Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

May222010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects – Sergei Gaiduchenko: “You can’t judge me by one game only”

Sergei Gaiduchenko: "You can't judge me by one game only" (Photo © Yarsport.ru) Young goalie Sergei Gaiduchenko, who was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, had a rocky season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He gave an interview to Russian sport site Yarosport.ru in which he tried to analyze the situation. Let's remember that his contract with Lokomotiv ran out on April 30th and he's still yet to sign. Sergei, do you have an explanation regarding your benching at the end of the season? Sergei Gaiduchenko: "Honestly speaking, no. After the end of the regular season the coaches told me to get ready to play for the second team (Loko in the MHL). No one told me explanations or complains about my game." Did you try talking about your fate with the team with the staff boards? ...

Apr282010 by Gary Laws2 Comments

Dmitry Orlov: “I still don’t know if I’ll go to the NHL this summer”

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Dmitry Orlov: "I still don't know if I'll go to the NHL this summer" (Photo © mhl.khl.ru) During an interview with portal Sport Novokuznetsk, Washington Capitals' prospect Dmitry Orlov stated that he still doesn't know where he will spend the 2010-11 season. Dmitry Orlov: "I still don't know if I'll go to the NHL this summer. I still have two more years of contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk. I don't really know, we'll see what will happen." The blue liner, who did skate in last year's rookie camp with the Capitals, has just been in the roster of the MHL runners-up. The Kuznetsk Bears lost the Russian Junior League finals 3-1 to the Steel Foxes from Magnitogorsk. Playoffs' top scorer was 2010 eligible Maxim Kitsyn with 20 points in 17 games, while Dmitry Orlov was third in the standings w...

Apr252010 by Gary Laws3 Comments

2010 U18 WJC: Team Russia finishes without medals

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

2010 U18 WJC: Team Russia finishes without medals (Photo © fhr.ru) After the defeat against Team Sweden in the 2010 U18 WJC semifinals, Team Russia lost the third place to Finland losing the bronze medal game 5-1. Team Finland got the lead only during the second period with a goal by Teemu Pulkkinen, then in the third period they scored four unanswered goals (with Pulkkinen getting the hat trick) to get a five goals lead. Team Russia lost the nerves and at the 57th minute a fight broke out and six players were sent off, three for Finland, Hovinen, Partanen and Moisio, while for Russia Nikita Nesterov, Zakhar Arzamastsev and Maxim Shalunov. On the 58th minute team Russia scored the consolation goal with Emil Galimov. "I have no claims toward players", declared team Russia's head coach Mikha...

Apr182010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

Prospects » 2010 U18 WJC: Russia makes it through to quarterfinals

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

2010 U18 WJC: Russia makes it through to quarterfinals (Photo © fhr.ru) In the 2010 U18 WJC's fourth game Team Russia defeated Team Slovakia 3-1. Thanks to this result Vasiliev's team clinched the second spot in the Group B standings and will face Team Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Team Russia scored all three goals with defensemen and interestingly all the game's goals have been scored in the first period. Team Russia got the early lead on the first shift with 93-born blue liner Nikita Nesterov. After five minutes third line defenseman Efim Gurkin made it a 2-0 game for Russia. At the fifteenth minute Tomas Matousek cut down Russia's lead by one goal, but less than three minutes later Efim Gurkin scored again and restored Russia's two-goal lead. In the second and third period Team Rus...

Apr162010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

2010 U18 WJC: Finland prevails over Russia 5-4

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

2010 U18 WJC: Finland prevails over Russia 5-4 (Photo © fhr.ru) In the third match of the 2010 U18 WJC Team Russia lost to Finland 4-5. Markus Granlund opened the score after less than two minutes in the first period, but Emil Galimov made it an 1-1 game just before the first horn. In the second period Finland got a quick two goals lead thanks to two goals by Teemu Pullkinen. After Finland's third goal, head coach Mikhail Vasiliev swapped goalie Sergei Kostenko for Andrei Vasilevski. In the third period Russia tried hard to get back on track and it paid off when captain Evgeny Kuznetsov cut down the opponents' lead spoiling a mistake by a defenseman midway through the latest stanza. Two minutes later center Vladislav Namestnikov scored the game tying goal. But it didn't last long as Makine...

