Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Kovalenko to 2-year deal

[niwotsblessing]

Makar was a nepotism selection considering he would have gone undrafted without the Avs intervening. Kovalenko wasn't, he was going to get drafted regardless of if it was the Avs or not.

The majority of Russian players do not want to play in the AHL, there isn't a "perfect plan to avoid the AHL." For Russians, why would they want to play in AHL when they can play back in their own culture and be closer to their families for a top team instead of a secondary city riding the coach in America?

Why? Maybe that is what they need to do for a period of time to truly succeed in the NHL.

 

[S E P H]

Why? Maybe that is what they need to do for a period of time to truly succeed in the NHL.

Oh, you might be 100% right. My thoughts are more along the lines that Russians grew up believing or full-stop believing that the KHL is right up there with the NHL in terms of strength and popularity. So for them, why would want to play in such an inferior league like the AHL when they can go back home and play in a superb league like the KHL? Even with the shady aeroplanes they use and ridiculous travel times lol.

Another aspect is that Russia itself is one of the most unique cultures on earth and when you grow up a certain way, every other culture will feel different and not home to you. AHL is a bloody good league, for sure it is not better than KHL, SHL, NLA, Liiga, DEL, and the Czech league, but still within the top 10 for the entire world.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Makar was a nepotism selection considering he would have gone undrafted without the Avs intervening. Kovalenko wasn't, he was going to get drafted regardless of if it was the Avs or not.

The majority of Russian players do not want to play in the AHL, there isn't a "perfect plan to avoid the AHL." For Russians, why would they want to play in AHL when they can play back in their own culture and be closer to their families for a top team instead of a secondary city riding the coach in America?

Maybe it’s something others should try to emulate.

 

[Caser]

Why? Maybe that is what they need to do for a period of time to truly succeed in the NHL.

Oh, you might be 100% right. My thoughts are more along the lines that Russians grew up believing or full-stop believing that the KHL is right up there with the NHL in terms of strength and popularity. So for them, why would want to play in such an inferior league like the AHL when they can go back home and play in a superb league like the KHL? Even with the shady aeroplanes they use and ridiculous travel times lol.

Another aspect is that Russia itself is one of the most unique cultures on earth and when you grow up a certain way, every other culture will feel different and not home to you. AHL is a bloody good league, for sure it is not better than KHL, SHL, NLA, Liiga, DEL, and the Czech league, but still within the top 10 for the entire world.

I think it is not even that complicated, the main reason is that there is an almost total lack of Russian AHL success stories. The average Russian player's AHL career is kind of a Zhuravlyov-like disaster.

 

[henchman21]

I think it is not even that complicated, the main reason is that there is an almost total lack of Russian AHL success stories. The average Russian player's AHL career is kind of a Zhuravlyov-like disaster.

I'd argue that more fringe Russians should be willing to go the AHL route. Of the Russian forwards who played in the NHL last season 21 of the 33 played more than a handful of games in the AHL. If you get to the guys that scored less than 50 points (23 players), only 3 didn't play in the AHL. Nuke, Mikheyev and Kravtsov.

If you're a Kaprizov, Malkin, Ovi, etc... Even if you are a legit top 6 guy, teams will easily bypass. But you don't see a lot of bottom 6 or fringe 2nd line Russians for this reason. The ones you do see have tended to have AHL time... Barbashev, Kostin, Trenin, Guryanov, Namestnikov (though he's practically American ), and Dadonov all spent significant time in the AHL. It gets very boom or bust where a lot of Russians seem like they'd just prefer to go back home rather than be a 4th liner or trying to scrape out a NHL career. So if they don't hit like say Mikheyev right away, there is a tendency to go home pretty quickly (within a season or so).

I'm pretty curious on this with Voronkov in Columbus. Not a guy who projects well into a top 6 role and is likely going to spend some time in the AHL. How long will he be willing to say down or can he have an immediate enough impact that Babcock trusts him in the bottom 6?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Out of curiosity, don't they flat out ask Russian (or any) prospects in interviews about their willingness to play in the AHL?

Or is more...they ask and players just tell them want they want to hear and move on.

