Pleshkov’s shutouts and Gutik’s game-winners. September youngster report
Commentator for KHL TV channels and expert at KHL.ru, Anton Vasyatin, presents the top ten most prominent young players (U23) in the league based on their performance in the first month of the regular season.
The list is compiled based on the Player Ratings, which the League calculates using an extensive set of statistical metrics.
10. Vitaly Pinchuk, forward (2002, Dinamo Minsk)
Rating: 2.78
September stats: 11 games, 4+6
Throughout the 2022-2023 season, forward Vitaly Pinchuk secured a permanent spot Dinamo Minsk’s lineup. However, the month’s performances turned out to be quite unstable, both for the player himself and the team as a whole. Currently, Dinamo’s players continue to face difficulties and experience more losses, conceding a significant number of goals.
Nonetheless, Pinchuk had an excellent start to September. After a quiet debut game in Nizhnekamsk, the young centerman embarked on a productive streak that lasted for five matches. In September, moreover, the Dinamo forward netted two shorthanded goals. In each game, he had shots on goal and, in most cases, won at least 55% of faceoffs (the win percentage on the dots in both offensive and defensive zones was even higher).
9. Bogdan Konyushkov, defenseman (2002, Torpedo)
Rating: 3.16
September stats: 12 games, 1+6
Unlike the previous season, this time Bogdan Konyushkov scored his first goal much faster, just 20 days into the start of the regular season. And this should come as no surprise, as with Maxim Fedotov’s departure, Konyushkov has had more opportunities to showcase himself. He has been logging more than 24 minutes per game, and his average number of shots on goal has doubled. Furthermore, his influence on the game has increased across various formats.
The highlight of September was the home game against Vityaz (3:1), where the defenseman contributed to all of the team’s goals, collecting 3 (1+2) points. He continues to excel in puck distribution, consistently blocking shots (on average, more than one block per game), and all of this seems to only add to Bogdan’s confidence in his actions.
8. Vladimir Alistrov, forward (2001, SKA)
Rating: 3.27
September stats: 11 games, 3+6
During the offseason, SKA underwent numerous changes in their roster, so it was not difficult to anticipate that newcomers would feature among the team’s top performers. Claiming the top spot in September was Vladimir Alistrov, who joined the St. Petersburg squad from Dinamo Minsk. Early in the fall, he impressed with goals against Lada, Severstal, and Amur, although he contributed much more than just goals, creating several scoring opportunities for his teammates. His goal in Khabarovsk secured victory for SKA.
With his move to SKA came personal achievements. In the first month of autumn, Alistrov had two three-point games, a feat he had never achieved in his career before. Additionally, he stands out as the team’s top forward for puck battles wins, further highlighting his value to the team.
7. Nikita Sedov, defenseman (2001, Severstal)
Rating: 3.28
September stats: 11 games, 1+3
Defenseman Nikita Sedov moved to Severstal following trade during the last season, but he has truly come into his own just now. This is likely in no small part due to the team’s new head coach, Andrey Kozyrev, who has started to utilize the defenseman in different game situations. While Sedov still rarely appears with the man advantage, he plays a significant role in organizing offensive plays for the team and occasionally displays skillful moves in front of the opposition’s net.
He scored his only goal of the month during the high-scoring game against Magnitka on Sep 23. With his plus-8 differential, Sedov ranks among the best players in the entire league. In 11 games, he managed to block 27 shots, which is also a crucial contribution. Currently, Nikita Sedov leads the team in passes accuracy, and most importantly, with him on the ice, Severstal generates more opportunities than it allows.
6. Vasily Atanasov, forward (2002, Torpedo)
Rating: 3.47
September stats: 12 games, 7+5
Arguably the hottest player in the opening days of the season, and one of the leaders of Torpedo, Vasily Atanasov couldn’t go unnoticed on this list. In four out of the first five games, the forward collected at least 1+1 points – with Lokomotiv, SKA, Dinamo Minsk, and Kunlun Red Star as his victims. Only in the last case, his goal turned out to be the game-winner, but even before that, Atanasov was involved in key goals – either leveling the score (or assisting), or creating the necessary advantage in the game.
In essence, Vasily Atanasov always appeared at the right moment for Torpedo. His exquisite assist to Kirill Voronin’s goal against SKA became one of the brightest moments of the month in the entire league. In terms of skill, dynamism, and offensive play, Atanasov is among the best in the KHL.
