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LW Ivan Chekhovich - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL (2017, 212th, SJS released)

Tube Skates

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I remember watching him in the Q league multiple times. Terrific player. Teams just couldn’t stop him. You could hear his blades cut the ice. I’m surprised he was such a late draft pick and glad he’s doing well. I always thought he had NHL talent.
 
JohnLennon

JohnLennon

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Mar 26, 2011
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hohosaregood said:
It's a good uptick but it doesn't really change the fact that his upside is probably a 3rd line scoring winger. It's just marginally more likely to happen than it was last year.
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To be fair, if he continues to be able to perform this well for a longer period of time, it's likely best to re-evaluate his upside being limited to the 3rd line.

At one point more than a year ago, his upside was top 6 according to all the writers, then this past year it was bottom 6, now we're settling on 3rd line scorer as he starts to show his original potential again?

One tough season or one good season and people always over react. His "upside" is still top 6 from my perspective, but his most likely landing spot, like you mentioned, is probably 3rd line. That's the safe guess, but again, we'll see how he continues playing.
 
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JohnLennon

JohnLennon

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Mar 26, 2011
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Kshahdoo said:
1+1 vs Lokomotiv, 10+11 after 24 games.
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This guy is on an absolute tear. If he continues on this pace, I really wonder how it'll affect his NHL potential. These are some seriously good KHL numbers for someone so young, though he admittedly benefits from good deployment.
 
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Kshahdoo

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Mar 23, 2008
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JohnLennon said:
This guy is on an absolute tear. If he continues on this pace, I really wonder how it'll affect his NHL potential. These are some seriously good KHL numbers for someone so young, though he admittedly benefits from good deployment.
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He's 22 in a few days, though. Still, his numbers are close to what Kaprizov had at the same age. On the other hand, Yakupov had almost the same numbers at age 18.
 
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JohnLennon

JohnLennon

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Mar 26, 2011
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Kshahdoo said:
He's 22 in a few days, though. Still, his numbers are close to what Kaprizov had at the same age. On the other hand, Yakupov had almost the same numbers at age 18.
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Yeah, the KHL is very finnicky when it comes to projecting NHL equivalency. Guys like Panarin succeed, guys like Shipachev don't. The game doesn't always translate. Could end up being that Chekhovich isn't comfortable on smaller ice - guess we'll find out.
 
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Erep

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Jul 17, 2019
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JohnLennon said:
Yeah, the KHL is very finnicky when it comes to projecting NHL equivalency. Guys like Panarin succeed, guys like Shipachev don't. The game doesn't always translate. Could end up being that Chekhovich isn't comfortable on smaller ice - guess we'll find out.
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For Chekhovich, I think last year was just an anomaly. In training camp, he got hit in the face with a puck, and missed some time, and then things just started falling apart.

As an 18 and 19 year old, he had 6 goals and 12 assists in 19 AHL games. He played two really good season in the QMJHL, on NA ice.

He knows how to move the puck, and find the net. If he looses his confidence in being able to do those things, he doesn't have much else to go to, but if he is playing his game, he will put up numbers.

He isn't going to carry a line or anything, but he can help guys be productive. The Barracuda didn't have any stable productive lines last season, so he didn't have a place to play his role. Now in the KHL, he is thrown on the top line, for a team with basically two really good forwards (Miele and Zhafyarov) that just needed a third guy to enable the line to have a balanced attack, and all three of them are putting up strong numbers since he joined. Given a chance to produce he will, but he doesn't have the skills to move up in the lineup from a dead start, which is where he was last year.

I think he will be in a really good spot moving forward if the Sharks call him up and give him a 2/3rd line winger role, maybe to fill in for an injury or just to spark something and mix the lines, this season after the KHL season ends.
 
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mazmin

mazmin

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Between Chekhovich and Blichfeld it seems the SJ may have found a few diamonds in the rough. It will be interesting to see if and when SJ tries to start a full rebuild or if they simply try to re-tool. It’s both weird and refreshing to see SJ as bottom dwellers.
 
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Erep

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Jul 17, 2019
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mazmin said:
Between Chekhovich and Blichfeld it seems the SJ may have found a few diamonds in the rough. It will be interesting to see if and when SJ tries to start a full rebuild or if they simply try to re-tool. It’s both weird and refreshing to see SJ as bottom dwellers.
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Not to mention Leonard, a 2018 6th round pick who had a really strong year last year, and looks like he is going to start the season with Hertl and Kane.
 
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