Prospect Info: Vitaly Abramov - RW/LW
- Thread starter Icelevel
- Start date
swiftwin
★SUMMER.OF.PIERRE★
- Jul 26, 2005
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Vitali Abramov
Obviously has not produced very well at the AHL level so far this season. Still an interesting prospect though. Hopefully he can find his game at the pro level.
AchtzehnBaby
Global Matador
Gil Gunderson
Registered User
Best Sens Russian prospect since Ilya Zubov.
In regards to his AHL troubles, especially with scorers, they sometimes have a hard time in the AHL compared to the NHL. Don't know if that's the case here, but it does seem odd, considering his junior scoring.
Also, can't be easy for a guy who is known for having a good shot to have wrist surgery and then go back to that same level, could also explain his drop at the start of the year.
Also, can't be easy for a guy who is known for having a good shot to have wrist surgery and then go back to that same level, could also explain his drop at the start of the year.
Reposting this Athletic profile of Abramov from the trade thread. The description kinda makes him sound like Stone.
Carl Mallette likes to joke that he and his fiance, Genevieve, will soon have four children: Adam, 4, Andrew, 6, another baby boy due in three weeks, and 19-year-old Russian forward Vitaly Abramov.
“Vitaly is my fourth child right now,” said the Victoriaville Tigres assistant coach with a laugh. “He’s the oldest one.”
The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect has been living with Mallette and his family since a November trade brought him to Victoriaville from the Gatineau Olympiques. Since there were no players going to Gatineau in the deal, there were no openings with any of the team’s billet families. So Mallette opened up his own home.
“The experience so far has been very good,” said Mallette, of being a first-time billet. “It’s only been positive. We knew the kind of kid we were getting so it’s been easy. He’s been playing hockey with (my kids), playing cards — even checkers. He taught my oldest son how to play checkers, so since then they’ve been playing together. It’s been really fun.”
It’s been an important transition because Mallette is a well-known figure in Victoriaville having played on the team for five seasons. As the former captain of the Tigres, he led them to their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title and a berth in the Memorial Cup back in 2001-2002. That year, Mallette, a fourth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000, had 122 points in 71 games.
“Carl said, ‘Hey, I’ll take him under my wing,’ and that was so big for us,” said Tigres head coach Louis Robitaille. “He’s the last captain to win the President’s Cup Trophy and he was an offensive-minded player as well so he’s helping (Abramov) a whole lot.”
As an assistant, Mallette takes care of the teams forwards and is in charge of running the power play, so he spends a lot of time with Abramov, though they rarely talk about the team while they’re at home.
“At the rink, I’m his assistant coach and I’m working with him,” said Mallette. “But at home he’s part of our family, so I don’t want to bring the stuff at the rink home with him. He’s a passionate player so he’s easy to coach. Every little tip or any little thing — because he’s pretty good already, obviously — any piece of advice we give him he accepts it and he does it. He wants to improve every day so it’s fun to coach him.”
Last summer, the Tigres took Russian Matvei Zaseda in the first round of the CHL import draft with the 29th pick, but when it became clear the 18-year-old had no intention of reporting, the team’s focus shifted to Abramov. It was a precarious situation since there had been talk about the possibility of Abramov leaving the QMJHL to play in Europe since he was ineligible to play in the AHL this season.
As the reigning league MVP and scoring champion what more did he have to prove in junior? He admits being sent back to junior after Blue Jackets training camp was a tough adjustment.
“It was very difficult for me because I really wanted to make it,” said Abramov. “I wasn’t as good probably (as I need to be) so the only thing now is to keep working hard and build on my game in junior.”
It was tough for the Blue Jackets, too, but there was no better option. Chris Morehouse, Columbus’ assistant director of amateur scouting, said given Abramov’s attitude they knew he would bounce back.
“For us, right off the bat, we loved that he had confidence and that he was disappointed not to play in the NHL at 19,” said Morehouse. “The big thing for us is that you can’t teach his heart and compete and character.
