Breakthrough players: 2020/21 season
- Thread starter SoundAndFury
- Start date
Caser
@RUSProspects
At least he could provide decent inside info, can't ask much more from them these days.
SoundAndFury
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- May 28, 2012
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Nah, both not very good. Generally, life proved KHL points production means nothing as far as NHL potential goes.
That is not correct. It's just that ANY point production should be taken with context.
Ivan Chekhovich from Topredo NN - impressed with him and this is only his debut season in KHL.
And this season I enjoy wathcing Torpedo, they are pretty offensive team.
Any opinion on him from our forum experts?
And this season I enjoy wathcing Torpedo, they are pretty offensive team.
Any opinion on him from our forum experts?
cska78
Registered User
I don't pay close attention to him, he didn't impress me in the game vs Sweden much if you ask me, but I wasn't watching it closely.
cska78
Registered User
Vityaz proves again and again they are a great place for development. Sad, the memo was not delivered to Rubtsov. He looked like a total waste of equipment out there.
He is easily the best COVID loan forward in the KHL. His EHT performance was a mixed bag. He was great in the first game. The loss of Khusnutdinov hurt the whole line though, while Zhafyarov was still expectedly dangerous. Not necessarily because Khusnutdinov was THAT good, but rather because other centers were quite a tier below. Sorkin just wasn't adequate as Khusnutdinov's replacement. Chekhovich looks like a valuable goal scorer, but he certainly needs playmaking assistance to use his potential. His KHL success shows though there is certainly material to work with. He can become an effective NHLer if he keeps working on his game.
Last edited:
SoundAndFury
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So, the season is over (for most teams anyway), people have asked for it, time to count the chickens. I will start by following up on the guys that were already mentioned and later probably do a couple of posts about those who should have been there or emerged later.
In the same order:
Dmitri Voronkov - pretty mixed feelings about Varnakov's season. On one hand, there were a lot of positives, he showed he can be much more of a factor but, at the same time, scoring-wise he really fell off the cliff after Christmas (Pesonen signing may or may not had an impact on that). His TOI is dipping in the playoffs, kind of expected 25 point plateau not reached... Overall, someone who doesn't let to doubt his potential but also someone who hasn't hit his goals yet either.
Sergei Tolchinsky - very close to PPG, definitely a breakout season, probably integral peace to Ava's success from now on. Having said that, 2nd worst +/- on the team, 6th in TOI so... PP is this guy bread and butter, still average at best player 5v5 so in a way, CSKA was right to let him go, I suppose. Especially considering the type of game they play, for better or worse.
Yegor Chinakhov - sort of similar situation to Varnakov's, barely playing over 10 minutes in PO but at the same time, finished the season with 30+ point pace so again, didn't quite land the same way someone like Marchenko did but doesn't leave much doubt either.
Dmitri Samorukov - that offense dried up big time, 0+3 in 39 games since the 1st of October. Still a really solid player but probably not deserving as much hype as he got at the start of the season as far as his offensive capabilities go. Still an NHL player, most likely.
Yegor Sharangovich - it becomes clearer by the day, that size+skating+wristshot combo = NHL player.
Georgi Ivanov - only 20 points this season but I don't take anything I said about this guy back, he is a tremendous player, skates like a wind, really good at faceoffs, contrary to some flashier guys on the list the kind of player whose TOI goes up in the playoffs (close to 17 minutes per game at the moment), not down. Definitely someone who will get to play in the NHL someday. It would be brilliant if he could give a little bit more on the offense but at the same time, eating minutes in Skabelka's system doesn't give the most opportunities to rack up points.
Grigori Dronov - just needs to stay healthy. Great modern-day defenseman - size, skating, passing, all there. If he can get used to the game pace and stay healthy - another NHL guy. If not, well, the time will show.
Kirill Marchenko - still an obvious one. Finished on pace for 41 points while playing 14 minutes per game.
Justin Danforth - 6th in league scoring. The biggest question I have is where does he sign in the summer. Because it certainly isn't Vityaz.
