th line. His possession metrics (from what I recall) are excellent, he led the team in hits with 207 (53 more than the next guy, Schenn), and he's defensively responsible. What more do you want from a 4th liner? Well, he lacks speed...that's pretty much it, IMO, but he makes up for it with his physical play, at least some offensive ability, his defensive play, and his possession metrics.

My earlier joke aside, I have zero hate for Jaskin. He's a fantastic bottom 6 player. He's a fantastic defensive player who is adequate offensively by 4th line standards. He's just skilled enough offensively that he can slide up in the lineup for brief stints without being an anchor to a middle 6 line. He isn't going to produce there, but his defensive ability and his ability to win board battles and gain/maintain possession allow skilled linemates to do their thing. Obviously you don't want him there all the time, but he is the type of guy who can help make sure the wheels don;t fall off if you have 2-3 top 9 guys injured at the same time.

There's no reason to give him a big raise and we'll probably lose him when he goes UFA, but there is absolutely no advantage to not qualifying him at $1 mil.

 

[Majorityof1]

I would take Sosh over Jaskin every day of the week and twice on sunday. May sound a little over the top but I honestly wouldn’t even tender Jaskin an offer.

Why? What does Sohnikov bring better than Jaskin? He is definitely faster and has a better shot, but doesn't mean anything unless he can leverage them. He has not shown an ability to do that at 24 years old (half a year younger than Jaskin).

 

[Brian39]

I would take Sosh over Jaskin every day of the week and twice on sunday. May sound a little over the top but I honestly wouldn’t even tender Jaskin an offer.

Why?

Jaskin has played almost 200 more NHL games despite being just about half a year older than Sosh. His offensive production at the NHL level is a few points per 82 games better than Sosh for his career and (and recently), Jaskin is significantly better defensively, has significantly better possession numbers, hits more than Sosh and has done all that while playing a significantly more defensive role than Sosh. Sosh is faster, but hasn't proven that any other aspect of his game is better than Jaskin's.

Jaskin isn't an answer to offense, but you aren't going to get a better depth player than him at $1 mil.

 

[67Blues]

Jaskin isn't an answer to offense, but you aren't going to get a better depth player than him at $1 mil.

And in a player who accepts and understands his role on the team. Keep in mind that even most 4th liners in the NHL DOMINATED their juniors and below. Listen to an interview with Kelly Chase talking about how many goals he scored in juniors and below. Any NHL player was probably head and shoulders above all other players in their league/age range, and it takes a good bit of chomping on the ole' humble pie when you get relegated to 4th line NHL duties. It isn't for everyone.

 

[Brian39]

And in a player who accepts and understands his role on the team. Keep in mind that even most 4th liners in the NHL DOMINATED their juniors and below. Listen to an interview with Kelly Chase talking about how many goals he scored in juniors and below. Any NHL player was probably head and shoulders above all other players in their league/age range, and it takes a good bit of chomping on the ole' humble pie when you get relegated to 4th line NHL duties. It isn't for everyone.

Nostalgia time: I played ACHA D2 hockey in college, which meant I was just good enough to hold my own (to a degree) with NCAA players, low level pros and junior players when I'd skate over the summer. I skated with some damn good hockey players for a few years, but the best player I ever skated with was Cam Janssen. He used to pop in for stick and pucks at the Kirkwood rink over the summer and could make everyone look silly with little effort. I'm not sure I have ever shared the ice with anyone who had hands as good as his. Then you watch him in the NHL and he had hands of complete stone.

Every guy in the NHL is immensely talented and they all spent years of their lives dominating their peers. The NHL is played at such a fast pace that it forces mistakes out of incredibly talented players who look like legends when they have time and space.

 

[simon IC]

And in a player who accepts and understands his role on the team. Keep in mind that even most 4th liners in the NHL DOMINATED their juniors and below. Listen to an interview with Kelly Chase talking about how many goals he scored in juniors and below. Any NHL player was probably head and shoulders above all other players in their league/age range, and it takes a good bit of chomping on the ole' humble pie when you get relegated to 4th line NHL duties. It isn't for everyone.

This! Entirely, this. It is not Sobotka and Soshnikov leaving the Blues for the KHL that bothers me. I understand it is a business, and family and finances are more important than any nebulous "team loyalty" What really bothers me about both players is reports that they are (and were) unhappy with their respective usage. Neither player has demonstrated in any way that they deserved to be anywhere but on the 4th, possibly 3rd, lines. If you feel you deserve to be on the top 6, go out on the ice and prove it! In the mean time, you do what your coaches tell you. There is such an arrogance in believing that you know better than your coaches and management. My answer to both of them would be you're not as good as you think you are, and you are replaceable. There are a lot of young players who would love a chance to play on the Blues in any role. Good riddance to Sosh, and I felt the same way when Sobotka left.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Adios Sosh....bring in a kid like Blais who wants to be here.

