Motorygin and Rykov’s progress, Gritsyuk’s incredible month. January 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 fifth 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. Maxim Motorygin, goalie (2002, Dynamo Moscow)

Player rating: 2.66

Opening the ranking is Dynamo Moscow’s goalie Maxim Motorygin, who in January somewhat became the team’s starting netminder. He played eight matches, winning six of them. Only once during this period did opponents score more than two goals in a match on Motorygin. In all other cases, the netminder consistently performed well and often provided Dynamo with chances for success. The team supported their goalie, ultimately winning nearly all the matches with him between the piping. The most challenging games for Motorygin were against conference rivals such as Spartak, CSKA, and Dinamo Minsk. In each of these games, the goalie faced a minimum of 33 shots but still managed to secure three victories.

9. Alexander Rykov, forward (2005, Traktor)

Player rating: 2.71

Even though it might be too early to say that Alexander Rykov has firmly established himself in the Traktor’s lineup he is undeniably close to it. In January, the forward had the best stretch of his career, scoring six points, despite not being iced in all games. He scored against Neftekhimik in two meetings and also contributed to the team’s success against HC Sochi and Avangard in an incredible goal-scoring showdown. Moreover, in the game against Neftekhimik, Rykov’s playing time was only 3:28 – emphasizing his impressive efficiency. His occasional appearances in the VHL and different line partners do not seem to affect his productivity. It’s also worth noting that the game against HC Sochi saw the forward set a personal record for shots on goal with four attempts.

8. Ilya Nabokov, goalie (2003, Metallurg)

Player rating: 2.72

Despite some individual setbacks, this season can unquestionably be considered a breakthrough for Ilya Nabokov. He serves as the starting netminder for one of the best teams in the entire league and seems unwilling to part with this status until the end of the season. In January, he played eight games (six of them were full), winning five of them. Only in one instance did Nabokov concede more than two goals – this happened, probably quite expectedly, in the intense confrontation in Nizhny Novgorod. In the majority of the remaining games the goalie allowed only two goals and maintained a consistent level of performance. Considering Magnitka’s potent attack, this is quite sufficient for winning. It’s worth highlighting the away game against SKA, where Nabokov stopped 43 out of 44 shots.

7. Ilya Pastukhov, defenseman (2001, Neftekhimik)

Player rating: 2.73

Six points in January is a real breakthrough for Ilya Pastukhov. This is exactly as much as he managed to score in his career before of that. At the beginning of the calendar year, the Neftekhimik’s blueliner scored in games against Metallurg and Traktor and had an excellent match against Vityaz (2 assists and a plus-3 differential). But the contribution to success is not only in that, as the defenseman also constantly plays in penalty killing situations and blocks a significant number of shots (in January, an average of almost three per game). In short, Ilya has now become an important part of the defense of Neftekhimik, which continues to fight for a place in the playoff zone.

6. Maxim Fedotov, defenseman (2002, SKA)

Player rating: 3.01

In January, Maxim Fedotov had only one game with points. It was the match against Vityaz on Jan 10, where SKA had a convincing 4:0 win, and Fedotov himself contributed to three of the team’s goals (two of which were with the man advantage). But more importantly, he started to act noticeably more confidently than at the beginning of the season. It took some time to adapt to the new team, and that’s normal. Now, the blueliner confidently initiates SKA’s offensive plays and consistently joins the game during his team’s powerplay situations, helping to organize offensive rushes. In practically every game in January Fedotov had shots on goal, with a maximum of six attempts in the game against Lokomotiv.

5. Nikita Grebyonkin, forward (2003, Metallurg)

Player rating: 3.58

Nikita Grebyonkin is a simple man. He sees the goal and won’t notice obstacles. This is how his game in the current season can be described. It doesn’t matter how many opponents the forward encounters on his way to the opponent’s crease, as he strives to go all the way each time. In January, the Metallurg forward netted six goals, accumulating a total of 12 points (almost one point on average per game in this stretch). In most matches, he took several shots on goal, and in the confrontation with HC Sochi, he reached a career-high with 8 attempts. Grebyonkin is a true engine of Andrei Razin’s team, effective even in games without scoring.

4. Semyon Chistyakov, defenseman (2001, Avangard)

Player rating: 3.82

Semyon Chistyakov has long ceased to be just a promising player and has become a key defenseman for the Hawks. At 22 years old, he consistently performs in various formats — not only taking important shifts in even strength, but also appearing on the ice in both power play and penalty killing situations. And January was no exception. Even if Chistyakov didn’t score points or take shots on goal, his valuable actions in the defensive end were noticeable. However, he also had a decent scoring record — 7 points in 13 games (combined with a plus-7 differential). The blueliner played a noticeable role in Avangard’s win over Ak Bars — contributing with a goal and 1a assist, tying the score and then assisting in the game-winner netted by Ilya Reingardt.

3. Danila Yurov, forward (2003, Metallurg)

Player rating: 4.16

Danila Yurov is Metallurg’s leader and he has rightfully earned this status. In January, the forward showed himself not only as a traditionally productive player (7 goals and 5 assists in 13 games, achieving 3 points in two instances) but also as someone who can stand up for his teammates. This was evident in the match against Severstal. On that evening, Yurov managed both to score and to get into a fight. Interestingly, he is now regularly iced in the middle. Overall, he handles the responsibilities of a center very well, with only the need to improve his faceoff game remaining. However, even now, his faceoff win percentage occasionally exceeds 60%.

2. Alexander Nikishin, defenseman (2001, SKA)

Player rating: 5.77

Alexander Nikishin is truly one of those players who consistently maintain a high level throughout the entire season. January was another stretch where the SKA blueliner confirmed his class. In 12 games, he managed to score 13 points, including goals in matches against Amur, CSKA, and Lokomotiv (when he potted a double). The SKA’s captain is an indispensable player in all situations, whether it’s even strength, power play, or penalty killing. Literally in any format, he demonstrates his effectiveness across the ice. Initiating attacks, playing on the opponent’s blue line, strong defensive play, and much more — he consistently provides his team with all of this. It’s not surprising that in the recent game against Magnitka, Nikishin set another personal record — 10 shots on goal in a single game (which is 3 more than his previous achievement).

1. Arseny Gritsyuk, forward (2001, SKA)

Player rating: 6.77

Few are likely to remember Arseny Gritsyuk’s rocky start to the season now. January turned out to be so successful that the forward surged into the lead in the SKA sniper race in the regular season. And all this despite missing quite a few games. Last month, Gritsyuk lined up in 12 games, tallying 19 (7+12) points. Only in two of them did he fail to add to his scoring account, but even then, the forward was noticeable and independently created numerous scoring opportunities. During this stretch, Gritsyuk netted the game-winning goal in a crucial match against CSKA. In every game, the SKA player took shots on goal, twice registering 8 attempts.