The other guys:
Nikita Kamalov and Gleb Koryagin - both played over 19 minutes per game, I'm still fairly high on Kamalov - he skates well, blocks shots. He is someone I want on my mid-table team's bottom pair. He has another season left on a contract with Amur - big year.
Sergei Zborovsky - again, really positive impressions after this year. Avto's #3D at the end of the year (played 2 minutes more than Tryamkin in the PO), really mobile guy, right-hand shot.. Only 6 points offensively but you know, whatever, not really his job. Probably one of the very few players on that team who would probably prefer if Peters stayed.
Pavel Karnaukhov - yeah nah. Even though he reached a career-high in points it wasn't a tough bar to clear. He wouldn't even win the "Breakout of the year" award if we limited it to CSKA forwards whose surname begins with the letter "K" (more on that in future posts, that's what they call foreshadowing).
Daniil Miromanov - 1) completely fizzled out towards the end of the season; 2) not good defensively; 3) still got a contract from Vegas so good luck. If he improves defensively can be a really good KHL player in the future. NHL though, don't see it happening.
Pavel Kraskovsky - imagine the world where Pavel Kraskovsky leads Loko in scoring. Yep, that's the world we live in. Surreal. Probably a wing going forward though, he just worked better there. But he does work. Amazing. I'm even tempted to bump him up to the A list.
Rafael Bikmullin - continued on the same pace and finished with 22 points in 54 games which is pretty solid all things considered, a nice improvement over the previous career-high of 9. Another player who will have a crucial season next year.
Alexander Petunin - the guy just doubled his KHL career points in 1 season. I called him the biggest surprise in the autumn and he just kept delivering, led the team in scoring, almost 40 points while playing for Severstal.. Hopefully, Severstal can keep those guys around for 1 more year.
Nikita Shashkov - pretty meh season for both Shashkov and Sibir. He has progressed somewhat but really nothing outstanding.
Roman Manukhov - so he was on 25-30 point pace in September but finished with 0+12. Pretty solid bounce-back season nonetheless but not especially impressive.
In the same order:
Dmitri Voronkov - pretty mixed feelings about Varnakov's season. On one hand, there were a lot of positives, he showed he can be much more of a factor but, at the same time, scoring-wise he really fell off the cliff after Christmas (Pesonen signing may or may not had an impact on that). His TOI is dipping in the playoffs, kind of expected 25 point plateau not reached... Overall, someone who doesn't let to doubt his potential but also someone who hasn't hit his goals yet either.
Sergei Tolchinsky - very close to PPG, definitely a breakout season, probably integral peace to Ava's success from now on. Having said that, 2nd worst +/- on the team, 6th in TOI so... PP is this guy bread and butter, still average at best player 5v5 so in a way, CSKA was right to let him go, I suppose. Especially considering the type of game they play, for better or worse.
Yegor Chinakhov - sort of similar situation to Varnakov's, barely playing over 10 minutes in PO but at the same time, finished the season with 30+ point pace so again, didn't quite land the same way someone like Marchenko did but doesn't leave much doubt either.
Dmitri Samorukov - that offense dried up big time, 0+3 in 39 games since the 1st of October. Still a really solid player but probably not deserving as much hype as he got at the start of the season as far as his offensive capabilities go. Still an NHL player, most likely.
Yegor Sharangovich - it becomes clearer by the day, that size+skating+wristshot combo = NHL player.
Georgi Ivanov - only 20 points this season but I don't take anything I said about this guy back, he is a tremendous player, skates like a wind, really good at faceoffs, contrary to some flashier guys on the list the kind of player whose TOI goes up in the playoffs (close to 17 minutes per game at the moment), not down. Definitely someone who will get to play in the NHL someday. It would be brilliant if he could give a little bit more on the offense but at the same time, eating minutes in Skabelka's system doesn't give the most opportunities to rack up points.
Grigori Dronov - just needs to stay healthy. Great modern-day defenseman - size, skating, passing, all there. If he can get used to the game pace and stay healthy - another NHL guy. If not, well, the time will show.