 

[henchman21]

Out of curiosity, don't they flat out ask Russian (or any) prospects in interviews about their willingness to play in the AHL?

Or is more...they ask and players just tell them want they want to hear and move on.

I'm sure there are discussions about it and informal conversations... which like most times go the tell them they want to hear route. In the formal combine interview process, not a ton of Russians actually take part.

 

[Caser]

I'd argue that more fringe Russians should be willing to go the AHL route. Of the Russian forwards who played in the NHL last season 21 of the 33 played more than a handful of games in the AHL. If you get to the guys that scored less than 50 points (23 players), only 3 didn't play in the AHL. Nuke, Mikheyev and Kravtsov.

If you're a Kaprizov, Malkin, Ovi, etc... Even if you are a legit top 6 guy, teams will easily bypass. But you don't see a lot of bottom 6 or fringe 2nd line Russians for this reason. The ones you do see have tended to have AHL time... Barbashev, Kostin, Trenin, Guryanov, Namestnikov (though he's practically American ), and Dadonov all spent significant time in the AHL. It gets very boom or bust where a lot of Russians seem like they'd just prefer to go back home rather than be a 4th liner or trying to scrape out a NHL career. So if they don't hit like say Mikheyev right away, there is a tendency to go home pretty quickly (within a season or so).

I'm pretty curious on this with Voronkov in Columbus. Not a guy who projects well into a top 6 role and is likely going to spend some time in the AHL. How long will he be willing to say down or can he have an immediate enough impact that Babcock trusts him in the bottom 6?

I wasn't exactly too correct, sorry, I meant the route when some KHLer moves to the AHL like Zhuravlyov did.

If we break it down out of those 21 Kucherov, Barbashev, Namestnikov, Trenin, Toropchenko, E.Svechnikov, Alexandrov, Gushchin, Sokolov, Der-Arguchintsev and Afanasyev - so 11 of them - went via the CHL route, which allowed them to get accustomed to the environment and NA coaching style in general, so that is kind of different comparing to the KHL guy doing the same. Not to mention that even here only 4 or 5 guys can be called as success stories.

Guryanov is certainly not a success story, he is busting badly. Dadonov indeed played in the AHL, but it also ended up in a failure and him returning to the KHL and restarting the career there. Denisenko is a failure so far, Kravtsov too (he actually played in 39 AHL games, that's much more than Kucherov did), also Soshnikov; Maltsev's chances to succeed are fading fast. Wouldn't call Podkolzin a failure yet, but certainly not a success story so far. Kostin, Marchenko and Dorofeyev are the closest to become a success stories, but I think the jury is still out here. So 3 out of 10 here at best, but those are just those, who made it to playing in the NHL at least for some games.

As for Voronkov I think he also has some out-clause, iirc it was also for the December in his case.

 

[henchman21]

I wasn't exactly too correct, sorry, I meant the route when some KHLer moves to the AHL like Zhuravlyov did.

If we break it down out of those 21 Kucherov, Barbashev, Namestnikov, Trenin, Toropchenko, E.Svechnikov, Alexandrov, Gushchin, Sokolov, Der-Arguchintsev and Afanasyev - so 11 of them - went via the CHL route, which allowed them to get accustomed to the environment and NA coaching style in general, so that is kind of different comparing to the KHL guy doing the same. Not to mention that even here only 4 or 5 guys can be called as success stories.

Guryanov is certainly not a success story, he is busting badly. Dadonov indeed played in the AHL, but it also ended up in a failure and him returning to the KHL and restarting the career there. Denisenko is a failure so far, Kravtsov too (he actually played in 39 AHL games, that's much more than Kucherov did), also Soshnikov; Maltsev's chances to succeed are fading fast. Wouldn't call Podkolzin a failure yet, but certainly not a success story so far. Kostin, Marchenko and Dorofeyev are the closest to become a success stories, but I think the jury is still out here. So 3 out of 10 here at best, but those are just those, who made it to playing in the NHL at least for some games.

As for Voronkov I think he also has some out-clause, iirc it was also for the December in his case.

