Prospect Info: Pavel Buchnevich Part II

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeeeeaaay!

Its not really good. We should be rooting for Loko.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Man. That's a big jump from benching a guy for a period of even a game to basically kicking him off the squad. I'd really like to know the whole story.

That explanation might be too simple, from me.

Probably more - perhaps he wasn't in playing shape (although idk how that would be he just went through a full season of gsmes that would more or less keep him in game condition, even if it wasn't his best conditioning)? Or maybe he wasn't being a good team member?

I think I read that the official explanation for benching him was kind of a final straw breaking with his effort. Not trying hard enough.

 

[kovazub94]

Man. That's a big jump from benching a guy for a period of even a game to basically kicking him off the squad. I'd really like to know the whole story.

There is a lot of speculation. Zubov benching him for the lack of effort is what's on the surface. A factor that could explain the lack of effort is that his salary per contract with SKA (for which he bolted from the NHL) was made in rubles and these days it's only worth a fraction of what it was when it was signed.
There's also a rumor that he was insubordinate with the team's management. He's supposed to meet with team's "governor" (probably an equivalent of team's president in the NHL) to discuss his future with the team. It's Russia so anything is possible but you'd normally would expect that the result of this meeting will be Kovalchuk returning to SKA for game 4.

 

[Anthony5967]

That explanation might be too simple, from me.

Probably more - perhaps he wasn't in playing shape (although idk how that would be he just went through a full season of gsmes that would more or less keep him in game condition, even if it wasn't his best conditioning)? Or maybe he wasn't being a good team member?

I think I read that the official explanation for benching him was kind of a final straw breaking with his effort. Not trying hard enough.

Supposedly he missed the team bus to the morning skate the day of their last regular season game. He's clashed with an assistant coach all year and has disrespected the staff in front of the team too. The coaches had enough. Did what he did with missing the bus and then playing poor in game one with limited effort have earned him a benching. Now he wants to pout and come back to the league he wanted no part of a week ago before this all happened. Let him stay there. Can't play just in the o zone in the NHL. Maybe Toronto won't mind. sitting him was the best thing for this team as it looks like this series could be toast.

 

[Anthony5967]

There is a lot of speculation. Zubov benching him for the lack of effort is what's on the surface. A factor that could explain the lack of effort is that his salary per contract with SKA (for which he bolted from the NHL) was made in rubles and these days it's only worth a fraction of what it was when it was signed.
There's also a rumor that he was insubordinate with the team's management. He's supposed to meet with team's "governor" (probably an equivalent of team's president in the NHL) to discuss his future with the team. It's Russia so anything is possible but you'd normally would expect that the result of this meeting will be Kovalchuk returning to SKA for game 4.

Bingo

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Did anyone see Larry Brooks wrote in a column last night that Buchnevich might not be able to help because he didn't play in game 1 and only got about 6 minutes in game 2? Holy ****ing ****, this guy is a terrible journalist, try watching some games before making such an assumption.

 

[Irishguy42]

Dammit SKA...you're not supposed to win!

However, assuming that Buch would accept any invite Russia gives him to training camp for the national team, and SKA wouldn't terminate his contract early...he wouldn't be coming over anyway.

So I guess, assuming the worst, I'd like to see SKA go for it.

Tough call though.

SKA gets eliminated in the first round, and Russia isn't looking to extend an invite/SKA release him....he comes over.

Or...

SKA wasn't going to release him early anyway and Russia is going to send him an invite...so might as well push hard in the playoffs.

Those are the two extremes here, I think.

 

[MacTruck27]

Did anyone see Larry Brooks wrote in a column last night that Buchnevich might not be able to help because he didn't play in game 1 and only got about 6 minutes in game 2? Holy ****ing ****, this guy is a terrible journalist, try watching some games before making such an assumption.

Here's what Brooks wrote:

"4) Pavel Buchnevich’s Saint Petersburg club is tied 1-1 in its KHL first-round, best-of-seven series against Lokomotiv. If SKA is eliminated in five games, the Blueshirts’ 19-year-old prospect’s season would be over on Monday. But even if that is the case, and even if the winger would be able to gain his release from his contract that runs through May 1, there is no guarantee the Rangers immediately would pursue him because signing him would burn the first season of his three-year Entry Level contract. Plus, it is unlikely he would be able to provide the instant help the Rangers require.