Kirill Marchenko - still an obvious one. Finished on pace for 41 points while playing 14 minutes per game.
Justin Danforth - 6th in league scoring. The biggest question I have is where does he sign in the summer. Because it certainly isn't Vityaz.
The other guys:
Nikita Kamalov and Gleb Koryagin - both played over 19 minutes per game, I'm still fairly high on Kamalov - he skates well, blocks shots. He is someone I want on my mid-table team's bottom pair. He has another season left on a contract with Amur - big year.
Sergei Zborovsky - again, really positive impressions after this year. Avto's #3D at the end of the year (played 2 minutes more than Tryamkin in the PO), really mobile guy, right-hand shot.. Only 6 points offensively but you know, whatever, not really his job. Probably one of the very few players on that team who would probably prefer if Peters stayed.
Pavel Karnaukhov - yeah nah. Even though he reached a career-high in points it wasn't a tough bar to clear. He wouldn't even win the "Breakout of the year" award if we limited it to CSKA forwards whose surname begins with the letter "K" (more on that in future posts, that's what they call foreshadowing).
Daniil Miromanov - 1) completely fizzled out towards the end of the season; 2) not good defensively; 3) still got a contract from Vegas so good luck. If he improves defensively can be a really good KHL player in the future. NHL though, don't see it happening.
Pavel Kraskovsky - imagine the world where Pavel Kraskovsky leads Loko in scoring. Yep, that's the world we live in. Surreal. Probably a wing going forward though, he just worked better there. But he does work. Amazing. I'm even tempted to bump him up to the A list.
Rafael Bikmullin - continued on the same pace and finished with 22 points in 54 games which is pretty solid all things considered, a nice improvement over the previous career-high of 9. Another player who will have a crucial season next year.
Alexander Petunin - the guy just doubled his KHL career points in 1 season. I called him the biggest surprise in the autumn and he just kept delivering, led the team in scoring, almost 40 points while playing for Severstal.. Hopefully, Severstal can keep those guys around for 1 more year.
Nikita Shashkov - pretty meh season for both Shashkov and Sibir. He has progressed somewhat but really nothing outstanding.
Roman Manukhov - so he was on 25-30 point pace in September but finished with 0+12. Pretty solid bounce-back season nonetheless but not especially impressive.
SoundAndFury
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So, evidently both guys pretty much had a contract in their pocket at that point. Still don't see either of them becoming actual NHL players but well, they are giving it a try.
i was just discussing if they are "candidate(s) for an NHL contract MAYBE" ... nothing more, nothing less.
SoundAndFury
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Guys who didn't have a good start of the season or joined late but certainly made an impression by the end of it:
A list:
Kirill Panyukov - a breakout player in the truest sense, the guy is a pretty spectacular player and popped out pretty much out of nowhere, he scored 1st point of the season on 28th of December and from that point on, just never looked back. 16 points in the last 22 games of the season plus 7 more in 6 playoffs games. Astana-born right-handed forward has great offensive tools, good size and probably much like Nikita Mikhailis a few years ago, should be considered a legitimate top-6 forward at a discount price heading into the next season despite really only being known to those who follow Kazakh hockey really closely before that.
Daniil Pylenkov - 19 points in 54 games for a still MHL-eligible smooth-skating Vityaz defenseman. Honestly, someone who should have been drafted last summer. He probably wasn't due to playing the "safe game" but duh, if you don't play the safe game you probably aren't taking a regular shift in the KHL at the age of 18 either. However, this season he has shown he has both offensive tools and some flair playing and successfully producing on the PP at the end of the season, strong in all physical aspects of the game. Definitely an A-lister whose offensive performance answered many questions. Hopefully, he doesn't end up playing 5 minutes per game on SKA next year.
Igor Geraskin - finally hitting that 30 point mark, the diminutive forward can finally also graduate this thread
It was only a question of time when he does, and now hopefully he can improve on it. He shares a lot of similarities with Sergei Tolchinsky who developed into one of the premier forwards (at least the Russian ones) in the league and although I don't believe Geraskin will be quite that good, he can definitely become that 15+30 kind of forward somewhere down the road. Not on Severstal though, which is probably just another thing waiting to happen.