“He’s only 19 years old so what’s the rush?”
It was no secret the Gatineau Olympiques had been shopping the star forward prior to the trade deadline. Rumours had persisted throughout the QMJHL the moment the Blue Jackets sent Abramov back to junior.
“We looked at the best import and for us he was by far the most dominating player in our league,” said Robitaille. “When it was made known that he was available we looked at his game a little bit deeper. We felt it was the right fit for him to come down here and help us down the stretch.”
That meant doing their due diligence with both general manager Kevin Cloutier and Robitalle mining their coaching contacts, which included Abramov’s former coach in Gatineau, Benoit Groulx, who now coaches the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
“Ben said that he was not only a good offensive player but someone with an unbelievable work ethic,” said Robitaille. “He can play both sides of the ice and spent time on the (penalty kill) as well. He wants to be a game-changer. He wants the puck and he wants to make the difference. Everyone was unanimous that he was an outstanding person.
“Everything people said about him I’ve seen it first-hand over the last two months.”
The deal finally came to fruition in mid-November with Abramov heading to Victoriaville in exchange for a first round pick (2019), two second-round picks (2019, 2020) and a fourth round pick (2018). Abramov found out about the deal during the first game of Canada-Russia series where he was playing against his new Tigres teammates Maxime Comtois and Pascal Laberge. They broke the news to him while they were playing.
“I thought it was a joke,” said Abramov. “I thought they were joking, but after the game I found out it was true.”
After the deal was finalized Robitaille and Cloutier made the eight hour round trip between Victoriaville and Gatineau to pick the star up personally. The drive — which included a stop for lunch — gave them all a chance to talk and get to know one another. Robitaille, who spent seven seasons in the AHL, said it allowed everyone to share their experiences and hopefully put Abramov at ease about joining Victoriaville. And it did.
“It was so amazing that they came to pick me up,” said Abramov. “We talked about everything — the game, life, everything.”
===
Listed at 5-foot-9 and 171-pounds, size has always been a question for Abramov. He’s heard the naysayers his whole life.
“I don’t even listen to that anymore,” said the native of Chelyabinsk, Russia. “I don’t think it’s fair so I don’t even concentrate on that. I know I have to work hard on the ice and off the ice to get stronger to play in the NHL and I’m doing that.”
Robitaille said one of the things he likes most about Abramov is his fearlessness. He doesn’t play small and isn’t afraid to take a beating if it gives him a good scoring opportunity.
“He’s small in stature but he has a big heart,” said Robitaille. “A lot of his chances are coming from tips in front of the net so he’s going to get involved right in front of the crease. That says it all when a small guy like that is willing to pay the price and sacrifice his body for the little details.”
One of the things Abramov has been working on this year, in addition to his defensive game, is building on his strength. It’s one thing to run roughshod over players in junior, but it’s another going up against men in the NHL.
“The way he plays on the inside parts of the ice with his rugged style he needs to continue to get stronger so he can play his game,” said Morehouse. “What makes him so effective is, yes he’s skilled, but he attacks, he goes to the net hard he plays in the tough areas and he’s really good at the top of the circle and down in the offensive zone. I think if he wants to play that way and be effective in the NHL, he has to get stronger.”
His hard work has translated into success at the junior level. Last year he was named QMJHL MVP when he led the league in scoring with 46 goals and 58 assists in 66 games with Gatineau. He’s keeping the same pace this season in Victoriaville with 23 goals and 38 assists in 37 games, good enough for second in the overall point standings.
It’s even more impressive when you consider Abramov is playing exclusively at centre in Victoriaville, instead of on the right wing like he was during his time in Gatineau. He said he has no preference where he plays, though moving to centre has been a bit of an adjustment especially with the kind of minutes he’s logging in Victoriaville. According to prospect-stats.com, Abramov’s estimated time on ice per game is 23.67 minutes, more than anyone else on the team.