I'd say the vast majority of players in general are not huge successes... regardless of development path. I'd take a 3/10 shot any day compared to what normal success rates are. Many players of all nationalities simply fail when getting to the NHL stage. The evidence is pretty clear here though, if you're not a top 6 scorer in the NHL, AHL time is pretty much necessary to stick in the NHL in a bottom 6 role. This goes for American, Canadian, Czech, Swedish, etc too... they all tend to need some time. It is not super common (though it does happen) where a bottom 6 guy sticks in the NHL right away and just stays there.

Which if Russians are not willing to go through that practice (and I totally understand why), they are simply less likely to stick in these lower roles. The data shows that very clearly... we basically have one guy over the past 8-10 years who skipped and stuck in a bottom 6 role. Prior to Mikheyev, Kulemin is the last guy I recall jumping right in from Russian and establishing as a pure bottom 6 guy without AHL time (though he had one career year). I could consider Burmistrov a 2nd, though that's just a whole odd situation there. I think this plays a significant role in why Russia produces less NHL forwards when compared to Sweden and about the same as Finland.

I do think coaching, style of play, culture, etc all play a large role in it and the guys who go CHL/NA route do tend to have an advantage of sticking lower in the lineup. They are just far more used to how the game is played in NA and what is being asked of them.

I'm not saying the AHL route is perfect or that any player really likes it.... just that for bottom 6 players, it does tend to be a prerequisite. If a player is not a top 6 sort of prospect, an unwillingness to play in the AHL raises the bust potential dramatically. If Voronkov doesn't stick right away and doesn't have a willingness to grid it out in the AHL, I have doubts he'll make it and I quite like him as a prospect.

Legit forgot about Kravstov's AHL games.

 

[Caser]

I'd say the vast majority of players in general are not huge successes... regardless of development path. I'd take a 3/10 shot any day compared to what normal success rates are. Many players of all nationalities simply fail when getting to the NHL stage. The evidence is pretty clear here though, if you're not a top 6 scorer in the NHL, AHL time is pretty much necessary to stick in the NHL in a bottom 6 role. This goes for American, Canadian, Czech, Swedish, etc too... they all tend to need some time. It is not super common (though it does happen) where a bottom 6 guy sticks in the NHL right away and just stays there.

Which if Russians are not willing to go through that practice (and I totally understand why), they are simply less likely to stick in these lower roles. The data shows that very clearly... we basically have one guy over the past 8-10 years who skipped and stuck in a bottom 6 role. Prior to Mikheyev, Kulemin is the last guy I recall jumping right in from Russian and establishing as a pure bottom 6 guy without AHL time (though he had one career year). I could consider Burmistrov a 2nd, though that's just a whole odd situation there. I think this plays a significant role in why Russia produces less NHL forwards when compared to Sweden and about the same as Finland.

I do think coaching, style of play, culture, etc all play a large role in it and the guys who go CHL/NA route do tend to have an advantage of sticking lower in the lineup. They are just far more used to how the game is played in NA and what is being asked of them.

I'm not saying the AHL route is perfect or that any player really likes it.... just that for bottom 6 players, it does tend to be a prerequisite. If a player is not a top 6 sort of prospect, an unwillingness to play in the AHL raises the bust potential dramatically. If Voronkov doesn't stick right away and doesn't have a willingness to grid it out in the AHL, I have doubts he'll make it and I quite like him as a prospect.

Legit forgot about Kravstov's AHL games.

I look at it in a bit of a different perspective, I mean in general a typical Russian player moving to the NHL wants to be a difference maker (doesn't really matter if it is a top6 or middle6), not just an NHLer as such. If he doesn't become one he is likely to get back to the KHL, as there he will likely play in the top6 and will get better money after taxes. For example Mikheyev is getting 17 minutes of TOI and is over 0.5ppg, so that qualifies as a difference maker. Another example is Kostin - one of the reasons he was dealt from the Oilers was that he wasn't given a proper (in his eyes) role (and money too) there, he wants to be something more than an utility muscle guy and was ready to bolt to the KHL otherwise. Btw, funnily enough Nichushkin is sort of an opposite example, as one of the reasons he left CSKA and went back to the NHL was his rather modest usage there.

