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Neftekhimik. Slow start and Leontiev misses the playoffs for the first time
KHL.ru continues its review of the season with a look at Neftekhimik. Not for the first time, the Wolves got off to a slow start but managed to haul themselves into playoff contention before falling at the last.
For the second season in a row, Neftekhimik suffered a bad start to the season. In 2023-2024, the team managed to avoid an extended losing streak. However, in its first 15 games Oleg Leontiev’s men won just four. And there were several painful losses: a 4-5 overtime reverse after leading Dinamo Minsk 4-1, a record-breaking 0-8 hammering against Barys and a 3-8 defeat again Metallurg. After that, things improved and October brought a five-game winning streak that included victories over SKA (2-0) and Traktor (2-1). It’s notable that even when things weren’t going well, the club’s directors stayed patient and didn’t make any rash decisions. For their part, Leontiev and his coaching staff did not abandon the hockey principles.
Towards the end of the regular season, Neftekhimik was competing against Amur and Sibir for the last playoff spot in the East. In the end, the Wolves came ninth, just two points adrift of Amur. It all came down to the head-to-head meetings: Neftekhimik twice lost on the road in Khabarovsk (1-4, 2-4) and dropped points in two OT losses to Sibir. That was the reason why Neftekhimik missed out on a third successive trip to the playoffs.
Best players
68 games, 44 (19+25) points
This creative forward, who was plucked from the VHL to play for Neftekhimik, became a real leader on the team. In 2023-2024 he led the Wolves in points and goals and was habitually on the ice in the key moments. Belozyorov has only played two KHL seasons but he has improved greatly in that time. In his rookie season he had 33 points, moving to 44 in his second. There’s no doubt that he will remain Neftekhimik’s leading forward and he’s more than capable of further improving on last year’s numbers.
66 games, 34 (18+16) points
Dergachyov seems to have found his place after moving to Nizhnekamsk. Here, he wears the ‘C’, centers the top line and enjoys more ice time than at any other point in his KHL career (18:38 per game). He repaid that faith amply – last season, Dergachyov drove Neftekhimik forward, scoring clutch goals and singlehandedly deciding the outcome of games. And, on a personal note, Alexander enjoyed his most productive KHL season.
48 games, 21 wins, 91.5% saves, GAA 2.55
Dolganov’s call-up from the VHL was the turning point for his team’s season. Neftekhimik’s return to the playoff battle owed much to the goalie’s performance. It took him time to adapt, but once settled, Dolganov sparkled: shut-outs against SKA, Lada, Amur and Vityaz, rescuing his team in difficult situations and helping to build winning streaks. The examples of Dolganov and Belozyorov prove that the VHL is also a valuable source of useful players just waiting for their chance.
68 games, 20 (4+16) points
The 23-year-old defenseman earned a nomination for “progress of the year”: with Neftekhimik he played every game of the regular season and finished just one point behind Lukas Klok among top-scoring D-men. Moreover, at a young age he was playing almost 20 minutes a night and led his team in blocked shots (154). Given that this was Serikov’s first full KHL season, putting up these numbers right away suggests a bright future beckons for him.
Coaching
In his three seasons behind the bench at Neftekhimik, Oleg Leontiev has twice taken the team to the playoffs. It feels like club and coach are a good match. Leontiev has his team playing attractive hockey, always looking to attack at pace. In addition, he is good with young players, something crucial for a club with Neftekhimik’s budget. Which moves us to point three, and his proven ability to get results from limited resources: even if he couldn’t quite make the playoffs last season, it all came down to the final days of the campaign. Leontiev enjoys a great deal of trust in Nizhnekamsk, and he is repaying that faith. The only thing that remains is to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs.
Best game
The home game with Lada on Jan. 4, 2024, did not get off to a great start. By the 27th minute, the Motormen were up 2-0. However, it took just two-and-a-half minutes to tie the game with Dergachyov and Dmitry Sokolov on target. Lada regained the lead, but Neftekhimik tied it up right at the end, playing with six skaters and an empty net. There was more drama to come in overtime, with Jean-Sebastien Dea potting the winning goal just one second before the hooter.
Youngsters
Neftekhimik typically has plenty of talented prospects and 2023-2024 was no exception. Evgeny Kashnikov has long been earmarked as one to watch and, still only 21, he had a good season and moved to a higher level with Avtomobilist. Fellow D-man Islam Gainullin (also 21) got a little game time, but not enough to make an impression.
On offense, Grigory Seleznyov, ex-Spartak man German Tochilkin and Danil Sherstobitov did well. Seleznyov got his first taste of KHL hockey and recorded his first goal and points at this level.
Raul Yakupov, who joined the first team back in last year’s playoffs, featured in another 20 games but didn’t get much game time (just 4:33 per game) which wasn’t enough to make an impact.
Summer work
So far, we’ve not seen much of Neftekhimik in the transfer market, but the good news is that last season’s leaders are staying. The biggest loss is probably Kashnikov, because neither Daniil Skorikov, nor Rafael Bikmullin, nor Nikita Buruyanov (back from a loan spell at Dynamo Moscow) were solid contributors to the first team.
As for arrivals, it will be interesting to see how Vyacheslav Leshchenko, Vladislav Leontyev and Timur Sharifyanov fare as they return to a club where each has played in the past. The only completely new face is Nikita Rtishchev, who arrives from Admiral. The forward has played just 40 games in five seasons in the KHL and will surely be looking for a chance to prove himself under Leontiev.