“He’s not just a cerebral skill guy,” said Morehouse. “He’s a guy who plays with the mentality of, ‘That’s my puck, I’m going to go get it. I’m going to make a play and it doesn’t matter who’s in my way.’ That’s what makes Vitaly, Vitaly. He has such a competitive spirit and mindset — it’s special attribute that he has.”
Not everything has gone well for Abramov this season. After making the Russian world junior team, his performance — and Russia’s — was lacklustre. He finished the world juniors with one goal in five games and said the loss was particularly hard, because he had grown up watching the tournament with his father, Igor. It was the first time in seven years they failed to win a medal.
“I’m sure he was frustrated — you could see some signs of frustration,” said Morehouse. “I think as a whole the Russian team didn’t click on any of their offensive cylinders. I think he’s a guy who wants to score and wants to make a difference offensively and I know he was disappointed, but he went right back (to the QMJHL) and had 10 points in (four) games. That just shows his mindset. He goes back and does his thing because he knows how important he is to Victoriaville.”
Since his return, Abramov has averaged two points per game with six goals and 10 assists in eight games. And if there’s extra work to be done, Robitaille said Abramov is the kid who is always willing to do it.
Recently, Robitaille gave his team a much deserved day off. He was surprised when Abramov showed up — with another player in tow — asking if he could get on the ice to practice. When told by Robitaille that they didn’t have any ice available, Abramov asked if they could still use the weight room.
When asked if he really loved hockey that much, to give up a day of rest or hanging out with his teammates Abramov’s answer was quick.
“Yes,” he said with a laugh. “I can’t help it, I love it.”
That comes as little surprise to Robitaille who sees the kind of effort and dedication Abramov puts in on a daily basis, and then some.
“Today he was the last guy to leave the rink because he wanted to take some more shots,” said Robitaille. “That’s so important for our young guys to see — they’re going to watch the best offensive player in the league work really hard. That’s why for me, who he is? He’s a leader.”
Carl Mallette likes to joke that he and his fiance, Genevieve, will soon have four children: Adam, 4, Andrew, 6, another baby boy due in three weeks, and 19-year-old Russian forward Vitaly Abramov.
“Vitaly is my fourth child right now,” said the Victoriaville Tigres assistant coach with a laugh. “He’s the oldest one.”
The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect has been living with Mallette and his family since a November trade brought him to Victoriaville from the Gatineau Olympiques. Since there were no players going to Gatineau in the deal, there were no openings with any of the team’s billet families. So Mallette opened up his own home.
“The experience so far has been very good,” said Mallette, of being a first-time billet. “It’s only been positive. We knew the kind of kid we were getting so it’s been easy. He’s been playing hockey with (my kids), playing cards — even checkers. He taught my oldest son how to play checkers, so since then they’ve been playing together. It’s been really fun.”
It’s been an important transition because Mallette is a well-known figure in Victoriaville having played on the team for five seasons. As the former captain of the Tigres, he led them to their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title and a berth in the Memorial Cup back in 2001-2002. That year, Mallette, a fourth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000, had 122 points in 71 games.
“Carl said, ‘Hey, I’ll take him under my wing,’ and that was so big for us,” said Tigres head coach Louis Robitaille. “He’s the last captain to win the President’s Cup Trophy and he was an offensive-minded player as well so he’s helping (Abramov) a whole lot.”
As an assistant, Mallette takes care of the teams forwards and is in charge of running the power play, so he spends a lot of time with Abramov, though they rarely talk about the team while they’re at home.
“At the rink, I’m his assistant coach and I’m working with him,” said Mallette. “But at home he’s part of our family, so I don’t want to bring the stuff at the rink home with him. He’s a passionate player so he’s easy to coach. Every little tip or any little thing — because he’s pretty good already, obviously — any piece of advice we give him he accepts it and he does it. He wants to improve every day so it’s fun to coach him.”