So I think the main reason of the lack of production of these NHL utility forwards is the lack of motivation for Russian players to become one, as usually the Top6 in the KHL is more preferable for them. Btw, the former CHL guys are frequently also sort of an exception here, as many of them have settled down in NA and would prefer a bird in hand.

Also the issue is that 3 out of 10 isn't exactly a success rate, as on one hand those 3 guys aren't too established and on the other it doesn't take into account the former KHL guys, who got stuck in the AHL and the ones who just decided to give it up. The actual rate is notably worse than that if we count all the guys who went for that route in like last 5 years.

 

[Foppa2118]

I look at it in a bit of a different perspective, I mean in general a typical Russian player moving to the NHL wants to be a difference maker (doesn't really matter if it is a top6 or middle6), not just an NHLer as such. If he doesn't become one he is likely to get back to the KHL, as there he will likely play in the top6 and will get better money after taxes. For example Mikheyev is getting 17 minutes of TOI and is over 0.5ppg, so that qualifies as a difference maker. Another example is Kostin - one of the reasons he was dealt from the Oilers was that he wasn't given a proper (in his eyes) role (and money too) there, he wants to be something more than an utility muscle guy and was ready to bolt to the KHL otherwise. Btw, funnily enough Nichushkin is sort of an opposite example, as one of the reasons he left CSKA and went back to the NHL was his rather modest usage there.

So I think the main reason of the lack of production of these NHL utility forwards is the lack of motivation for Russian players to become one, as usually the Top6 in the KHL is more preferable for them. Btw, the former CHL guys are frequently also sort of an exception here, as many of them have settled down in NA and would prefer a bird in hand.

Also the issue is that 3 out of 10 isn't exactly a success rate, as on one hand those 3 guys aren't too established and on the other it doesn't take into account the former KHL guys, who got stuck in the AHL and the ones who just decided to give it up. The actual rate is notably worse than that if we count all the guys who went for that route in like last 5 years.

What percentage of NHL caliber talent out of Russia has actually played in the AHL though?

Seems like it's probably a small sample of players to begin with, and it probably mostly consists of the lower end talent, that couldn't command big salaries in the KHL, and was probably a longer shot to make the NHL anyway.

NA role players and fringe types can try to stick it out, hoping to eventually make their way to the NHL, even if it takes 4-5 years. But because the culture is so different here, and Europe and the KHL can pay them just as well if not better than the AHL, that's a hard ask out of some of the younger Russian players to stick it out that long.

That can impact their commitment level for the short time they're in NA too. They may not work as hard or adapt their game the way the coaches and development staff are asking, if things aren't working out, and they're starting to resign themselves to going home, because they're home sick, and the AHL isn't the glamorous life they were hoping to get in the NHL.

 

[henchman21]

I look at it in a bit of a different perspective, I mean in general a typical Russian player moving to the NHL wants to be a difference maker (doesn't really matter if it is a top6 or middle6), not just an NHLer as such. If he doesn't become one he is likely to get back to the KHL, as there he will likely play in the top6 and will get better money after taxes. For example Mikheyev is getting 17 minutes of TOI and is over 0.5ppg, so that qualifies as a difference maker. Another example is Kostin - one of the reasons he was dealt from the Oilers was that he wasn't given a proper (in his eyes) role (and money too) there, he wants to be something more than an utility muscle guy and was ready to bolt to the KHL otherwise. Btw, funnily enough Nichushkin is sort of an opposite example, as one of the reasons he left CSKA and went back to the NHL was his rather modest usage there.

So I think the main reason of the lack of production of these NHL utility forwards is the lack of motivation for Russian players to become one, as usually the Top6 in the KHL is more preferable for them. Btw, the former CHL guys are frequently also sort of an exception here, as many of them have settled down in NA and would prefer a bird in hand.

Also the issue is that 3 out of 10 isn't exactly a success rate, as on one hand those 3 guys aren't too established and on the other it doesn't take into account the former KHL guys, who got stuck in the AHL and the ones who just decided to give it up. The actual rate is notably worse than that if we count all the guys who went for that route in like last 5 years.

I think you are spot on with Russians wanting to be difference makers on a team. There just isn't much of a desire to grind away for 2-3 years to just become a 3rd line utility player. Not when they can go back home and be a top player on a team. I certainly think that plays out with them simply not sticking around the AHL or accepting lower roles on teams. I still wish we coulda seen Shipachyov play in NA.