Ivan Morozov - it's kinda hard to believe it didn't look like SKA center is going to have a very good season when I wrote the original OP for this thread. However, he ended up being the highest-scoring SKA center, 5th in TOI between forwards, and in general, one of the key members of his club. Playoffs are, of course, the ultimate challenge for any SKA player and its looking so far so good, 5 points in 6 games. Me personally, I just don't have any concerns about him developing into a quality NHL center - the guy just doesn't have big enough holes in his game not to.
Ivan Chekhovich - another guy who will, at the very least, make a strong bid to be an NHL forward. A very well-rounded player, a terrific shot, Sharks have roster spots to give to the young guys... We probably won't be seeing Ivan on the KHL ice anymore. At least for the foreseeable future.
B list:
Denis Golubev - mixed feelings adding this one to the list because the fellow is 29 but hey, credit where credits due - someone who was still playing for Amur on a 2-way contract, one of the bigger busts from that golden U20 team finally has put together a fairly solid KHL season. 25 points (very respectable on Amur) and 1st in TOI between forwards (although the whole COVID situation playing a part here) and probably 3-5 years of good hockey left in him. I think this was his last 2-way contract at the very least but considering how rare and valued centers in this league are and combined with his hard-working attitude on the ice, a move to a contender might be in the near future. Then again, the guy can't win a faceoff so... Maybe not.
Danila Moyseyev - I don't think anyone expected a lanky center to end up as one of the more productive top-6 forwards on the team and yet another move from center to wing that seemingly paid off for the player. I would love to see him improve physically still further as it would make both his skating and his shot more dangerous and hopefully would make him more willing to be more physically engaged in the games. Regardless, the guy definitely has some vision, playmaking talent, and that long reach stickhandling going with it.
Stepan Falkovsky - a very unique player and that's what got him drafted by the Flames in 2016. His NA career proved two things - he is huge (somewhat of a known quantity all along) and he can score goals (which is a trait not necessarily exhibited by most 205 cm Ds), at least at the ECHL level. The later remained true at the KHL and he finished the season with 20 points in 37 games which likely cements his position as a career big leagues player. And that after Woodcroft playing him very gingerly at the start of the year, he pretty much didn't see top-4 minutes until December.
Vladislav Provolnev - there is no denying, Provolnev had a solid season. He led a fairly successful team in TOI, scored 10 goals, 20 points. And signed an NHL contract to cap it all off. However, much like Olegs Znaroks, I am not too high on him. He has a good shot which made him a trigger man for Seva's powerplay but he isn't very gifted player in terms of generating offense. His mobility and defensive functions are also questionable. I don't know, maybe that NHL deal is once in a lifetime opportunity but it might also just be too much too soon. If he struggles in NA I don't even see big KHL teams giving him a deal.
Kirill Adamchuk - so here is my unpopular opinion - Adamchuk is a more talented hockey player than Provolnev and maybe it's a blessing in disguise the former is leaving. They have both averaged over 20 minutes per game for Seva which is frankly pretty impressive considering the team had 2 import Ds. Approaching 27, Adamchuk definitely took some time to pan out and it's easy to see why. Some of his decisions are still what one could call.. ambitious. No stranger to forcing plays, Adamchuk is a very good passer for a 190cm+ defenseman and his shot is respectable. Probably a bona fide #1D for Seva next year, unless he Vereshchagins it.
Vladislav Kodola - well, since Geraskin and Petunin got their mentions, it would be silly not to add the third musketeer to the list. Needless to say, Severstal struck gold with that line and Kodola, being its center, is an integral part. He does, however, lack high-end offensive skills, size, and faceoff ability to become a truly elite KHL center. However, smart and sound defensive player he will have a long and successful career.
___________________________________
Guys who scratched the surface and are ones to keep an eye on in the future:
Anton Todykov - not a spectacular prospect but the most reliable Vityaz goalie for a pretty long stretch this season despite only having played 2 KHL games before it. If all goes well has all the chances to force 1A/1B situation in Podolsk next year.