Last summer, the Tigres took Russian Matvei Zaseda in the first round of the CHL import draft with the 29th pick, but when it became clear the 18-year-old had no intention of reporting, the team’s focus shifted to Abramov. It was a precarious situation since there had been talk about the possibility of Abramov leaving the QMJHL to play in Europe since he was ineligible to play in the AHL this season.
As the reigning league MVP and scoring champion what more did he have to prove in junior? He admits being sent back to junior after Blue Jackets training camp was a tough adjustment.
“It was very difficult for me because I really wanted to make it,” said Abramov. “I wasn’t as good probably (as I need to be) so the only thing now is to keep working hard and build on my game in junior.”
It was tough for the Blue Jackets, too, but there was no better option. Chris Morehouse, Columbus’ assistant director of amateur scouting, said given Abramov’s attitude they knew he would bounce back.
“For us, right off the bat, we loved that he had confidence and that he was disappointed not to play in the NHL at 19,” said Morehouse. “The big thing for us is that you can’t teach his heart and compete and character.
“He’s only 19 years old so what’s the rush?”
It was no secret the Gatineau Olympiques had been shopping the star forward prior to the trade deadline. Rumours had persisted throughout the QMJHL the moment the Blue Jackets sent Abramov back to junior.
“We looked at the best import and for us he was by far the most dominating player in our league,” said Robitaille. “When it was made known that he was available we looked at his game a little bit deeper. We felt it was the right fit for him to come down here and help us down the stretch.”
That meant doing their due diligence with both general manager Kevin Cloutier and Robitalle mining their coaching contacts, which included Abramov’s former coach in Gatineau, Benoit Groulx, who now coaches the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
“Ben said that he was not only a good offensive player but someone with an unbelievable work ethic,” said Robitaille. “He can play both sides of the ice and spent time on the (penalty kill) as well. He wants to be a game-changer. He wants the puck and he wants to make the difference. Everyone was unanimous that he was an outstanding person.
“Everything people said about him I’ve seen it first-hand over the last two months.”
The deal finally came to fruition in mid-November with Abramov heading to Victoriaville in exchange for a first round pick (2019), two second-round picks (2019, 2020) and a fourth round pick (2018). Abramov found out about the deal during the first game of Canada-Russia series where he was playing against his new Tigres teammates Maxime Comtois and Pascal Laberge. They broke the news to him while they were playing.
“I thought it was a joke,” said Abramov. “I thought they were joking, but after the game I found out it was true.”
After the deal was finalized Robitaille and Cloutier made the eight hour round trip between Victoriaville and Gatineau to pick the star up personally. The drive — which included a stop for lunch — gave them all a chance to talk and get to know one another. Robitaille, who spent seven seasons in the AHL, said it allowed everyone to share their experiences and hopefully put Abramov at ease about joining Victoriaville. And it did.
“It was so amazing that they came to pick me up,” said Abramov. “We talked about everything — the game, life, everything.”
===
Listed at 5-foot-9 and 171-pounds, size has always been a question for Abramov. He’s heard the naysayers his whole life.
“I don’t even listen to that anymore,” said the native of Chelyabinsk, Russia. “I don’t think it’s fair so I don’t even concentrate on that. I know I have to work hard on the ice and off the ice to get stronger to play in the NHL and I’m doing that.”
Robitaille said one of the things he likes most about Abramov is his fearlessness. He doesn’t play small and isn’t afraid to take a beating if it gives him a good scoring opportunity.
“He’s small in stature but he has a big heart,” said Robitaille. “A lot of his chances are coming from tips in front of the net so he’s going to get involved right in front of the crease. That says it all when a small guy like that is willing to pay the price and sacrifice his body for the little details.”
One of the things Abramov has been working on this year, in addition to his defensive game, is building on his strength. It’s one thing to run roughshod over players in junior, but it’s another going up against men in the NHL.
