Prospect Info: 2023-24 Prospect Info (CHL, NCAA, Europe)

[Gruyeriev]

Hanzel with a good game!

On pace for 90 points!

 

[S E P H]

So, Zhigalov got his contract released because he wasn't going to be the starter in Belarus, but now he's lost the starter role in the USHL?

Hanzel with a good game!

Hanzel should be a PPG defenceman considering his age, experience, and skill.

 

[barriers]

 

[Metallo]

My understanding (via Eliteprospects) is that he already had a 3-yr contract ending 24-25, signed May 2022. Does that mean there is 3 years on top of that?

 

[BKarchitect]

My understanding (via Eliteprospects) is that he already had a 3-yr contract ending 24-25, signed May 2022. Does that mean there is 3 years on top of that?

Had the same question.

I like this though. Bring him over at age 22-23 like Carolina is gonna do with Nikishin as a fully formed player and perhaps immediate NHL if not top four option.

Unlike some of the KHL situations, Avangard and Gulyayev seem like a great fit. He’s played in every single game so far at age 18 for a team that is a traditional power. 15:36 a game too, not these cameo appearances a lot of young guys make. They obviously trust him immensely already but still plenty of to grow on a big club.

He’s flashed some pretty special talent. I think keeping him in a comfortable spot to grow and most importantly get stronger will be worth it in the long run. If he pans out, he’s gonna slide into the Avs system like a glove.

 

[barriers]

My understanding (via Eliteprospects) is that he already had a 3-yr contract ending 24-25, signed May 2022. Does that mean there is 3 years on top of that?

I'm assuming his current contract has been renegotiated to extend 3 seasons past this current one instead of just the one. That's just my guess though, Gulyalev's contract info is missing from the KHL site so I'm not even sure how accurate EliteProspects contract info was/is.

 

[henchman21]

I'm assuming his current contract has been renegotiated to extend 3 seasons past this current one instead of just the one. That's just my guess though, Gulyalev's contract info is missing from the KHL site so I'm not even sure how accurate EliteProspects contract info was/is.

Normally the case with the KHL announces. I hate this… the KHL has not developed an offensively slanted high end defenseman in a very long time. The style of play isn’t the same and the don’t develop for the NA style of play.

 

[barriers]

User Kshahdoo, who is much more knowledgeable than I in such matters, posted in the prospects section

I guess it's three years including this season. At least it's usually how such resigns work in KHL.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Not great news by any means

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Alienblood]

ugh shoulda traded the pick

 

[RockLobster]

Not going to pretend like I understand any other nationalities, but I'm just assuming that the Avs let it be known they wanted to get him over sooner rather than later...which makes him extending his contract all the more odd.

 

[henchman21]

Not going to pretend like I understand any other nationalities, but I'm just assuming that the Avs let it be known they wanted to get him over sooner rather than later...which makes him extending his contract all the more odd.

This isn't odd in Russia... basically he's sticking in the KHL and wants a raise from his current contract now that he's with the big club. In order to get that raise, the give is to take on more term. It is also a very common thought in Russia that staying in the KHL until you get a NHL spot is their best development path.

 

[S E P H]

This exactly is the "I don't want to play in the AHL, so I rather develop in the KHL and jump straight into the NHL" sort of contract.

 

[Gumballhead]

I think he feels very confident in himself and probably thinks KHL is fine until he (hopefully) makes the jump to NHL.

 

[niwotsblessing]

We should offer him the Kovalenko contract when he in his last year in the KHL- sign him and loan him bak to his club for the final season, then he comes over once they finish the season.

 

[henchman21]

I think he feels very confident in himself and probably thinks KHL is fine until he (hopefully) makes the jump to NHL.

I'm sure he does.... but here's the list of Russian defensemen who have scored 40+ points since the lost lockout season who didn't spend at least a year in a developmental league in NA:

Andrei Markov
Sergei Zubov

That's the list. Both guys who were a product of a different flair and time of Russian hockey. A few get added at 30 points (Tyutin, Gavrikov, Nikitin, Zaitsev).

 

[Gumballhead]

I'm sure he does.... but here's the list of Russian defensemen who have scored 40+ points since the lost lockout season who didn't spend at least a year in a developmental league in NA:

Andrei Markov
Sergei Zubov

That's the list. Both guys who were a product of a different flair and time of Russian hockey. A few get added at 30 points (Tyutin, Gavrikov, Nikitin, Zaitsev).

