An array of talented goalies and Nikishin’s consistency. November 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 third 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. Dmitry Gamzin, goalie (2003, CSKA)
Player rating: 2.93
November stats: 2 G, GAA 0.50, 98.6%
Only two games – but what a result. Dmitry Gamzin, who plays more often for CSKA’s affiliates Zvezda in the VHL this season, gets rare chances to showcase himself in the KHL. In the CSKA lineup, he hit the ice back in October, winning all three matches. In November, the goalkeeper decided not to lag behind the bar he set for himself and continued to secure important victories for the Red-and-Blues. On the 15th, Gamzin stopped 36 out of 37 shots in a challenging home game against Amur, and nine days later, he recorded his first shutout in the league – on Nov 24, he stopped 36 shots as Dinamo Minsk failed to score on him. Based on Gamzin’s performance, it’s hard to believe he had virtually no experience playing in the KHL before.
9. Daniil But, forward (2005, Lokomotiv)
Player rating: 3.00
November stats: 10 games, 8 (4+4) points
In the first days of November, arguably, there was no more effective player in the entire KHL. Daniil But managed to earn 5 (2+3) points, contributing to several crucial goals for Lokomotiv during a four-game road series. But it’s not just about the productivity itself but how much time But needed for it. In those matches, he spent no more than seven minutes on the ice. His double in the game against Salavat Yulaev was the second in the forward’s career. Later, he had an excellent match against Spartak (1+1), orchestrating both goals for his team, including the game-winner. A couple of days later, But scored in a challenging game against Lada and helped the Railwaymen secure additional points. Step by step, the young forward is rising to a leading position in his home team.
8. Vasily Atanasov, forward (2002, Torpedo)
Player rating: 3.03
November stats: 10 games, 7 (5+2) points
Given his powerful start to his career in the KHL, Vasily Atanasov is sometimes perceived as an experienced player, but he is still young. In November, the 21-year-old Torpedo forward accumulated 7 points, 5 of which were goals. He managed to score for his team in games against Spartak, Dynamo Moscow, Barys, Traktor, and Lokomotiv. In the second half of the month, he had a six-game scoring streak (which, by the way, he extended into December). He didn’t finish any of his games without shots on goal, so such activity, combined with confidence, consistently brings positive results for both the player and the team as a whole. And there are no clear indications that anything will change. The key is to avoid injuries, as a serious trauma prevented Atanasov from performing at the same high level last season.
7. Sergei Ivanov, goalie (2004, Admiral)
Player rating: 3.29
November stats: 11 games, GAA 2.33, 94.0%
Admiral found itself in a challenging position at the end of the first half of the regular season, but the hope of making it to the playoff zone is still alive. One of those who is doing everything possible to lift the team is Sergei Ivanov. The netminder, loaned from SKA, had a good November, despite a few games where he conceded at least three goals. A colossal burden fell on his shoulders, as in some cases, he had to face and deflect up to 50 shots. In such a game, Ivanov blanked a crucial opponent, Amur making 48 saves. In addition to that day, he secured victories in games against Lokomotiv and HC Sochi, but this time on home ice.
6. Danil Aimurzin, forward (2002, Severstal)
Player rating: 3.33
November stats: 13 games, 11 (3+8) points
Severstal’s forward Danil Aimurzin, had another consistently strong month and rightfully earned a spot among the best young players. In November, the center remained without points in only three games, although in one of them, he scored the decisive shootout goal (an away game against Admiral). In practically every November match, he aimed at the goal, while still managing to fulfill his primary responsibilities – orchestrating scoring chances. In one of the games against Kunlun, he contributed to Nikita Sedov’s game-winner. In the mobile and technically skilled Severstal under the guidance of Andrey Kozyrev, Aimurzin is undoubtedly in his own element.
5. Ilya Nabokov, goalie (2003, Metallurg)
Player rating: 3.34
November stats: 7 games, 1.69 GAA, 93.8%
In the current season, Ilya Nabokov quickly managed to convince Metallurg’s coaches that he is ready to play at the KHL level. While initially appearing as the starting netminder only episodically, closer to November, he began to play more frequently. Last month, he played seven games, winning all but one. In the two games against Dinamo Minsk, Nabokov conceded only one goal each and, in addition, recorded victories over Sibir, Barys, Traktor, and Neftekhimik. In the match against the Astana side, the 20-year-old goalie recorded his second career shutout. Nabokov has noticeably more quality performances than unsuccessful ones.
4. Andrei Mishurov, goalie (2001, Avangard)
Player rating: 3.49
November stats: 10 games, 2.72 GAA, 91.3%
Another goalie on this list. Andrei Mishurov may not boast fantastic numbers, but it was under his watch that Avangard delivered a magnificent winning streak. It began at the end of October, and from the beginning of the new month, Mishurov secured nine consecutive victories, only losing in Ufa on Nov 23. The most challenging game in terms of workload was against SKA, where the Hawks’ goalie stopped 44 out of 47 shots. In five matches that month, he saved a minimum of 93% of shots. Admiral, Neftekhimik, and Traktor could only breach Mishurov’s defenses once each.
3. Danila Yurov, forward (2003, Metallurg)
Player rating: 3.55
November stats: 11 games, 13 (5+8) points
Danila Yurov, much like Andrei Razin, vividly demonstrates the importance of coaching trust. The playing time of this talented forward has significantly increased compared to previous seasons, and he is making the most of it. Yurov not only consistently gets to the scoresheet, but he now fully performs the duties of a center, forming an interesting trio with Nikita Mikhailis and Alexander Petunin around him. In the middle of the month, these players essentially single-handedly defeated Traktor, orchestrating all six goals for Magnitka.
As for Yurov himself, in November, he had three games where he scored 2+ points. The games against Traktor (1+2) and Dinamo Minsk (2+1) were the most productive in his career. His goals in the matches the Bisons and Spartak brought victories to his team. With Yurov, Metallurg has finally gained a significant asset in the forward line.
2. Vladimir Alistrov, forward (2001, SKA)
Player rating: 3.58
November stats: 11 games, 10 (4+6) points
The presence of Vladimir Alistrov in this list has become a familiar sight since the beginning of the regular season. November turned out to be a very consistent month for the SKA forward, as he managed to go through it almost with an average of a point per game. Teams such as Traktor, Severstal, Spartak, and Dynamo Moscow suffered from his efforts, with Alistrov scoring against each of these teams once. Moreover, in the period from Nov 14-23, he had a five-game scoring streak, primarily thanks to assists. Although the forward himself did not score any game-winning goals, he contributed to several such goals through assists. For example, his assists helped defeat Severstal, Lokomotiv, CSKA, and Spartak — all of these are conference rivals. So, Alistrov has played a significant role in SKA’s winning streak.
1. Alexander Nikishin, defenseman (2001, SKA)
Player rating: 4.16
November stats: 12 games, 7 (2+5) points
The gap in the rating, even when compared to Alistrov, sometimes underscores the importance of Alexander Nikishin for SKA. His influence on the team’s results was significant in November. Besides statistical successes, the last month was notable for the defenseman because that’s when he received the captain’s patch, a role he continues to play. Speaking directly about the numbers, Nikishin earned a total of seven points, including a pair goals – in games against Neftekhimik and Spartak (in the latter case, his shorthanded goal became the game-winner). In most matches of the month, the SKA player aimed at the goal at least 2 times, and the same goes for hits and blocked shots. Nikishin concluded November with plus-5 rating, but it’s important to note that he consistently takes the ice with special teams— both on the power play and penalty killing units.