Buchnevich dressed, but did not play a second for Sergei Zubov’s team in Game 1. In Game 2, after team captain Ilya Kovalchuk had been sent home ,— we’re told the move was ordered by a much higher authority than Zubov — Buchnevich got 6:23 and an assist before he was ejected in conjunction with a slashing major early in the third period."

I thought this article by Adam Herman was a much better read.

http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2016/2/22/11079536/will-pavel-buchnevich-join-the-rangers-for-the-playoff-push

 

[RangerFan23]

Sorry, why didn't he play a single second in Game 1?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sorry, why didn't he play a single second in Game 1?

Sergei Zubov isn't as good of a coach as he was a player. Buchnevich effectively took Kovalchuk's spot in the lineup, although on a different line with other players bumping up a line. 2 assists in 2 games, and two wins.

 

[RangerFan23]

Sergei Zubov isn't as good of a coach as he was a player. Buchnevich effectively took Kovalchuk's spot in the lineup, although on a different line with other players bumping up a line. 2 assists in 2 games, and two wins.

So he was dressed for the game and didn't get a single shift?! Very strange for pro hockey, but thanks for the info.

 

[Ola]

Sorry, why didn't he play a single second in Game 1?

It's really not that strange, all players are UFAs in Europe when their contract is up and SKA has a lot more money than most other teams. The result is that they get a "Dream Team" every season. Buchnevich is a very good player in the KHL, but SKA only has good KHL players from top to bottom on that roster. Buch is a young player that still is growing and yet haven't found a spot on SKA.

Think of it like this. Let's say there was an extremely good NHL team that had Wayne Simmond on a 2nd line RW position and that line worked really well and Simmond was very valuable infront of the net. If that team got Taylor Hall, would the coach of that team yank Simmond from the line up and press box him instantly in favor of Hall? Hall is "better" than Simmond no doubt. I think many coaches wouldn't mess with the lineup and probably for a good reason.

 

[a tribe cq]

It's really not that strange, all players are UFAs in Europe when their contract is up and SKA has a lot more money than most other teams. The result is that they get a "Dream Team" every season. Buchnevich is a very good player in the KHL, but SKA only has good KHL players from top to bottom on that roster. Buch is a young player that still is growing and yet haven't found a spot on SKA.

Think of it like this. Let's say there was an extremely good NHL team that had Wayne Simmond on a 2nd line RW position and that line worked really well and Simmond was very valuable infront of the net. If that team got Taylor Hall, would the coach of that team yank Simmond from the line up and press box him instantly in favor of Hall? Hall is "better" than Simmond no doubt. I think many coaches wouldn't mess with the lineup and probably for a good reason.

But there is a difference from being yanked from the line up and put in the press box, then dressing and not playing a second.

 

[RangerFan23]

But there is a difference from being yanked from the line up and put in the press box, then dressing and not playing a second.

Yea, that's more what I was getting at.

 

[offdacrossbar]

So he was dressed for the game and didn't get a single shift?! Very strange for pro hockey, but thanks for the info.

happened here.

he got lisin'd.

torts did that to ringo once if I'm not mistaken.

 

[FLYLine27*]

At this point, i'd rather him get some nice big game experience in the KHL and go deep instead of having him rush over here, burn a year off his entry level contract, and have him thrown into a pressure situation while trying to learn the NA game.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

At this point, i'd rather him get some nice big game experience in the KHL and go deep instead of having him rush over here, burn a year off his entry level contract, and have him thrown into a pressure situation while trying to learn the NA game.

There is no way that AV would let him see the ice over his Tanny.

 

[Anthony5967]

There is no way that AV would let him see the ice over his Tanny.

Probably wouldn't even let him sit in the press box

 

[Anthony5967]

Major news possibly for Buchnevich, take a look . No way Buchnevich is taken now.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/russia-wont-name-khlers-to-initial-world-cup-roster/

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Major news possibly for Buchnevich, take a look . No way Buchnevich is taken now.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/russia-wont-name-khlers-to-initial-world-cup-roster/

Thats the World Cup, which is a new competition in September, not the World Championships.

 

[Anthony5967]

Thats the World Cup, which is a new competition in September, not the World Championships.

