Nikishin’s leadership and Vorobyov’s jump forward. December 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. Artyom Barabosha, defenseman (2004, CSKA)

Player rating: 2.05

December stats: 7 G, 3 (1+2) points, +2

A right-handed defenseman is a scarce position, so it’s always great for teams if such a player initially develops within the club’s system. In this regard, CSKA is fortunate with Artyom Barabosha. The large-framed blueliner made his debut in the league at the end of November and had a solid stretch in the early winter days. He contributed with assists in games against Traktor and Metallurg, and after the league break, he impressed by scoring against SKA. Although that goal didn’t affect the outcome (CSKA lost 2:6), it demonstrated that Barabosha can stand out not only with aggressive and tough play in his zone, which was his characteristic trait even in the JHL, but also by helping the team beyond the opponent’s blue line. Despite relatively modest playing time (sometimes less than ten minutes per game), the defenseman consistently directed shots on goal in almost every game, recorded 10 hits, and blocked 7 shots.

9. Alexei Kolosov, goalie (2002, Dinamo Minsk)

Player rating: 2.05

December stats: 7 G, 4 W, 90.5%, GAA 2.58

In December, Dinamo Minsk achieved a three-game winning streak for the first time in a long while, with each victory coming in regulation. Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team owed much of this success to the performance of Alexei Kolosov between the piping. The young goalie delivered a strong performance in the first half of the month, consistently allowing no more than two goals per game. While the end of the month was slightly less successful, Kolosov’s presence in the goal helped Dynamo overcome HC Sochi. In total, the netminder secured four victories in seven matches, making several truly notable saves along the way.

8. Sergei Kuznetsov, forward (2002, Dinamo Minsk)

Player rating: 2.10

December stats: 7 G, 6 (4+2) points, -1

Another young hero for Dinamo Minsk in December was Sergei Kuznetsov. The forward is experiencing his debut full season in the league, and last month proved to be truly breakthrough for him — out of his 5 total goals, 4 were scored precisely in December. He managed to find the net against Admiral (equalizing the score), Vityaz (a double in a tied game), and HC Sochi. Additionally, he contributed with two assists in the game against Spartak. On two occasions, Kuznetsov registered four shots on goal, coming close to his career high. In December, the Dinamo Minsk player showcased an outstanding performance, especially in away games, so such productivity should not come as a surprise.

7. Ilya Nabokov, goalie (2003, Metallurg)

Player rating: 2.27

December stats: 7 G, 4 W, 93.0%, 2.24 GAA

In the seventh position stands Metallurg’s goalie Ilya Nabokov. In December, he secured victories in four out of seven matches, a performance comparable to Kolosov’s. However, he managed to achieve even more impressive numbers in terms of goals-against average and save percentage. In four full games out of five, Nabokov allowed no more than two goals. During this stretch, the goalie played a crucial role in helping his team triumph over Amur, Avangard, Ak Bars, and Kunlun Red Star, with the latter game seeing him set a personal record in the KHL by stopping 46 shots. The victory against Omsk is particularly significant in the context of Metallurg’s battle for leadership in the Eastern Conference.

6. Nikita Grebyonkin, forward (2003, Metallurg)

Player rating: 2.27

December stats: 8 G, 6 (2+4) points, +2

Last season’s rookie of the year, Nikita Grebyonkin, also made it into the December ranking. The month turned out to be truly productive, which is important for both the team and the player himself, who couldn’t score since the end of October. But this unpleasant streak is already in the past — by the end of the calendar year, Grebyonkin netted tallies in games against Torpedo and Kunlun Red Star, adding four assists in other matches, some of which came in crucial goals for his teammates. On average, the Magnitka forward recorded hits in every game of the month, and he shot on goal about twice per match. It’s important to remember that the forward contributes a lot to his teammates by organizing goal-scoring situations.

5. Sergei Murashov, goalie (2004, Lokomotiv)

Player rating: 2.35

December stats: 2 G, 2 W, 98.0%, GAA 0.50

Sergei Murashov is a goaltender who proves challenging to outplay in the KHL. Until a certain point, he remained unbeatable, and only Barys in early January managed to secure a victory in Yaroslavl, but it was beyond regulation (the match started with a different goalie). In December, the young netminder won both of his games. Playing for his home team, he took the ice in away games against HC Sochi and Kunlun Red Star, stopping a total of 49 shots out of 50. During this time, only the Dragons managed to score against Sergei, but it did not affect the outcome of the game. So, Murashov finished December with incredible numbers and, at the same time, achieved his first career shutout.

4. Ivan Vorobyov, forward (2002, Vityaz)

Player rating: 2.39

December stats: 8 G, 7 (5+2) points, +1

It seems that a new contender has emerged in the race for the rookie of the season honors. His name is Ivan Vorobyov. The forward switched from Torpedo to Vityaz during the season and is now fully showcasing his skills in the KHL. It took some time for adaptation, of course, but in December, the forward was unstoppable. Being quite mobile and technically well-equipped, Vorobyov stands out even in games where he doesn’t get to the scoresheet. However, his overall productivity is impressive—five goals with two assists in just eight December games. He scored against SKA, Salavat Yulaev, twice against Dinamo Minsk, as well as Avtomobilist. The forward also demonstrated proficiency in defensive actions, recording seven puck interceptions.

3. Bogdan Konyushkov, defenseman (2002, Torpedo)

Player rating: 2.46

December stats: 8 G, 3 (1+2) points, +5

Bogdan Konyushkov is a crucial player for Torpedo for several reasons. In the current season, his playing time has increased, along with his role in the team. In the eight December games, the blueliner netted the game-winner against Lada and provided assists in games against SKA and Lokomotiv. Konyushkov maintains his status as the team’s leading defenseman with the man advantage and consistently appears on the blue line, with many plays going through him. In December, he managed to block 14 shots and performed well even under pressure in the defensive zone. In the game against Spartak, the defenseman spent 27:20 on the ice, almost reaching his personal maximum in regular-season contests.

2. Vasily Atanasov, forward (2002, Torpedo)

Player rating: 2.51

December stats: 7 G, 7 (2+5) points, +3

Even before his unfortunate injury in early 2024, Vasily Atanasov managed to play effectively in December. The forward started the month with a three-game scoring streak, extending it to an impressive 9 games when considering November’s matches. He contributed with a goal and a helper in a crucial game against Dynamo Moscow, provided three assists in the match against Lada, scored a goal against Metallurg, and earned another point for an assist against Spartak. Both of Atanasov’s goals proved to be game-winners for the Nizhny Novgorod side. Overall, it seems that the energy with which Vasily plays is contagious for the entire team, positively impacting Torpedo’s results.

1. Alexander Nikishin, defenseman (2001, SKA)

Player rating: 3.54

December stats: 10 G, 9 (3+6) points, +9

Time goes by, but the stability of Alexander Nikishin remains unwavering. Still categorized as U23, he continues to be one of the best players in the entire league, so his appearance at the top of another ranking is quite expected. In his ten December gamres, the SKA defenseman scored nine points, including goals against Vityaz, Traktor, and CSKA. During this period, Nikishin consistently blocked shots (16 times) and recorded hits (a total of 18). In some games, his playing time exceeded the 25-minute mark. The combination of size and successful play in all areas of the ice is not too common among defensemen. Therefore, Nikishin’s value is evident even for the already formidable SKA lineup.