Nikishin’s consistency, Ivanov’s progress, and Yurov’s record. February youngsters
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 last 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. Danila Yurov, forward (2003, Metallurg)
Player rating: 2.46
During the ongoing regular season, Danila Yurov has long established himself as the undisputed leader of Metallurg, rather than just a promising player. In February, he continued to play in the middle, consistently contributing to the team's successes. The forward began the month with a brace against Avangard, and what a brace it was — a goal at 2:3 practically at the third period’s final buzzer, followed by the game-winner in OT. Surprisingly, after that game, Yurov didn’t score in the regular season anymore, but he subsequently registered four assists. One of them became historic — in the game against Amur, Yurov earned his 48th point of the season, setting a new record for productivity in a single regular season for players under 21. The previous record belonged to Vladimir Tarasenko.
9. Matvei Michkov, forward (2004, HC Sochi)
Player rating: 2.47
Matvei Michkov missed almost the entire December due to illness but returned as if there hadn’t been a large number of missed matches and training days. Moreover, in February, he played even more effectively than the month before. In the final stretch of the regular season, the HC Sochi forward accumulated eight points, including five goals, which came in games against Vityaz, Torpedo, Avtomobilist, and Kunlun Red Star (a double). Traditionally, Michkov impressed with his shot activity, and in the first game of the month, he set a personal record in the KHL, reaching 12 attempts. Interestingly, he was just one point shy of equaling Kirill Kaprizov’s record among players under 20 in a single regular season. However, even reaching Michkov’s level in the coming years will be extremely challenging for other players.
8. Stepan Nikulin, forward (2001, Lokomotiv)
Player rating: 2.54
The current season has been challenging for Stepan Nikulin, but he will certainly remember the first days of February. In the game against Dynamo Moscow, the forward managed to end a 12-game goalscoring draught. Moreover, in that match, Lokomotiv was trailing 0:3, yet Nikulin’s tally equalized the score in the third period, and his SO goal brought victory to Yaroslavl. Just a few days later, Lokomotiv’s match against Sibir also didn’t end in regulation, and all the home team’s goals, including the winning one, were scored by Nikulin. It was his first career hat-trick. In the remaining games, the forward contributed with an assist on a power play stretch against CSKA, followed by an important goal against Salavat Yulaev.
7. Ilya Nabokov, goalie (2003, Metallurg)
Player rating: 2.83
At 20 years old, Ilya Nabokov has already become the starting goalkeeper of one of the best teams in the East. In February, the Metallurg player once again won most matches – recording victories over Avangard, Admiral, Amur, and Vityaz. Interestingly, all these games took place in Magnitogorsk. In the match against the Tigers, Nabokov recorded a shutout, stopping all 30 shots. On average, he saved about 30 shots per game, and in the tough away game against Ak Bars, he reached 37 – one of the best goaltending performances of the season. At the end of the regular season, Nabokov did enough to contend for the title of the season’s best rookie and to be the main goalie for Andrei Razin’s team in the playoffs.
6. Alexei Kolosov, goalie (2002, Dinamo Minsk)
Player rating: 2.92
February became a significant month for Alexey Kolosov – the Dinamo Minsk goalie set a personal record for the number of games played in the regular season (43), which he subsequently surpassed several times. In the last month, the netminder achieved five victories in nine matches, defeating Admiral, CSKA, Vityaz, Neftekhimik, and Spartak. In the game against the Sailors, Kolosov recorded his fourth shutout of the season. The maximum number of saves in February came in an extremely interesting and successful home game for the Minsk side against CSKA. On Feb 8, the Dynamo goalkeeper stopped 35 shots and helped his team earn two points. He approaches the playoffs as the number one goalie for his team.
5. Nikita Grebyonkin, forward (2003, Metallurg)
Player rating: 2.93
One of the top scorers and most prominent players of Metallurg, Nikita Grebyonkin, confirmed his status in the final month of the regular season. In February, the forward started with a four-game point streak, accumulating points against Avangard, Admiral, Dynamo Moscow, and Ak Bars. Towards the end of the month, he helped Magnitka win the Eastern Conference, earning 2 (1+1) points in the decisive game against Avangard. Moreover, Grebyonkin wore the captain’s patch for Metallurg in that game. In each match of the month, the forward directed shots on goal and often engaged in physical plays, which perfectly aligns with his playing style.
4. Daniil Ivanov, defenseman (2003, Spartak)
Player rating: 2.99
In February, Daniil Ivanov wasn’t simply a development player, but already one of the key blueliners for Spartak. His playing time often exceeded the 10-minute mark, and in the game against Ak Bars, the coaching staff entrusted him with 23 minutes of ice time. Periodically, Ivanov started taking the ice even in special team situations. He managed to finish February with a plus-7 differential, posting no negative ratings. In games against Torpedo and Severstal, the defenseman earned his first points in the League, registering assists — they helped the team score the first goals in those matches and ultimately secure hard-fought victories. It’s also worth noting the 23 hits Ivanov delivered throughout eight February matches.
3. Danil Aimurzin, forward (2002, Severstal)
Player rating: 3.01
Danil Aimurzin is still a relatively young player but has already become the first-line center forward for one of the brightest teams in the regular season. In February, he played 12 games, scoring 8 (4+4) points with a plus-6 differential. Aimurzin scored goals against Dinamo Minsk (in two separate encounters), Torpedo, and Spartak, while during OT of the home game against Neftekhimik, he provided the assist for Christian Jaros’ game-winning goal. Despite his role as a center, Aimurzin not only creates opportunities for his teammates but also consistently threatens the opponent’s crease himself. In February alone, he registered 32 shots on goal (which is slightly over two on average per game).
2. Semyon Chistyakov, defenseman (2001, Avangard)
Player rating: 3.16
The top defenseman of Avangard, Semyon Chistyakov, played 10 games in February, scoring in the very first one against Metallurg in Magnitogorsk. In that game, he also contributed to Ryan Spooner’s tally in the first period. In the remaining games, Chistyakov added three more assists — they came in matches against Avtomobilist (both home and away) and Spartak. Speaking of other numbers, in the last month, the defenseman blocked 15 shots, recorded 24 hits, and had four takeaways. Chistyakov is a key player for his team, especially in penalty killing situations, without whom Avangard’s defense would face significant challenges.
1. Alexander Nikishin, defenseman (2001, SKA)
Player rating: 3.84
Once again, the leader of the rankings is the captain of SKA, Alexander Nikishin. In February, the defenseman accumulated eight points in 10 games, including goals against Barys and Kunlun Red Star. The goal in Astana was particularly crucial — in that game, the St. Petersburg team struggled to score for a long time, and it was Nikishin who managed to do so in the last minute of regulation with the score at 0:1.
Overall, he finished the month with a plus-5 differential, with traditionally high numbers of shots on goal and blocked shots for a defenseman. Nikishin consistently appears on the ice with SKA’s special teams — both on power plays and penalty kills, making him a key player for the team in this regard. It’s also worth noting his decisive assist on Mikhail Vorobyov’s game-winning goal in a challenging home game against Lada.
