Ufa’s young leaders and Ilyin’s production. October top 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 second 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 Buchelnikov, forward (2003, CSKA)
Player’s rating: 3.00
The start of the season, when Dmitry Buchelnikov went on a long scoring draught, was more of an exception than the rule. His breakthrough was only a matter of time, and he managed to get back to his usual scoring touch at the end of September, when CSKA Moscow hosted Lada. That evening, Buchelnikov registered 5 points, including his first KHL hat-trick. After that, in October, he had a much more productive and consistent month—9 points, including 4 goals, over 10 games. Only twice did the forward finish a game without a point, even though he remained creative in those appearances. Buchelnikov scored in games against Severstal, Ak Bars, Torpedo, and Dinamo Minsk. His goals against the teams from Cherepovets and Nizhny Novgorod proved to be game-winners. On average, he fired almost two shots on target per game, and over the course of the month he also recorded seven hits, blocked five shots, and added one takeaway and one pass interception. He ended October with a plus-4 rating.
9. Yaroslav Busygin, defenseman (2003, Avtomobilist)
Player’s rating: 3.20
Amidst a wave of injuries that Avtomobilist has been dealing with since the very start of the season, young defenseman Yaroslav Busygin has been consistently getting significant ice time. In October, he averaged around 19 minutes per game, and in the second half of the month, he added to his points tally—something he hadn’t done in several weeks prior. In an away game against HC Sochi, Busyghin assisted on the OT game-winner, then went on to score twice in an important matchup against Traktor, marking the first double of his career. Over the remainder of the month, the blueliner earned another two points for assists (in games against Torpedo and Sibir). He finished the month with a positive rating of plus-6, averaging a shot on goal per game, while also recording nine hits, 25 blocked shots, one takeaway, and four pass interceptions.
8. Semyon Vyazovoi, goalie (2003, Salavat Yulaev)
Player’s rating: 3.32
If Semyon Vyazovoi didn’t look like himself in September, then in October—especially in the second half of the month—the young goalie returned to his usual form. With his confident play came Salavat Yulaev’s victories. In October, he averaged about 30 saves per game, finishing the month with a goals-against average of 1.70 and a save percentage of 94.7%. Over seven full games, Vyazovoy earned five wins, limiting opponents to no more than two goals in six of those appearances. In his final game of October against Admiral, the goalie stopped all 39 shots, earning his first shutout of the season and delivering one of the best performances of his career.
7. Alexander Zharovsky, forward (2007, Salavat Yulaev)
Player’s rating: 3.38
Alexander Zharovsky missed the start of the season—and part of preseason training—due to an unfortunate injury, but by the end of September he returned to the lineup as if he had never been away. With no allowances for his age, the 18-year-old is now a full-fledged leader of Salavat Yulaev. Last spring, he showed that he could compete at the KHL level, and now he is only confirming it. In twelve October games, the Ufa forward scored four goals and recorded eight assists. Throughout the month, Viktor Kozlov experimented with various attacking line combinations, finally settling on Zharovsky in the middle—a role he already played in the MHL, but rarely. Whenever he found himself in the offensive zone, dangerous chances would inevitably arise near the opponents’ net. Zharovsky scored against Metallurg, Traktor, Neftekhimik, and Admiral. In his first game against the Vladivostok franchise, the young player earned 3 points for the first time in his career. Over the month, he also tallied 23 shots on target, two hits, six blocked shots, five takeaways, and ten pass interceptions.
6. Matvei Korotky, forward (2005, SKA)
Player’s rating: 3.40
Another young hockey player proving the importance of his presence in the lineup is Matvei Korotky. On the revamped SKA team, he is among the leaders in the offensive zone. Over eleven October games, the center recorded six goals and assisted his teammates three times. His goals came in games against Avtomobilist, Neftekhimik, Sibir, and HC Sochi (which featured his first career hat-trick). In most games during the month, Korotky won at least 50% of his faceoffs. Altogether, he registered 24 shots on goal, delivered 22 hits, blocked six shots, as well as made three pass interceptions and had two takeaways. He is a vital, versatile player, ready to take the ice in any situation and contribute to his team in various ways.
