Best players of October

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the Regular Season’s second month in four categories.

In October, the League’s teams played 146 games, with 668 players (57 goalies, 218 defensemen, and 393 forwards) taking part in the action. The scoring was at 5.47 goals per game.

- Best goalie for the first time in his career was Filipp Dolganov (Neftekhimik), who won seven games from thirteen last month. The Nizhnekamsk goalie faced 369 shots, or 28.4 per night, posting a saves percentage of 93.50% and a goals-against average of 2.00. Dolganov also posted three shutouts last month (top figure in the league). Dolganov is the first Neftekhimik’s goalie to be awarded the Best of month honors.

- Best defenseman for the fourth time in his career was Alexander Nikishin (SKA), who scored 11 (3+8) points in twelve games. He logged an average of 23 minutes and 51 seconds, and recorded 28 hits and 15 blocked shots. Nikishin was awarded three times the best of month honors in the 2022-2023 season.

- Best forward for the second time in his career was Nikolai Goldobin (Spartak), who scored 22 (11+11) points in 12 games. Goldobin posted one game-winning goal, one double, one hat-trick, three hits, and three blocked shots.

- Best rookie for the first time in his career was forward Timur Mukhanov (Severstal), who scored 5 (3+2) points in 12 games. The forward logged an average of 12 minutes and 37 seconds a night, and had five blocked shots and one takeaway.