School Me On Maxim Kitsyn

Reclamation Project

Cut It All Right In Two
Jul 6, 2011
34,135
3,783
I remember being very excited when we drafted him back in 2010, but haven't followed him since. Apparently he's coming back to NA to play in Manchester? I never tracked his performance in Europe. He's a valuable asset at a position we desperately need so I'm eager to learn about how his game has developed and what his ceiling is.


So, what do I need to know?
 

Captain Mittens*

Guest
For now though, we do have one other interesting prospect update.

Left wing Maxim Kitsyn looks to be returning to North America. The highly skilled forward opened a lot of eyes while playing for the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (OHL) in 2011 before returning to Russia to honor previous commitments.

Hextall says the Kings can sign him in July and all indications are a deal will be announced at that time.

If so, the 6-foot-2 forward will most likely be assigned to Manchester (AHL) next season.

“There’s training camp for everybody, but that would be our thought process at that point,” Hextall noted. “If any player comes in and lights it up at training camp, things can change. But, that would be our thought process.”

Gibson and Schumacher out, Kitsyn most likely in.

That’s your Kings prospect news for today.

Now back to the regularly scheduled NHL playoffs.

The Mayor stalks me from the future. I find that when I asked a question, he has already answered it.

http://mayorsmanor.com/2013/05/kings-officially-saying-goodbye-to-two-prospects-this-week/
 

Reclamation Project

Cut It All Right In Two
Jul 6, 2011
34,135
3,783
This isn't a tease though, is it? Every time I read "KHL" my reaction is...

tumblr_mcg6jrbX4m1ry8teo.gif
 

CNS

A World Alone
May 24, 2008
10,560
0
Tonelli loves him and that's usually a good sign. I'm not as infatuated with him. Big body kid who definitely has skill but I sorta see him topping out as a 3rd liner. Definitely not a bad skater either although if I remember it wasn't the most conventional stride. I remember watching him in the Memorial Cup a few years back and he was good, not great there to me. So I'd say you're looking at a guy who definitely has what it takes to make it to the NHL and play a decent role but don't expect a world beater. I was going to say expect Tonelli but he's already here.
 

damacles1156

Registered User
Feb 5, 2010
21,665
1,303
Dwight King with Better hands.....

I wouldn't expect much out of him, he was sent to Hockey purgatory in the KHL.

They basically didn't play the guy for two years. His development is screwed up.

Hope the Kings unscrew him. His game is much better in NA....But the KHL barely played the guy.

I guess he should be rested.
 

etherialone

dialed in your mom
Mar 6, 2008
12,987
0
The Ether
Dwight King with Better hands.....

I wouldn't expect much out of him, he was sent to Hockey purgatory in the KHL.

They basically didn't play the guy for two years. His development is screwed up.

Hope the Kings unscrew him. His game is much better in NA....But the KHL barely played the guy.

I guess he should be rested.

I am sorry but I don't see Kitsyn this way at all. Additionally he really wasn't sent to the KHL, he had to go there after trying to get the NHL to intercede on his behalf.

There is a thing that happens to players that the HFR (Федерация хоккея России) feels was disloyal to them and what is most obvious to fans of the sport is that the players regardless of how good they are rarely get any ice time. In other words their careers get very sidelined. It has happened to several talented Russian kids and is typically why players will do anything to get away from Russia as soon as possible before they are forced to sign a bogus HFR contract that will obligate them to spending valuable development time over there.

Kitsyn was playing/developing exceptionally well before he was forced to leave back to the KHL. I have watched two seasons of dedicated tape on the kid and his development has been damaged at all. He needs time but the kid can play.
 

etherialone

dialed in your mom
Mar 6, 2008
12,987
0
The Ether
What have you written here? Any tidbits floating around in your post history...?

Tons. Kitsyn was coming up as a kid while I was in Russia. I followed his play allot prior to his being drafted and have remained in touch a bit. There is allot in my post history I would have to believe.

I will post my last report on him later on.
 

damacles1156

Registered User
Feb 5, 2010
21,665
1,303
I am sorry but this couldn't be further from who Kitsyn is. He also wasn't sent to the KHL he had to go there after trying to get the NHL to intercede on his behalf.

There is a thing that happens to players that the HFR (Федерация хоккея России) feels was disloyal to them and what is most obvious to fans of the sport is that the players regardless of how good they are rarely get any ice time. In other words their careers get very sidelined. It has happened to several talented Russian kids and is typically why players will do anything to get away from Russia as soon as possible before they are forced to sign a bogus HFR contract that will obligate them to spending valuable development time over there.