Pyotr Kochetkov - this looked like a reeeeeeally bad season for one of the better Russian goalie prospects but after the trade to Nizhnyi Novgorod he managed 93,2 Sv% in 450 minutes he played for the team which is a very respectable number behind the team that so many goalies struggled to play for. Gives some renewed hope for the new season.
Nikita Lyamkin - someone who was being mentioned in this thread ever since playing for Kuznya way way back in the day, never has the mention been more merited. By the end of the season, the towering defenseman was 2nd in TOI amongst Ak Bars Ds and reached double digits in points. This would be THE breakout season for him if he has successful playoffs. Also, he definitely still has more potential, still the space to improve. Although he turned 25 a couple of months ago, it's not surprising progression curve for these gigantic Ds isn't the most rapid one.
Zakhar Bardakov - 8 points in the last 13 games of the season and TOI increase from 5 minutes per game at the start of the season to 18 by the end of it. Not really quite sure what to think about his offensive upside quite yet since his play seems rather one-dimensional but definitely puts him on the map for the next season.
Rihards Bukarts and Martinsh Dzierkals - I know they played for Riga which isn't really playing for the KHL team but hey, they made that team better and not worse which is pretty good step forward in their careers. Especially for Rihards who was in a bit of a limbo, getting close to being relegated to the 3rd tier leagues.
Ivan Nikolishin - 4th in scoring on his team which is a great result and a legitimate breakout year for a diminutive scoring forward. Having said that, again, that team being Kunlun.. it's a tiny step above playing in the VHL where he wasn't really successful in 19/20. So I won't jump to conclusions here but he did enough to warrant a good look from some KHL team in the summer.
Daniil Tarasov - joined the team with a very strong #1 goalie (at least as far as reputation goes) but ended up playing 16 games, with 11 wins and .925 Sv%. A solid stepping stone season for the youngster.
Nikita Korostelyov - although his skating looks pretty ugly I guess it's at "good enough" level for the KHL. Especially when the player himself is very driven and determined to score goals. I think that's Nikita's best feature - it just looks like he wants to score goals. He also has a pretty big frame so it's not that easy to deny him when he gets going. Overall, it's going to be interesting to see next year if he gets a roster spot on CSKA or becomes a cap casualty.
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Guys who kinda blew it:
Aleksandr Derhachyov - despite being given all the opportunities to arrive to the big leagues, the Kings prospect, together with Alexandr Syomin's decline and shaky goaltending, pretty much killed Vityaz's season. 23 points is decent enough but -22 and on ice for only 17 ES goals, he clearly showed he is not ready defensively and not good enough offensively to be a top-6 center in this league. This makes his future career path rather murky... 3rd line wing experiment next season?
Vladislav Kolyachonok - No reason to be too harsh on the 19-year-old but much like Dergachyov, someone who came with a high pedigree, got slotted into an important role and sank in it. Ended up playing under 10 minutes per game or not being in the lineup at the end of the season. Even worse, the guy who took his time away Calgary's 2020 7th-rounder Ilya Solovyov.
Artyom Minulin - everything was there for him in Magnitogorsk after last year's PO - 1st pairing and partnership with Yakovlev, PP time, etc. Yet, it all ended up with Magnitka having to sign Holm, re-emergence of Yegor Martynov, and 0+4 in 53 games. Not a terrible season, he got to play for the NT, he still eats a lot of minutes so there are definitely positives but still, he kinda blew it.
Bulat Shafigulin - another drafted player, another pretty good roster situation on a team that is definitely very invested in their home-grown youngsters succeeding and yet, a 14-point season which is meh and team-worst -23 which is big oof. Still only 21 and probably still end up being a pretty solid KHL player but anything above that seems very unlikely at this point.
German Rubtsov - yeah.
