Varnakov....what went right?

[VladNYC*]

Well I think we are all familiar with the amazing season Varnakov had.

Small recap:


He was on fire in Torpedo. He was a real leader and galvanized the team. His line was one of the best in the KHL. He also played well for SKA. The question is, where the hell did this all come from? He basically doubled his points from last season and did it on the same team. What was the difference? Was this season an anomaly or do you think it is just a gimps of things to come? Ak Bars has him for next season. Any thoughts on what his line will be there? Personally he caught me by surprise but it was a pleasant one. I always love a late bloomer.

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[Atas2000]

Well I think we are all familiar with the amazing season Varnakov had.

Small recap:


He was on fire in Torpedo. He was a real leader and galvanized the team. His line was one of the best in the KHL. He also played well for SKA. The question is, where the hell did this all come from? He basically doubled his points from last season and did it on the same team. What was the difference? Was this season an anomaly or do you think it is just a gimps of things to come? Ak Bars has him for next season. Any thoughts on what his line will be there? Personally he caught me by surprise but it was a pleasant one. I always love a late bloomer.

Well, not everything went right for him. He never made it to the NT, despite the invitations. And he'll have to shoulder a big load with AkBars. This year will show his true worth. Otherwise he always was an offensive dynamo. He didn't really come out of nowhere.

 

[malkinfan]

Well, not everything went right for him. He never made it to the NT, despite the invitations. And he'll have to shoulder a big load with AkBars. This year will show his true worth. Otherwise he always was an offensive dynamo. He didn't really come out of nowhere.

Well he played in Eurotour and made a ghastly mistake late in the game which caused the loss to the Finns (or swedes..cant remember now). But its easy to see why he was left off teh WC roster. He looked nervous, not himself in ET, looked great in KHL. IMO his speed and the chemistry he had with Makarov and Thornberg is what made his wheels turn this year.

 

[Bojovnik]

Yeah, Varnakov is hardly a 'new' star. Arguably he was much more of an offensive dynamo on the 08-09 team, albeit he was able to have sheltered minutes while Brendl was having his ridiculous 35 goal season.

He's a fantastic player to watch as he never stops working, and has a real passion for the game. I thought it was a real shame that he didn't go back to Torpedo, as that leaves a massive hole for the team to fill.

 

[Chileiceman]

Well he played in Eurotour and made a ghastly mistake late in the game which caused the loss to the Finns (or swedes..cant remember now). But its easy to see why he was left off teh WC roster. He looked nervous, not himself in ET, looked great in KHL. IMO his speed and the chemistry he had with Makarov and Thornberg is what made his wheels turn this year.

Varnakov didn't actually spend much time with Makarov and Thornberg. He was usually on a line with guys like Schatlivy, Semin, Ellison and Potapov.

I bebame a Torpedo fan during the lockout and Varnakov was my favorite KHL'er. Very dynamic player to watch. Seemed to make something happen almost every shift he was out there.