 

[Brian39]

This! Entirely, this. It is not Sobotka and Soshnikov leaving the Blues for the KHL that bothers me. I understand it is a business, and family and finances are more important than any nebulous "team loyalty" What really bothers me about both players is reports that they are (and were) unhappy with their respective usage. Neither player has demonstrated in any way that they deserved to be anywhere but on the 4th, possibly 3rd, lines. If you feel you deserve to be on the top 6, go out on the ice and prove it! In the mean time, you do what your coaches tell you. There is such an arrogance in believing that you know better than your coaches and management. My answer to both of them would be you're not as good as you think you are, and you are replaceable. There are a lot of young players who would love a chance to play on the Blues in any role. Good riddance to Sosh, and I felt the same way when Sobotka left.

Let's pump the brakes a little bit here. Unless I missed something, there have been zero reports that Sosh was anything but a professional in his brief time in St. Louis so far. All we have is a report that he might sign in the KHL. Same thing with Sobotka. There was never anything that indicated he created issues in the locker room or had attiitude issues while he was here.

I'm sure both want more playing time. Every NHLer who isn't a superstar wants more playing time. There is nothing wrong with that, so long as you act professionally and still work hard at the role you have been given. Both of those guys have done that, and leaving for greener pastures shouldn't be a black mark on their character. Again, maybe I missed something, but I can't find any report that suggests Sosh hasn't been doing what his coaches tell him to do or believes he knows better than the coaches.

 

[KirkOut]

Nostalgia time: I played ACHA D2 hockey in college, which meant I was just good enough to hold my own (to a degree) with NCAA players, low level pros and junior players when I'd skate over the summer. I skated with some damn good hockey players for a few years, but the best player I ever skated with was Cam Janssen. He used to pop in for stick and pucks at the Kirkwood rink over the summer and could make everyone look silly with little effort. I'm not sure I have ever shared the ice with anyone who had hands as good as his. Then you watch him in the NHL and he had hands of complete stone.

Every guy in the NHL is immensely talented and they all spent years of their lives dominating their peers. The NHL is played at such a fast pace that it forces mistakes out of incredibly talented players who look like legends when they have time and space.

ACHA D2 those were the days. Did you play for a team in the northeast by any chance? Maybe we’ve squared off haha.
You are spot on. I’ve played in more casual games against AHL scrubs who could have scored 10 goals playing opposite handed while giving 10% if they wanted to. The skill jump is just massive

 

[Brian39]

ACHA D2 those were the days. Did you play for a team in the northeast by any chance? Maybe we’ve squared off haha.
You are spot on. I’ve played in more casual games against AHL scrubs who could have scored 10 goals playing opposite handed while giving 10% if they wanted to. The skill jump is just massive

No, I stayed in the Midwest for undergrad. I played a decent chunk of games in Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana but I don't remember going much further Northeast than that.

My law school intramural team had a guy who was a couple years removed from the AHL and it was hilarious when he gave even a slight effort. We'd be getting tuned up by a bunch of 19 year olds, then he'd take one shift at (maybe) half speed and tie the game up.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Nostalgia time: I played ACHA D2 hockey in college, which meant I was just good enough to hold my own (to a degree) with NCAA players, low level pros and junior players when I'd skate over the summer. I skated with some damn good hockey players for a few years, but the best player I ever skated with was Cam Janssen. He used to pop in for stick and pucks at the Kirkwood rink over the summer and could make everyone look silly with little effort. I'm not sure I have ever shared the ice with anyone who had hands as good as his. Then you watch him in the NHL and he had hands of complete stone.

Every guy in the NHL is immensely talented and they all spent years of their lives dominating their peers. The NHL is played at such a fast pace that it forces mistakes out of incredibly talented players who look like legends when they have time and space.

Similar experience for me too. I played club hockey...eek...two decades ago (side note: life moves fast!) so I’d get the opportunity to play with some pretty high level guys every now and then, usually Iowa Stars, Des Moines Bucs players or NCAA players home from college over the summers. By far the best player I ever shared the ice with on a regular basis was Toby Petersen. He was basically the Stars version of Chris Porter for a few years but spent some time here in Iowa. I enjoyed watching him just toy with the Bucs kids and AAA kids that thought they’d be able to remotely touch him. One guy that surprised me just how skilled he was was Francis Wathier. His rep at the time was that he was nothing more than an AHL goon. Couldn’t play, just fight. He actually played in the men’s summer league at a local rink here one summer. It was ridiculous. Still can’t believe he actually joined that league. He was simply amazing. He went on to have some good years in the AHL where he actually got 3rd line minutes and wasn’t asked to fight all the time.