Honorable mentions for one reason or another to Alexandr Polunin, Yuriy Pautov, Andrei Sergeyev, Andrei Mironov (I did NOT imagine him finishing above Cajkovsky and Hietanen is scoring, ever), Vladislav Yefremov, Alexei Toropchenko, Andrei Chibisov, Aleksei Volgin, Nikita Guslistov, Efim Gurkin, Oleg Li, Sergei Shmelyov and Nikita Tochitsky, Ilya Talaluyev and whoever else I forgot/didn't notice.
A list:
Kirill Panyukov - a breakout player in the truest sense, the guy is a pretty spectacular player and popped out pretty much out of nowhere, he scored 1st point of the season on 28th of December and from that point on, just never looked back. 16 points in the last 22 games of the season plus 7 more in 6 playoffs games. Astana-born right-handed forward has great offensive tools, good size and probably much like Nikita Mikhailis a few years ago, should be considered a legitimate top-6 forward at a discount price heading into the next season despite really only being known to those who follow Kazakh hockey really closely before that.
Daniil Pylenkov - 19 points in 54 games for a still MHL-eligible smooth-skating Vityaz defenseman. Honestly, someone who should have been drafted last summer. He probably wasn't due to playing the "safe game" but duh, if you don't play the safe game you probably aren't taking a regular shift in the KHL at the age of 18 either. However, this season he has shown he has both offensive tools and some flair playing and successfully producing on the PP at the end of the season, strong in all physical aspects of the game. Definitely an A-lister whose offensive performance answered many questions. Hopefully, he doesn't end up playing 5 minutes per game on SKA next year.
Igor Geraskin - finally hitting that 30 point mark, the diminutive forward can finally also graduate this thread
It was only a question of time when he does, and now hopefully he can improve on it. He shares a lot of similarities with Sergei Tolchinsky who developed into one of the premier forwards (at least the Russian ones) in the league and although I don't believe Geraskin will be quite that good, he can definitely become that 15+30 kind of forward somewhere down the road. Not on Severstal though, which is probably just another thing waiting to happen. Ivan Morozov - it's kinda hard to believe it didn't look like SKA center is going to have a very good season when I wrote the original OP for this thread. However, he ended up being the highest-scoring SKA center, 5th in TOI between forwards, and in general, one of the key members of his club. Playoffs are, of course, the ultimate challenge for any SKA player and its looking so far so good, 5 points in 6 games. Me personally, I just don't have any concerns about him developing into a quality NHL center - the guy just doesn't have big enough holes in his game not to.
Ivan Chekhovich - another guy who will, at the very least, make a strong bid to be an NHL forward. A very well-rounded player, a terrific shot, Sharks have roster spots to give to the young guys... We probably won't be seeing Ivan on the KHL ice anymore. At least for the foreseeable future.
B list:
Denis Golubev - mixed feelings adding this one to the list because the fellow is 29 but hey, credit where credits due - someone who was still playing for Amur on a 2-way contract, one of the bigger busts from that golden U20 team finally has put together a fairly solid KHL season. 25 points (very respectable on Amur) and 1st in TOI between forwards (although the whole COVID situation playing a part here) and probably 3-5 years of good hockey left in him. I think this was his last 2-way contract at the very least but considering how rare and valued centers in this league are and combined with his hard-working attitude on the ice, a move to a contender might be in the near future. Then again, the guy can't win a faceoff so... Maybe not.
Danila Moyseyev - I don't think anyone expected a lanky center to end up as one of the more productive top-6 forwards on the team and yet another move from center to wing that seemingly paid off for the player. I would love to see him improve physically still further as it would make both his skating and his shot more dangerous and hopefully would make him more willing to be more physically engaged in the games. Regardless, the guy definitely has some vision, playmaking talent, and that long reach stickhandling going with it.
Stepan Falkovsky - a very unique player and that's what got him drafted by the Flames in 2016. His NA career proved two things - he is huge (somewhat of a known quantity all along) and he can score goals (which is a trait not necessarily exhibited by most 205 cm Ds), at least at the ECHL level. The later remained true at the KHL and he finished the season with 20 points in 37 games which likely cements his position as a career big leagues player. And that after Woodcroft playing him very gingerly at the start of the year, he pretty much didn't see top-4 minutes until December.
