If Nish’s skating and zone reads get to NHL level, man is he going to be fun to have
Unfortunately for Pono it’s another coaching and system change. Im thinking it will be later half of this season and next that we’ll see him start to shine.Watched him a bit in those first few games. Spartak is looking really good and he's contributing to that. He looked great out there and flashed as one of the better players on the ice every time I saw him out there. Couple of assists and nice defensive play. One game on a couple different powerplays I saw him seemingly playing net front on the 2nd unit which was quite interesting. Maybe I'm mistaken or it was just random but it's an interesting idea if they were intentionally using their big D man as a net front presence... Won some nice battles in the corner to keep possession.
On another note, Ponomaryov was absolutely invisible out there. Not shocking for a young guy like him but would also be nice to see him contributing more. I'm still quite high on him, but it'll be probably at least 3-4 years before we may see him in NA.
What's really funny is the guy who comes charging him from behind a few seconds later and takes the brunt of his own attempted hit while Boom just shields the puck and passes it along the boards behind the netNhl refs will call that an elbow on Nikishin while thinking its a good hit for Boston and Tampa
Like a Dustin Byfuglien type situation? That'd be pretty dopeWatched him a bit in those first few games. Spartak is looking really good and he's contributing to that. He looked great out there and flashed as one of the better players on the ice every time I saw him out there. Couple of assists and nice defensive play. One game on a couple different powerplays I saw him seemingly playing net front on the 2nd unit which was quite interesting. Maybe I'm mistaken or it was just random but it's an interesting idea if they were intentionally using their big D man as a net front presence... Won some nice battles in the corner to keep possession.
On another note, Ponomaryov was absolutely invisible out there. Not shocking for a young guy like him but would also be nice to see him contributing more. I'm still quite high on him, but it'll be probably at least 3-4 years before we may see him in NA.
I honestly believe Boom will be as good as Sergachev. Long term #2LHD behind Slavin, once Skjei's contract is up. Kid is a stud
Sergachev? No. I still see Nikishin being a top-flight bottom-pair player for an elite NHL team, much like Joel Edmundson. He could be the ideal partner, for example, to pair with a guy like Anttoni Honka on the 3rd pair. But I can't see a top-4 guy there, at least from an offensive POV. Morrow, at least to me, is the more-likely top-pairing player if he pans out.
I could very much see a D-group like this in the future, if Morrow's ceiling is reached and Bear is extended long-term:
Slavin-Morrow
UFA/Trade-Bear
Nikishin/Sellgren-Honka/Keane
Sergachev? No. I still see Nikishin being a top-flight bottom-pair player for an elite NHL team, much like Joel Edmundson. He could be the ideal partner, for example, to pair with a guy like Anttoni Honka on the 3rd pair. But I can't see a top-4 guy there, at least from an offensive POV. Morrow, at least to me, is the more-likely top-pairing player if he pans out.
I could very much see a D-group like this in the future, if Morrow's ceiling is reached and Bear is extended long-term:
Slavin-Morrow
UFA/Trade-Bear
Nikishin/Sellgren-Honka/Keane
Edmonson? Guy is not a vicious hitter or all that physical. He's a shot suppressor and blocker.
Don't see the comparison.