Ahhhh you're right. Well...that was fun for ten minutes

 

[kovazub94]

Poster Pavel buch doesn't really get the game much at all. Not to crap on him, I'm sure he's a nice guy and hockey knowledge isn't important to life at all but just reading his thoughts on hockey are like....bernmeister. I'd lean towards odc's view.

Even in his admittedly down year he was able to put a ppg in the KHL. Not sure what's ODC's definition of a "minimal impact" but it's not hard to imagine Kovy getting around 70 points if he came back to the NHL if he's in a right state of mind. Whatever he'd be providing on a defensive side is a different story (but it is nothing new from when he was in a height of his NHL career).

 

[Anthony5967]

Even in his admittedly down year he was able to put a ppg in the KHL. Not sure what's ODC's definition of a "minimal impact" but it's not hard to imagine Kovy getting around 70 points if he came back to the NHL if he's in a right state of mind. Whatever he'd be providing on a defensive side is a different story (but it is nothing new from when he was in a height of his NHL career).

The man hardly gives an ounce of effort in the d zone. Once the puck is in the o zone he does his thing. He's still strong which who knows, maybe he'd still be good at protecting the puck but the game has changed. Young guys now that have elite talent are starting to take over the league. Seguin, Benn , Tavares..etc. those guys bust their tails when on the ice , reason why they're fantastic players. Kovalchuk will come over and he will put up probably 60 points. Don't believe that, that's ok. The ice surface over there is international size. There's so much room he hardly ever gets hit because he's a big guy nonetheless. Plus factor in he was a PPG player playing the power play almost the full two minutes. In the KHL you get a few power plays a game and he had Shipachyov, the leading scorer feeding him pucks along with the other guys and setting Kovalchuk up for one timers.

 

[kovazub94]

The man hardly gives an ounce of effort in the d zone. Once the puck is in the o zone he does his thing. He's still strong which who knows, maybe he'd still be good at protecting the puck but the game has changed. Young guys now that have elite talent are starting to take over the league. Seguin, Benn , Tavares..etc. those guys bust their tails when on the ice , reason why they're fantastic players. Kovalchuk will come over and he will put up probably 60 points. Don't believe that, that's ok. The ice surface over there is international size. There's so much room he hardly ever gets hit because he's a big guy nonetheless. Plus factor in he was a PPG player playing the power play almost the full two minutes. In the KHL you get a few power plays a game and he had Shipachyov, the leading scorer feeding him pucks along with the other guys and setting Kovalchuk up for one timers.

First, you're comparing him to the NHL elite while I was responding the ludicrous claim that he would have a minimal impact. Name me elite NHL players in their mid-30s and I bet Kovalchuk could outperform them offensively. I don't get your points re. PP and ice surface size - with his shot and skill he should be getting a ton of PP time in the NHL (as he had) as well. Just want to reiterate that I'm not a big proponent of (a very unlikely scenario where) Kovalchuk joining the Rangers but underestimating his offensive prowess is unreasonable.

 

[Anthony5967]

First, you're comparing him to the NHL elite while I was responding the ludicrous claim that he would have a minimal impact. Name me elite NHL players in their mid-30s and I bet Kovalchuk could outperform them offensively. I don't get your points re. PP and ice surface size - with his shot and skill he should be getting a ton of PP time in the NHL (as he had) as well. Just want to reiterate that I'm not a big proponent of (a very unlikely scenario where) Kovalchuk joining the Rangers but underestimating his offensive prowess is unreasonable.

Not underestimating it and what do you mean you don't understand what the ice surface and pp has to do with it? Ok, if he goes to the leafs or Devils he will almost certainly play the top unit and log a lot of ice. If he's on a King team, a Hawks club, the Stars he's not gonna play on the power play as much . In today's league you watch guys work their tails off in the d zone and get rewarded in the o zone. What is he gonna do? Hang at the blue line and glide? And yea I am comparing him to the elite because I believe you said 70 points was reasonable or something , someone said it. That won't happen. He's gonna be 33 and isn't as driven . He's still got a bomb of a shot, that's still the truth. In the NHL obviously the ice isn't as big as the KHL. He hasn't been here in a few years. His work ethic overseas has been suspect . In the KHL there's so much open space you rarely ever see a guy knocked off the puck via a hit so he's able to dominate at times in the o zone. Moses does it at 5-8. No NHL club must think he can hack it. The ice has a lot to do with it. It depends what team he latches on with IF he even is taken back before 2018.