“The way he plays on the inside parts of the ice with his rugged style he needs to continue to get stronger so he can play his game,” said Morehouse. “What makes him so effective is, yes he’s skilled, but he attacks, he goes to the net hard he plays in the tough areas and he’s really good at the top of the circle and down in the offensive zone. I think if he wants to play that way and be effective in the NHL, he has to get stronger.”
His hard work has translated into success at the junior level. Last year he was named QMJHL MVP when he led the league in scoring with 46 goals and 58 assists in 66 games with Gatineau. He’s keeping the same pace this season in Victoriaville with 23 goals and 38 assists in 37 games, good enough for second in the overall point standings.
It’s even more impressive when you consider Abramov is playing exclusively at centre in Victoriaville, instead of on the right wing like he was during his time in Gatineau. He said he has no preference where he plays, though moving to centre has been a bit of an adjustment especially with the kind of minutes he’s logging in Victoriaville. According to prospect-stats.com, Abramov’s estimated time on ice per game is 23.67 minutes, more than anyone else on the team.
“He’s not just a cerebral skill guy,” said Morehouse. “He’s a guy who plays with the mentality of, ‘That’s my puck, I’m going to go get it. I’m going to make a play and it doesn’t matter who’s in my way.’ That’s what makes Vitaly, Vitaly. He has such a competitive spirit and mindset — it’s special attribute that he has.”
Not everything has gone well for Abramov this season. After making the Russian world junior team, his performance — and Russia’s — was lacklustre. He finished the world juniors with one goal in five games and said the loss was particularly hard, because he had grown up watching the tournament with his father, Igor. It was the first time in seven years they failed to win a medal.
“I’m sure he was frustrated — you could see some signs of frustration,” said Morehouse. “I think as a whole the Russian team didn’t click on any of their offensive cylinders. I think he’s a guy who wants to score and wants to make a difference offensively and I know he was disappointed, but he went right back (to the QMJHL) and had 10 points in (four) games. That just shows his mindset. He goes back and does his thing because he knows how important he is to Victoriaville.”
Since his return, Abramov has averaged two points per game with six goals and 10 assists in eight games. And if there’s extra work to be done, Robitaille said Abramov is the kid who is always willing to do it.
Recently, Robitaille gave his team a much deserved day off. He was surprised when Abramov showed up — with another player in tow — asking if he could get on the ice to practice. When told by Robitaille that they didn’t have any ice available, Abramov asked if they could still use the weight room.
When asked if he really loved hockey that much, to give up a day of rest or hanging out with his teammates Abramov’s answer was quick.
“Yes,” he said with a laugh. “I can’t help it, I love it.”
That comes as little surprise to Robitaille who sees the kind of effort and dedication Abramov puts in on a daily basis, and then some.
“Today he was the last guy to leave the rink because he wanted to take some more shots,” said Robitaille. “That’s so important for our young guys to see — they’re going to watch the best offensive player in the league work really hard. That’s why for me, who he is? He’s a leader.”
Billy Bridges
Registered User
- Sep 20, 2011
- 411
- 617
Even if he becomes an impact top6 forward, it's important to always maintain a state of disappointment and focus on his flaws.
Agent Zub
Registered User
- Jan 2, 2015
- 14,517
- 11,787
I'm suprised Dorion went for Abramov I was expecting him to target some Norris or Bowers type.
Ive always liked Abramov and am excited to see what he can do with the Sens. Legitimate high end potential here.
Ive always liked Abramov and am excited to see what he can do with the Sens. Legitimate high end potential here.
FolignoQuantumLeap
Don't Hold The Door
You gotta make sure to always compare him to other Russian players (already seen the Filatov comparison here) and when he has bad games it was because he's enigmatic or lazy.
The Devilish Buffoon
🇵🇸 viva 🇵🇸 free 🇵🇸
- Dec 24, 2018
- 12,014
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coladin
Registered User
- Sep 18, 2009
- 11,802
- 4,496
jbeck5
Registered User
- Jan 26, 2009
- 16,304
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stempniaksen
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
- 11,014
- 4,285
Plays the game like Yakupov, similar demeanour (imo) to Yakupov. Not saying he's a bust, as he's more of a lottery ticket at this point. The upside is obviously there, but it's not easy to transition his play style to the NHL.