Kitsyn was playing/developing exceptionally well before he was forced to leave back to the KHL. I have watched two seasons of dedicated tape on the kid and his development has been damaged at all. He needs time but the kid can play.

One positive is his playoff numbers, the Kid plays well when the games matter.

That is nice to see, but the KHL seriously mishandled him.
 

etherialone

dialed in your mom
Mar 6, 2008
12,987
0
The Ether
One positive is his playoff numbers, the Kid plays well when the games matter.

That is nice to see, but the KHL seriously mishandled him.

He got what the Russians call (loosely translated) "a real job".

The KHL is really nothing more than a syndicate of "businessmen" to put it as nicely and politically correct as I possibly can. I am not a fan of the way they do business.

That said, I may be slightly biased regarding Kitsyn. In short I see him as a dynamic 3rd liner who can step up and play solid second line LW when needed. He hangs onto the puck like it was glued to his stick and you just don't see any panic in him. He hits like a train and loves to do it. Solid two way player who when he wants to can be a very creative offencive threat.

He plays a power forward style of game and had he remained in NA I believe he would have been a solid second line LW. Not more than a good one but then you don't want a team full of superstars so he would have been just right for us.

As it sits I can see him being being a well better than average 3rd liner for us. The king that you want to see up on the second line but understand he plays where he does. Hard hard worker.
 
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King'sPawn

Enjoy the chaos
Jul 1, 2003
22,036
21,229
Kitsyn has a very awkward, comical skating stride if I remember correctly (haven't seen him in two years). He literally looked like he was trying to run a marathon on skates.

He struggled a lot with focus and got frustrated easily. He can play along the boards, but seems to favor the open ice.

When he's focused, he seemed like he could will the puck into the net.

He strikes me as a Moller type where he HAS to be in the top 6 to be successful.
 

KingKopitar11*

Guest
Being tight on cap I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Kitsyn make the team. I think getting Holloway and Kitsyn back would be a nice bolstering of the roster. I like it though. Hopefully we can get them.
 

CNS

A World Alone
May 24, 2008
10,560
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Kitsyn has a very awkward, comical skating stride if I remember correctly (haven't seen him in two years). He literally looked like he was trying to run a marathon on skates.

His skating in a sense is like Simmonds' - awkward as all **** but strangely effective. And yeah you're not misremembering because I remember him having an awkward stride too.
 

BigBrown

Fly at eleven.
Feb 2, 2010
5,944
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Sweden
From what I remember he was pretty good around the net. Power forward-ish style, net presence. Now that was in Junior and a couple of years ago, how he looks now and at a higher level I have no idea. But if the Kings are indeed willing to offer him an entry level contract despite the poor numbers he's shown in Russia there must be some hope left there.
 

Whiskeypete

Registered User
Jul 14, 2010
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0
Chicago
the 'poor numbers' he has posted the last two years should be thrown out. from the accounts i've read on how he was used and the TOI have more to do with his production than he did.

he was used in a very reduced role on the bottom lines and had his ice time severely cut. the kid wasn't being use the way and in a role he should have been. this goes back to what TG said earlier and was discussed in other posts going back months. Kitsyn was essentially punished for leaving and going to NA for the brief time he did.
 

tigermask48

Maniacal Laugh
Mar 10, 2004
3,673
899
R'Lyeh, Antarctica
the 'poor numbers' he has posted the last two years should be thrown out. from the accounts i've read on how he was used and the TOI have more to do with his production than he did.

he was used in a very reduced role on the bottom lines and had his ice time severely cut. the kid wasn't being use the way and in a role he should have been. this goes back to what TG said earlier and was discussed in other posts going back months. Kitsyn was essentially punished for leaving and going to NA for the brief time he did.

This was discussed ad naseum in both the Manchester thread and the CHL/NCAA over this past year. Also a thread a few months ago on Manchesters roster for next year turned into a discussion on Kitsyn as well (also on Prokhorkin and whether he might have the same thing happen.) TG pretty much nailed it earlier in his assessment of KHL "businessmen."
 

Whiskeypete

Registered User
Jul 14, 2010
2,604
0
Chicago
This was discussed ad naseum in both the Manchester thread and the CHL/NCAA over this past year. Also a thread a few months ago on Manchesters roster for next year turned into a discussion on Kitsyn as well (also on Prokhorkin and whether he might have the same thing happen.) TG pretty much nailed it earlier in his assessment of KHL "businessmen."

i know this. i was summarizing for those unaware of the earlier content and discussion
 

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