Yeah I don’t think it’ll benefit him more than some NA experience but just from what I’ve seen of his personality, he seems like a bet on himself type. Looks like we won’t know for a long time.

 

[Caser]

Normally the case with the KHL announces. I hate this… the KHL has not developed an offensively slanted high end defenseman in a very long time. The style of play isn’t the same and the don’t develop for the NA style of play.

While KHL indeed hasn't developed much offensive Ds recently, not like there were much offensive Ds to develop, Russian hockey just almost didn't produce those for some time. I mean, I really can only think of Orlov, but he was in the AHL since the age of 19.

 

[henchman21]

While KHL indeed hasn't developed much offensive Ds recently, not like there were much offensive Ds to develop, Russian hockey just almost didn't produce those for some time. I mean, I really can only think of Orlov, but he was in the AHL since the age of 19.

I think there are stylistic and systemic issues that cause that. The game is just played differently and what is asked of defensemen in the KHL is different than the NHL. That's not saying it can't happen or a player can't develop... we just have no recent history of it. All the Russian puck moving offensive sorts have spent time in NA developmental leagues and I don't think that is coincidence.

 

[Caser]

I think there are stylistic and systemic issues that cause that. The game is just played differently and what is asked of defensemen in the KHL is different than the NHL. That's not saying it can't happen or a player can't develop... we just have no recent history of it. All the Russian puck moving offensive sorts have spent time in NA developmental leagues and I don't think that is coincidence.

Just even here we have the issue that currently those all the Russian puck moving offensive Ds is like just Sergachev and the list pretty much ends here for now. Sergachev moved to NA as he didn't feel like he would be getting enough trust in the KHL as a young D, but thankfully here it is not an issue for Gulyayev.

 

[henchman21]

Just even here we have the issue that currently those all the Russian puck moving offensive Ds is like just Sergachev and the list pretty much ends here for now. Sergachev moved to NA as he didn't feel like he would be getting enough trust in the KHL as a young D, but thankfully here it is not an issue for Gulyayev.

I'd add Provorov and Voynov to that list too, but the numbers just are not high. And the reasons Serg came over early are legitimate and what scares me. Even with Gulyayev getting trust, his game is being throttled back. Just my preference with young puck moving types... I'd rather lean into their skills heavily and push them to be aggressive for years to build that skill set, then throttle it back rather than throttling it at 19-20-21-22 and trying to bring that part of his game back later. That's clearly a bias I have to developing these type of defensemen though.

 

[Perratrooper]

I'd add Provorov and Voynov to that list too, but the numbers just are not high. And the reasons Serg came over early are legitimate and what scares me. Even with Gulyayev getting trust, his game is being throttled back. Just my preference with young puck moving types... I'd rather lean into their skills heavily and push them to be aggressive for years to build that skill set, then throttle it back rather than throttling it at 19-20-21-22 and trying to bring that part of his game back later. That's clearly a bias I have to developing these type of defensemen though.

Are there any positive that can be drawn from playing a more dialed back style while he is over there? Could this help allow him to develop good habits of being responsible defensively and knowing when to turn it on offensively?

I look at a player like Byram who can be just a steady two way defender when the Avs are up or even with a team, but when the team is down he tends to try and flip a switch and play a bit more aggressively with a rover style of play.

I totally understand wanting him to fine tune his offensive skills and in my eyes it’s great to see that he’s willing to jump in on the rush in the K.

 

[henchman21]

Are there any positive that can be drawn from playing a more dialed back style while he is over there? Could this help allow him to develop good habits of being responsible defensively and knowing when to turn it on offensively?

I look at a player like Byram who can be just a steady two way defender when the Avs are up or even with a team, but when the team is down he tends to try and flip a switch and play a bit more aggressively with a rover style of play.

I totally understand wanting him to fine tune his offensive skills and in my eyes it’s great to see that he’s willing to jump in on the rush in the K.

You could make the case that Byram would be better served being throttled back and throttled back earlier to produce a more defensively sound player overall. So yeah you can make that case. I’ll argue with Gulyayev, you’re limiting what makes him special as a prospect and not leaning into his skill set.

I have yet to see this steady 2 way guy in Byram… he’s one or the other and it is frustrating as hell.