Vladislav Provolnev - there is no denying, Provolnev had a solid season. He led a fairly successful team in TOI, scored 10 goals, 20 points. And signed an NHL contract to cap it all off. However, much like Olegs Znaroks, I am not too high on him. He has a good shot which made him a trigger man for Seva's powerplay but he isn't very gifted player in terms of generating offense. His mobility and defensive functions are also questionable. I don't know, maybe that NHL deal is once in a lifetime opportunity but it might also just be too much too soon. If he struggles in NA I don't even see big KHL teams giving him a deal.
Kirill Adamchuk - so here is my unpopular opinion - Adamchuk is a more talented hockey player than Provolnev and maybe it's a blessing in disguise the former is leaving. They have both averaged over 20 minutes per game for Seva which is frankly pretty impressive considering the team had 2 import Ds. Approaching 27, Adamchuk definitely took some time to pan out and it's easy to see why. Some of his decisions are still what one could call.. ambitious. No stranger to forcing plays, Adamchuk is a very good passer for a 190cm+ defenseman and his shot is respectable. Probably a bona fide #1D for Seva next year, unless he Vereshchagins it.
Vladislav Kodola - well, since Geraskin and Petunin got their mentions, it would be silly not to add the third musketeer to the list. Needless to say, Severstal struck gold with that line and Kodola, being its center, is an integral part. He does, however, lack high-end offensive skills, size, and faceoff ability to become a truly elite KHL center. However, smart and sound defensive player he will have a long and successful career.
___________________________________
Guys who scratched the surface and are ones to keep an eye on in the future:
Anton Todykov - not a spectacular prospect but the most reliable Vityaz goalie for a pretty long stretch this season despite only having played 2 KHL games before it. If all goes well has all the chances to force 1A/1B situation in Podolsk next year.
Pyotr Kochetkov - this looked like a reeeeeeally bad season for one of the better Russian goalie prospects but after the trade to Nizhnyi Novgorod he managed 93,2 Sv% in 450 minutes he played for the team which is a very respectable number behind the team that so many goalies struggled to play for. Gives some renewed hope for the new season.
Nikita Lyamkin - someone who was being mentioned in this thread ever since playing for Kuznya way way back in the day, never has the mention been more merited. By the end of the season, the towering defenseman was 2nd in TOI amongst Ak Bars Ds and reached double digits in points. This would be THE breakout season for him if he has successful playoffs. Also, he definitely still has more potential, still the space to improve. Although he turned 25 a couple of months ago, it's not surprising progression curve for these gigantic Ds isn't the most rapid one.
Zakhar Bardakov - 8 points in the last 13 games of the season and TOI increase from 5 minutes per game at the start of the season to 18 by the end of it. Not really quite sure what to think about his offensive upside quite yet since his play seems rather one-dimensional but definitely puts him on the map for the next season.
Rihards Bukarts and Martinsh Dzierkals - I know they played for Riga which isn't really playing for the KHL team but hey, they made that team better and not worse which is pretty good step forward in their careers. Especially for Rihards who was in a bit of a limbo, getting close to being relegated to the 3rd tier leagues.
Ivan Nikolishin - 4th in scoring on his team which is a great result and a legitimate breakout year for a diminutive scoring forward. Having said that, again, that team being Kunlun.. it's a tiny step above playing in the VHL where he wasn't really successful in 19/20. So I won't jump to conclusions here but he did enough to warrant a good look from some KHL team in the summer.
Daniil Tarasov - joined the team with a very strong #1 goalie (at least as far as reputation goes) but ended up playing 16 games, with 11 wins and .925 Sv%. A solid stepping stone season for the youngster.
Nikita Korostelyov - although his skating looks pretty ugly I guess it's at "good enough" level for the KHL. Especially when the player himself is very driven and determined to score goals. I think that's Nikita's best feature - it just looks like he wants to score goals. He also has a pretty big frame so it's not that easy to deny him when he gets going. Overall, it's going to be interesting to see next year if he gets a roster spot on CSKA or becomes a cap casualty.