You could split the numbers any which way, but the guys who typically stick in those sorts of roles have been the ones to that have spent time in the AHL. Yeah there are WAY more failures than successes, but the successes we see are mostly tied to the AHL by a wide margin. It is simply really rare to have Russians come over and settle into a bottom 6 role right away. Not impossible as we see instances, they are just more rare than the AHL route. This goes for pretty much any nationality with bottom 6 guys. The route that gets the most exceptions to this rule is the college route... and even then it usually involves a some time.

I don't blame Russians for not wanting to go into the AHL. I just see how many bottom 6 players (of all nationalities) require that time to be successful. If they are not willing to do that, then the odds of them sticking in the NHL lower dramatically.

 

[Caser]

What percentage of NHL caliber talent out of Russia has actually played in the AHL though?

Seems like it's probably a small sample of players to begin with, and it probably mostly consists of the lower end talent, that couldn't command big salaries in the KHL, and was probably a longer shot to make the NHL anyway.

NA role players and fringe types can try to stick it out, hoping to eventually make their way to the NHL, even if it takes 4-5 years. But because the culture is so different here, and Europe and the KHL can pay them just as well if not better than the AHL, that's a hard ask out of some of the younger Russian players to stick it out that long.

That can impact their commitment level for the short time they're in NA too. They may not work as hard or adapt their game the way the coaches and development staff are asking, if things aren't working out, and they're starting to resign themselves to going home, because they're home sick, and the AHL isn't the glamorous life they were hoping to get in the NHL.

There were guys in the AHL like Maltsev, Morozov, Altybarmakyan, Golyshev, Tkachyov, Shen, Vorobyov, Korshkov - might seem no big deal, but Kovalenko isn't more gifted than most of them.

KHL salaries, considering taxes, no escrow and bonuses, can challenge NHL salaries up to 1.5M, so not only the AHL money. However it is not only about the money, they have their ambitions and kind of fears of not fulfilling those ambitions too - one of those fears is to start stagnating and losing the precious development time. That type of fear just gets stronger if something is going wrong and there's a lack of proper communication and feedback from the coaches and management, which unfortunately frequently is the case in the AHL. And about that time they receive a call from their KHL team asking them how are they doing and that they will be very welcome if they decide to come back - the result is kind of predictable here.

 

[Foppa2118]

There were guys in the AHL like Maltsev, Morozov, Altybarmakyan, Golyshev, Tkachyov, Shen, Vorobyov, Korshkov - might seem no big deal, but Kovalenko isn't more gifted than most of them.

KHL salaries, considering taxes, no escrow and bonuses, can challenge NHL salaries up to 1.5M, so not only the AHL money. However it is not only about the money, they have their ambitions and kind of fears of not fulfilling those ambitions too - one of those fears is to start stagnating and losing the precious development time. That type of fear just gets stronger if something is going wrong and there's a lack of proper communication and feedback from the coaches and management, which unfortunately frequently is the case in the AHL. And about that time they receive a call from their KHL team asking them how are they doing and that they will be very welcome if they decide to come back - the result is kind of predictable here.

The fear of stagnating and wasting development time kinda goes with what I was talking about in terms of not sticking it out as long as NA players in the AHL, when they don't make the NHL early on.

I don't know those other players well enough to comment, but I'm familiar enough with Maltsev. He never seemed fully committed to playing a NA bigger body bottom six style to me. It would come in spurts but it wasn't consistent enough. I doubt the message was unclear from Bednar, but he seemed conflicted on how he wanted to play here.

I'm actually a little surprised he didn't go back to the KHL this season after being with two NHL/AHL teams already. Good for him for giving it another shot. He mentioned considering the KHL back in May. Perhaps he returns if he doesn't make the Kings out of camp.

I really think he could carve out a role in the NHL if he committed to playing a more NA forechecking style, and trying to be tough to play against. He's got the other tools required to stick in a bottom six role. Kovalenko is obviously a different style of player though.