But yeah, if these guys who are NHL tweeners or AHL lifers are this good, just imagine how insane Crosby and McDavid have to be.

Getting back to Sosh and Jaskin, I like both but value Jaskin a good amount more. Sure, it’s a little disappointing his offense didn’t develop as well as many including myself had hoped but he’s still a quality NHLer. I think Sosh could be too and I like his grit but he seems to put himself in bad positions leading to an increased likelihood of getting injured AND he appears to be injury prone. Not a good combo. But I’d like to see him in camp. But if he returns to Russia, it’s not exactly a huge loss. But yeah, it is key to remember sometimes that these 4th line NHL guys are still among the top 1% of 1% of hockey players out there. To even sniff the NHL you have to be ridiculously good.

 

[Brian39]

Similar experience for me too. I played club hockey...eek...two decades ago (side note: life moves fast!)

I'm almost a decade out from college hockey and I still miss it. Life moves fast and there is nothing quite like "competitive" hockey. Mens league is fine, but I miss practices and the daily routine that keeps you sharp. As a goalie, I feel like I'm shaking off rust every 1st period, even when I was still playing twice a week.

 

[bluesXwinXtheXcup]

Similar experience for me too. I played club hockey...eek...two decades ago (side note: life moves fast!) so I’d get the opportunity to play with some pretty high level guys every now and then, usually Iowa Stars, Des Moines Bucs players or NCAA players home from college over the summers. By far the best player I ever shared the ice with on a regular basis was Toby Petersen. He was basically the Stars version of Chris Porter for a few years but spent some time here in Iowa. I enjoyed watching him just toy with the Bucs kids and AAA kids that thought they’d be able to remotely touch him. One guy that surprised me just how skilled he was was Francis Wathier. His rep at the time was that he was nothing more than an AHL goon. Couldn’t play, just fight. He actually played in the men’s summer league at a local rink here one summer. It was ridiculous. Still can’t believe he actually joined that league. He was simply amazing. He went on to have some good years in the AHL where he actually got 3rd line minutes and wasn’t asked to fight all the time.

But yeah, if these guys who are NHL tweeners or AHL lifers are this good, just imagine how insane Crosby and McDavid have to be.

Getting back to Sosh and Jaskin, I like both but value Jaskin a good amount more. Sure, it’s a little disappointing his offense didn’t develop as well as many including myself had hoped but he’s still a quality NHLer. I think Sosh could be too and I like his grit but he seems to put himself in bad positions leading to an increased likelihood of getting injured AND he appears to be injury prone. Not a good combo. But I’d like to see him in camp. But if he returns to Russia, it’s not exactly a huge loss. But yeah, it is key to remember sometimes that these 4th line NHL guys are still among the top 1% of 1% of hockey players out there. To even sniff the NHL you have to be ridiculously good.

I didn't realize how elite an NHL player was. Or maybe just hearing how good you guys say they are compared to the average minor leaguer puts it in perspective. Either way, I appreciate all the posts because it helps me understand their abilities better, even 3rd and 4th liners. Thank you

 

[Alklha]

While there had been some speculation that RFA winger Nikita Soshnikov might bolt to the KHL, his agent Dan Milstein in fact informed me just now he's working on finalizing a one-year contract to return to the St. Louis Blues...

 

[Novacain]

Good news, I still think he is a very good 4th liner with potential for more if he can just stay healthy.

 

[The Note in MI]

We all knew he would come back to us

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Gotta love Dan Milstein. I wonder if he might also represent a PPG left winger in need of a new contract.... sure would be convenient

 

[BlueDream]

Well at least we have good depth options for the 4th line. Makes not signing Brodziak a lot more do-able in case he’s looking for too much.

And Sosh does bring speed. Hopefully we get faster this summer.

 

[The Note in MI]

Chances of having good 4th line depth were always good. We are FLUSH with bottom six talent lol

 

[Thallis]

Sosh-Brodziak-Jaskin is my dream everyday 4th line for next season

 

[Mike Liut]

Sosh-Brodziak-Jaskin is my dream everyday 4th line for next season

I think Sanford is going to surprise some people this year. I wouldn’t rule him out on the 4th line.