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Guys who kinda blew it:
Aleksandr Derhachyov - despite being given all the opportunities to arrive to the big leagues, the Kings prospect, together with Alexandr Syomin's decline and shaky goaltending, pretty much killed Vityaz's season. 23 points is decent enough but -22 and on ice for only 17 ES goals, he clearly showed he is not ready defensively and not good enough offensively to be a top-6 center in this league. This makes his future career path rather murky... 3rd line wing experiment next season?
Vladislav Kolyachonok - No reason to be too harsh on the 19-year-old but much like Dergachyov, someone who came with a high pedigree, got slotted into an important role and sank in it. Ended up playing under 10 minutes per game or not being in the lineup at the end of the season. Even worse, the guy who took his time away Calgary's 2020 7th-rounder Ilya Solovyov.
Artyom Minulin - everything was there for him in Magnitogorsk after last year's PO - 1st pairing and partnership with Yakovlev, PP time, etc. Yet, it all ended up with Magnitka having to sign Holm, re-emergence of Yegor Martynov, and 0+4 in 53 games. Not a terrible season, he got to play for the NT, he still eats a lot of minutes so there are definitely positives but still, he kinda blew it.
Bulat Shafigulin - another drafted player, another pretty good roster situation on a team that is definitely very invested in their home-grown youngsters succeeding and yet, a 14-point season which is meh and team-worst -23 which is big oof. Still only 21 and probably still end up being a pretty solid KHL player but anything above that seems very unlikely at this point.
German Rubtsov - yeah.
Honorable mentions for one reason or another to Alexandr Polunin, Yuriy Pautov, Andrei Sergeyev, Andrei Mironov (I did NOT imagine him finishing above Cajkovsky and Hietanen is scoring, ever), Vladislav Yefremov, Alexei Toropchenko, Andrei Chibisov, Aleksei Volgin, Nikita Guslistov, Efim Gurkin, Oleg Li, Sergei Shmelyov and Nikita Tochitsky, Ilya Talaluyev and whoever else I forgot/didn't notice.
SoundAndFury
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- May 28, 2012
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No Protas, no Alexeyev. Just a boycott of Capitals prospects
They both just fell into that weird category where they didn't have a huge impact quite yet, not as spectacular as Chekhovich and their future isn't in the KHL... So I just came up with the set of arbitrary rules to not include them - did too little for well-known NHL-bound prospects. On merit, they should both be here, frankly probably a time-saving measure on my part more than anything.
Podkolzin, Kostin, Chistyakov, Korshkov also have made a pretty decent case to get a mention somewhere but all kinda fell under the same criteria.
SoundAndFury
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Yes. It doesn't take away from the fact that his January before the injury looked like this:
I'm disappointed his season ended early due to shoulder surgery and that he didn't post more points up. He developed confidence in the O-zone in the latter part of the shortened AHL season. I never watched a single KHL game so I don't know how he played nor his role. I'm assuming he received zero PP time? He definitely has the tools to put up more points.
My fellow Oilers fans compared him to Gavrikov but I saw him as a young Petry (having followed him since his MSU Spartan days). I guess both projections are optimistic?
SoundAndFury
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- May 28, 2012
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Yeah, he didn't play on the PP. Also, there is no question he has the tools to put up more points if he played on a different team. The thing with these big KHL teams is, however, that you score as many points as your role on the team allows. But, at the same time, he is clearly behind guys like Robinson or Kiselevich offensively.
Talking about comparisons, yeah Petry is just not happening I think that much is for sure. But Gavrikov... They are rather different players, they don't really compare that well style-wise but in terms of the level of play, I think Samorukov can get there.
Young Petry was raw like Samorukov. Big booming slapshot and a good skater/puckhandler just like Sammy. Plenty of tools but the points never came that easily. Petry was 22 in his first AHL season (24pts in 41GP) and Samorukov is only 21 with two pro seasons under his belt. I feel the KHL isn't the best place for his offensive development unless he went to some bad team and got prime PP minutes.
SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
- 11,356
- 5,307
SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
- 11,356
- 5,307
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