Apr142010 by Gary Laws6 Comments

2010 U18 WJC: Russia routs Latvia 9-0

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

2010 U18 WJC: Russia routs Latvia 9-0 (Photo © iihf.com) In the second day of the 2010 U18 WJC Team Russia faced Team Latvia and easily beaten them with a score of 9-0. Head Coach Mikhail Vasiliev decided to give Sergei Kostenko a rest and thus 94-born Andrei Vasilevski started between the pipes. In the first period team Russia got the early lead with young defenseman Nikita Nesterov during a powerplay. Two minutes later, at the seventh minute, Vladislav Namestnikov gave team Russia a two goals lead. In the second period team Russia pushed the gas and scored four unanswered goals. Team Russia's captain Evgeny Kuznetsov made it a 3-0 game, then Namestnikov added other two goals to complete his hat-trick. After the fifth goal Latvia changed the goalie and iced Kristers Gudlevskis, but after ...

Apr132010 by Gary LawsNo Comments

2010 U18 WJC: Russia defeat Czech Republic 4-1

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

2010 U18 WJC: Russia defeat Czech Republic 4-1 (Photo © wikimedia.org) Team Russia won its 2010 U18 WJC inaugural match against Czech Republic with a comfortable 4-1 score. Sergei Barbashev opened the score after Vasiliev's team killed a penalty whistled against Roman Berdnikov. On the last minutes of the first period team Russia had a powerplay, but they weren't able to score. Midway through the second period 93-born Maxim Shalunov doubled the score for Team Russia, but Michal Vacovek made it a 1-2 game at the thirty-ninth minute of play. In the third period defenseman Viktor Antipin restored team Russia's two goal lead during a double powerplay, then center Vladislav Namestnikov sealed the deal with a goal at the fifty-seventh minute. Team Russia's star of the tournament is supposed to b...

Mar302010 by Gary Laws1 Comment

Kirill Petrov invited to Islanders’ rookie camp

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Kirill Petrov invited to Islanders' rookie camp (Photo © Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images) Kirill Petrov of Ak Bars Kazan was invited to New York Islanders' rookie camp. The 20 years old player will most likely leave the KHL this summer and will report to North America, according to Petrov's agent Vyacheslav Makhrensky. Petrov was U20 team Russia's top scorer at the latest WJC. He's got little chances with Ak Bars this year and he has been demoted down to Kazan's affiliates in the Russian First League, Neftyanik Almetievsk. In the KHL he played only eight regular season games, without getting any point.

Mar252010 by Gary Laws3 Comments

Prospects » Flyers going after Sergei Bobrovsky

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Flyers going after Sergei Bobrovsky (Photo © metallurg-nk.ru) After the reported interest in Evgeny Bodrov, the Philadelphia Flyers seems to be going after young goalie Sergei Bobrovsky of Metallurg Novokuznetsk, as per Sport-Express. Bobrovsky, 21, spent his entire career with Metallurg Novokuznetsk and is the team's starter goalie for the past three seasons and he always had a saves percentage of more than .900. Playing for one of the weakest KHL teams he faced every night a good amount of shots and showed that he can deal well with pressure. In his career Bobrovsky represented Russia at the 2008 WJC and at the 2007 Super Series against Canada. His contract will run out in April and the Flyers will have to work hard to secure him as surely most of the top KHL teams are going to offer him...

Mar242010 by Gary Laws2 Comments

Flyers interested in Evgeny Bodrov?

Russian Prospects Profiles, Reports and News

Flyers interested in Evgeny Bodrov? (Photo © ak-bars.ru) Evgeny Bodrov of the Ak Bars Kazan might be under the radar of the Philadelphia Flyers, as reported by Tatar-Inform. The Flyers signed Evgeny's brother, Denis Bodrov, on the last January. Bodrov started the season with Lada Togliatti, then was traded to the Ak Bars Kazan when the season was still young. He scored a total of 25 points this season, with eight goals and 17 assists. He won the bronze medal at 2008 WJC. He is a center who plays hard and is good on the face-off dots. He has a very good technique and stickhandling, as well as good skating abilities. He plays with poise. Bodrov's contract is set to expire in April 2011.