5. German Tochilkin, forward (2003, Neftekhimik)
Player’s rating: 3.43
German Tochilkin missed part of October’s games due to an injury, but then made a brilliant return and helped Neftekhimik secure several victories. He played his first game of the month only on the 15th against SKA in St. Petersburg, where he netted the decisive shootout goal. That event clearly boosted his confidence, as the 22-year-old forward followed up with back-to-back braces—in Minsk and Magnitogorsk (with 2 goals and 1 assist). Then, in a home game against Metallurg, Tochilkin scored again and also assisted Vladislav Barulin. He earned a similar assist a few days later in a contest against Barys. Eight points in six games mark a true breakthrough. Add to that fifteen shots on target, fourteen hits, six blocked shots, and three takeaways and pass interceptions each.
4. Artyom Gorshkov, forward (2003, Salavat Yulaev)
Player’s rating: 3.73
Another key player for Salavat Yulaev is forward Artyom Gorshkov. In October, he played with various linemates, but developed the best chemistry with Zharovsky and Yegor Suchkov. In ten October games, Gorshkov tallied eight points, evenly splitting goals and assists. His goals, scored in matches against Sibir (both in Ufa and Novosibirsk), turned out to be game-winners for Kozlov’s team. He also performed well against Traktor, the game that kickstarted Ufa’s successful streak—on that day, Gorshkov recorded a goal and an assist, including a part in Vladislav Yefremov’s game-winning goal. On average, he fired a shot on target in every game, and overall, he blocked eleven opponent shots, delivered seven hits, along with three takeaways and four pass interceptions.
3. Yegor Surin, forward (2006, Lokomotiv)
Player’s rating: 3.83
Yegor Surin is a familiar leader for Lokomotiv, consistently playing with an aggressive style. In October, the 19-year-old forward appeared in all eleven of the team’s games, scoring against Barys and Lada, and adding six assists over the month. Twice his direct involvement led to game-winning goals. Moreover, he finished the month with a plus-8 rating. In October, Bob Hartley’s forward registered 21 shots on goal, delivered an impressive 33 hits, blocked five opponent shots, and added three pass interceptions. It’s worth noting that Surin is still far from Lokomotiv’s top forwards in ice time, which makes his efficiency all the more remarkable.
2. Roman Kantserov, forward (2004, Metallurg)
Player’s rating: 3.93
In October, Metallurg’s leader—and the KHL’s top performer—Roman Kantserov played just as brilliantly as he did in the opening month. Over the past month, the forward scored in nearly every game, finding the net against Spartak (twice), Torpedo, Avangard (once in each of two games), Sibir, and Neftekhimik (once in each of two games). In addition, he recorded three assists. Kantserov finished October with a plus-5 rating and demonstrated strong shooting activity (16 shots on goal). He also delivered eleven hits, four blocks, six takeaways, and made nine pass interceptions. For most of October, he wore the alternate captain’s “A” for Metallurg.
1. Mikhail Ilyin, forward (2005, Severstal)
Player’s rating: 3.95
Severstal’s leader Mikhail Ilyin started October with a streak that stretched across six games, tallying three goals and four assists. Over the next similar span, he added another goal and four assists. Ilyin’s goals came in games against Torpedo (game-winning goal), HC Sochi, Lokomotiv, and the Shanghai Dragons (another game-winner). In a dramatic game in Omsk, with the young forward’s involvement, Ioannis Kaldis scored in OT. Ilyin didn’t always play in his usual line with Danil Aymurzin and Kirill Pilipenko—there have been plenty of injuries for Cherepovets, forcing coach Andrey Kozyrev to frequently shuffle the lines. Nevertheless, Ilyin delivered a steady month, finishing with a plus-8 rating and 25 shots on goal, while also being a key member of one of Cherepovets’ top power-play units.