This isn't a guy who will work his way into a bottom-six role, but I appreciate taking a flyer on a guy with his skill.
This isn't a guy who will work his way into a bottom-six role, but I appreciate taking a flyer on a guy with his skill.
Last edited:
Do Make Say Think
& Yet & Yet
- Jun 26, 2007
- 51,166
- 9,908
I compared him to Filatov based on what I had heard about him from my friend who watch the Olympiques.
I was wrong to do so.
Micklebot
Moderator
- Apr 27, 2010
- 53,578
- 30,752
Yakupov always seemed like a one speed guy to me. My understanding is Abramov is far more shifty with speed changes and stick handling. Having said that, I've watched virtually none of Abramov, so I'm going off other peoples reports.
Alf Silfversson
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2011
- 5,752
- 4,787
I disagree a little bit with this. He's a guy who goes to the net and has a great motor. There is room for that on any line if a coach knows how to use it.
I, for one, will be checking behind the Sens bench tonight to see if we've acquired such a coach. And for every other night until Boucher moves on.
FunkySeeFunkyDoo
Registered User
Although he's short, he doesn't look "small" in those videos... ie he looks relatively thick through the torso. Which is really what matters, it's the skinny guys who have a hard time at the pro level.
stempniaksen
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
- 11,014
- 4,285
Yak had a motor too.
It honestly wasn't meant as a slight on the kid, as I realized after just mentioning him in the same vain as Yakupov might be viewed as a negative. I just meant it more along the lines of him being a talented offensive player, with limited size and next to no defensive game to speak of. He's a guy I think the team will need to insulate and take their time with. The top end skill is undeniable though, I've seen enough of him in Gatineau to know that. I'm gonna keep preaching patience with him though, might be a guy that doesn't make an impact for another 3 years.
Sun God Nika
Palestine <3.
- Apr 22, 2013
- 19,893
- 8,267
I think he is going to be a prime version of Kucherov.
Xspyrit
DJ Dorion
Biggest boom/bust prospect in the pool now
Seriously this guy could be a impact top-6 forward, he's like Gallagher with high end skill. He has the motor, the desire, everything but sometimes, for some reason, talented players can't take it to the next level (ex : Yakupov, Filatov)
How can you forget about the doesn't do?
Seriously this guy could be a impact top-6 forward, he's like Gallagher with high end skill. He has the motor, the desire, everything but sometimes, for some reason, talented players can't take it to the next level (ex : Yakupov, Filatov)
How can you forget about the doesn't do?
JungleBeat
Registered User
Put him on a line with Brown - Batherson and let him eat in the AHL all the way to playoffs.
Alf Silfversson
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2011
- 5,752
- 4,787
I don't know if I see that. More of a two-way, character player I think.
Maybe Kucherov with Bergeron's defensive game. Hard to tell at this point but likely a 100-110 point player in his peak with at least a Selke nomination.
Anything else is just gravy.
JacketsFanWest
Registered User
As an old Filatov fan I'll jump in here and add that I think there's the similarity that Abramov needs to learn how to transition his playing style from what worked in junior to what works in the NHL. The same with Filatov (which never happened). Filatov was able to coast in the AHL and put up more points on breakaways and the PP. Abramov has spent more time on the bottom two lines in Cleveland learning how to play.
Abramov seems to have a great attitude. He's a very funny, personable kid. Gatineau coaching staff was very complimentary about his work ethic. There haven't been any issues with him having an attitude in the AHL like Filatov. He's been playing with NHL veterans like Mark Letestu and Nathan Gerbe in Cleveland so there has been good role models for him.
I wish him the best in the Ottawa organization. It may take him some time to develop. But I think he has a better chance of figuring it out than Filatov did since he has a better attitude.
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