5. Timofei Davydov, defenseman (2002, Severstal)
Rating: 3.59
September stats: 11 games, 0+8
Timofei Davydov takes the ice alongside Nikita Sedov, and these defensemen formed the best defensive pairing in the KHL for differential rating in September (Davydov himself earned a plus-7). Davydov posted a positive rating in nine out of 11 games, which is truly impressive given Severstal’s overall inconsistency. He has already accumulated eight points, all from assists. His summer trade from his hometown team Avangard has clearly been beneficial to Davydov.
Even in Omsk, Davydov showed himself as a notable defenseman with offensive potential, but he rarely made appearances at the KHL level. Now, everything has changed, and this situation only underlines the significance of coaching trust (and perhaps the right playing style). Much of what was said about Sedov also applies here. Both can contribute effectively in the offensive zone, initiate attacks with first passes, while striving to minimize individual errors. So far, they are doing well.
4. Yaroslav Likhachyov, forward (2001, Lokomotiv)
Rating: 3,60
September stats: 12 games, 5+4
Currently, in Lokomotiv, there’s no player more consistent and impactful than Yaroslav Likhachyov. Throughout September, the forward earned just one minus, which came in the opening game against Torpedo. Compared to last season, when Likhachyov lined up for Amur on a loan spell, he now blocks shots more frequently and is more involved in puck retrievals, which is quite logical given how a year ago, players like Stepan Nikulin also improved after joining Lokomotiv.
However, the key point is that every time Likhachyov enters the offensive zone, it poses a threat to the opponent’s crease. In this regard, Yaroslav strives to showcase his main attacking skills. In 12 games, he scored five goals with four assists, including a four-game scoring streak (two matches against Kunlun Red Star, and games against CSKA, and Dinamo Minsk). He had a similar streak at the beginning of his tenure with Amur. Moreover, Likhachyov appears on the ice noticeably less frequently than most of his teammates, making his contributions even more impressive.
3. Artemy Pleshkov, goalie (2002, SKA)
Rating: 3.65
September stats: 4 games, 4 wins, 2 SO, 98.1%
When Artemy Pleshkov joined SKA as one of the many newcomers in the summer, many were surprised and speculated that it would be extremely challenging for the young netminder to break into SKA’s senior lineup. Initially, he didn’t play as Johan Mattsson and Sergei Ivanov shared games, while Pleshkov only played one game in the VHL. However, the Swedish goalie later suffered an injury, and the former HC Sochi player seized his chance brilliantly.
It was with Artemy’s arrival that SKA finally broke their streak of misfortunes, embarking on a winning streak. Pleshkov secured four consecutive victories, remaining unbeaten in September. Thanks to his saves, St. Petersburg defeated Severstal, Amur, Admiral, and Sibir. During this stretch, the young hockey player achieved two shutouts, conceding only a single goal against Severstal and Admiral.
2. Daniil Gutik, forward (2001, Admiral)
Rating: 3.79
September stats: 11 games, 4+7
Despite a challenging month in terms of team results, some individual players from Admiral can certainly count September as a positive one in their books. One such player is young winger Daniil Gutik, who ended September scoring a point per game on average. It all began with a game against Spartak, in which he collected 2+2 points. This marked the start of his productive streak, which eventually reached six games.
Over time, his line with Pavel Shen and Pavel Varfolomeyev transformed from the third line into a top unit, a logical outcome given their performance and results. Essentially, in September, Gutik was the most noticeable player on the ice for the Sailors in nearly every game, creating numerous scoring opportunities for his teammates. However, he also had plenty of chances himself, averaging almost three shots on goal per game, an impressive statistic for a player of his profile, typically more focused on playmaking. He scored two game-winning goals, meaning that all of Admiral’s September victories in regulation were linked to Daniil.
1. Alexander Nikishin, defenseman (2001, SKA)
Rating: 4.09
September stats: 11 games, 3+5
Alexander Nikishin has already had a dominant season with SKA, but he continues to be counted among the young talents of the league and is getting even better. Compared to the 2022-2023 campaign, the d-man is now taking more shots on goal (an average of 3.4 shots per game), his shifts have become longer, and his productivity has not decreased. In 11 games, Nikishin has scored 8 points, including goals in matches against conference rivals such as Torpedo, Lokomotiv, and Severstal.
However, his impact on the game goes beyond goals and assists. Nikishin skillfully plays on the opponent’s blue line during puck distribution, aggressively and effectively operates in his own zone, winning a significant portion of battles. In terms of time on ice (among all KHL players), he is second only to Ryan Merkley. Currently, Alexander Nikishin is not just a leading defenseman for SKA but also one of the best young players in the world in his position.
