Youngster report – fifth week

KHL.ru continues to follow U23 players’ performances throughout the league. These are the best for the fifth week of action.

Vadim Moroz

F, Dinamo Minsk, 2003

Week stats: 2 G, 3 (2+1) points, +2

Vadim Moroz isn’t new to strong performance at the KHL level – the forward had 14 (5+9) points in 39 games last year for Dinamo – but this season, it looks like he made a jump forward as he’s now scoring at a better rate, with an increased role within the team as well. Last week, Moroz scored for Dinamo as the Belarusians defeated Lokomotiv at home while logging more than 20 minutes on the ice, then he had another goal – and an assist – when Dinamo blanked Kunlun Red Star on the road on Wednesday. The 2023-2024 campaign is still young, but Moroz is primed for an excellent sophomore season.

Danil Aimurzin

F, Severstal, 2002

Week stats: 3 G, 3 (0+3) points, +2

The young center is a key part of the puzzle in Severstal’s lineup after moving there from Salavat Yulaev on a trade that saw goalie Alexander Samonov moving to Ufa. Following a strong 2022-2023 campaign with Toros Neftekamsk in the VHL, adding to that another 9 (4+5) points in 23 games for Salavat Yulaev, it was evident that his potential probably needed a change of scenery to thrive. The Ufa team had to pay a steep price to get one of the top KHL goalies from Severstal. In Cherepovets, Aimurzin met Andrei Kozyrev, who’s making a tremendous  job with the Steelers’ youngsters – Aimurzin included. The forward has amassed 12 (4+8) points so far, with three assists coming last week, including two in Severstal’s commanding 10:1 win over HC Sochi.

Alexei Kolosov

G, Dinamo Minsk, 2002

Week stats: 2 G, 2 W, 1 SO, 95.4%, 0.97 GAA

Another player who’s not new to big performance is Kolosov. The young goalie last week topped the league with three shutouts – no other netminder has blanked his opposition three times so far. Kolosov’s third shutout of the season arrived on Wednesday, when Dinamo Minsk recorded a 4:0 win over Kunlun Red Star. The Dragons had 21 shots on goal – all stopped by Kolosov as the Belarusians celebrated their fourth win in a row. On Friday, Kolosov had 21 stops again when Dinamo defeated Lokomotiv 3:2 in OT. Minsk is now the seventh seed in the West and its young players are having a huge part in this success – Dmitry Kvartalnovs is confirming his prowess in dealing with prospects.

Artur Akhtyamov

G, Ak Bars, 2001

Week stats: 3 G, 3 W, 1 SO, 96.6%, 1.34 GAA

Due to injuries in its lineup, Ak Bars had to resort to Artur Akhtyamov, who was earlier out on a loan spell to VHL side Neftyanik Almetievsk. However, the young goalie didn’t disappoint so far, and last week he posted stellar numbers, including his first KHL shutout in the three games he played in the Far East, in Ak Bars’ double header against Admiral – both Ws for the Kazan side, and the first game of the series against Amur. On Sunday, Akhtyamov stopped 46 shots out of 47 in the first leg of the two-game series facing the Sailors. Two days later the 21-years-old goalie recorded his first shutout in the league, blanking Admiral with 35 saves. On Thursday, he and Ak Bars achieved another victory, allowing three goals to Amur with 33 saves, posting once again a saves percentage over 90%. Ak Bars is currently one of the top teams in the East, and also thanks to Akhtyamov, it looks like they won’t have problems between the piping.

Danil Bashkirov

F, Salavat Yulaev, 2001

Week stats: 3 G, 6 (3+3) points, +5

Bashkirov had a tremendous week last term, netting his first KHL hat-trick and scoring points in all games, helping Salavat Yulaev getting two wins. The highlight of Bashkirov’s week was of course his treble against Metallurg – not only did he net a hat-trick, which is quite an achievement in itself, but he did so against the Eastern Conference’s top team when Ufa had a 6:2, away win. The Tyumen native, who is at his sixth year in the Salavat Yulaev’s system, is a veteran of some 180 KHL games, but it can be said that only this year he is showing his full potential and is having an impact on Salavat Yulaev’s results. The Ufa franchise is currently the fourth seed in the East and it has still room to improve.