 

[Caser]

The fear of stagnating and wasting development time kinda goes with what I was talking about in terms of not sticking it out as long as NA players in the AHL, when they don't make the NHL early on.

I don't know those other players well enough to comment, but I'm familiar enough with Maltsev. He never seemed fully committed to playing a NA bigger body bottom six style to me. It would come in spurts but it wasn't consistent enough. I doubt the message was unclear from Bednar, but he seemed conflicted on how he wanted to play here.

I'm actually a little surprised he didn't go back to the KHL this season after being with two NHL/AHL teams already. Good for him for giving it another shot. He mentioned considering the KHL back in May. Perhaps he returns if he doesn't make the Kings out of camp.

I really think he could carve out a role in the NHL if he committed to playing a more NA forechecking style, and trying to be tough to play against. He's got the other tools required to stick in a bottom six role. Kovalenko is obviously a different style of player though.

I'm not surprised that Maltsev couldn't consistently be a "bigger body" role guy, just because he never was projected as one - he doesn't really have the required strength and physicality as such. So I have doubts that the commitment or messages from Bednar would've helped here much, sometimes you just can't get blood out of a stone. Btw, speaking of the factors, why Russian players rarely succeed at the utility roles, it could also be the draft - usually NHL teams prefer to draft skilled Russian forwards not too suited for that kind of roles.

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm not surprised that Maltsev couldn't consistently be a "bigger body" role guy, just because he never was projected as one - he doesn't really have the required strength and physicality as such. So I have doubts that the commitment or messages from Bednar would've helped here much, sometimes you just can't get blood out of a stone. Btw, speaking of the factors, why Russian players rarely succeed at the utility roles, it could also be the draft - usually NHL teams prefer to draft skilled Russian forwards not too suited for that kind of roles.

I don't think strength was the issue for Matlsev. He had enough strength to do it in spurts. I think it was his mentality. He didn't seem to want to do it consistently.

And he didn't necessarily have to hit in Bednar's system either. He just had to forecheck hard and engage himself physically in board battles.

I think you're right about the type of Russian players NHL teams draft though. That's probably also why a lot of those guys stay in the KHL rather than come to the AHL.

 

[henchman21]

I'm not surprised that Maltsev couldn't consistently be a "bigger body" role guy, just because he never was projected as one - he doesn't really have the required strength and physicality as such. So I have doubts that the commitment or messages from Bednar would've helped here much, sometimes you just can't get blood out of a stone. Btw, speaking of the factors, why Russian players rarely succeed at the utility roles, it could also be the draft - usually NHL teams prefer to draft skilled Russian forwards not too suited for that kind of roles.

Yeah I can see that. I think NA coaches are pretty used to players being adaptable and being able to mold players. Just not normal for pushback or players to not listen to it here as they develop. The ones that don't listen are either so skilled they won't fail... or fail. Some players just can't be molded. I also think that for the most part, the skill guys are the ones that tend to get noticed by scouts and pushed through. Could be a bias of the scouts, could be a bias related to this whole idea, could be a bias of styles of play make it easier to develop NA grinders.

That's one reason I really like Voro and am intrigued. He's not what I'd call skilled (though he doesn't completely lack it), but he projects nicely to a physical 3rd line role if he can latch on in the NHL. His transition might open some eyes.

 

[Caser]

I don't think strength was the issue for Matlsev. He had enough strength to do it in spurts. I think it was his mentality. He didn't seem to want to do it consistently.

And he didn't necessarily have to hit in Bednar's system either. He just had to forecheck hard and engage himself physically in board battles.

I think you're right about the type of Russian players NHL teams draft though. That's probably also why a lot of those guys stay in the KHL rather than come to the AHL.

Probably even I could do it in spurts lol. I'm only half joking here though, since Maltsev is not a Nichushkin-type bull on skates, he is even still kind of lanky. Physicality is also not about just muscles, but about the right mentality too - there are guys who will enjoy physical battles and hitting everything that moves and then there are the ones who won't have that naturally and Maltsev certainly didn't have it naturally.

Yeah I can see that. I think NA coaches are pretty used to players being adaptable and being able to mold players. Just not normal for pushback or players to not listen to it here as they develop. The ones that don't listen are either so skilled they won't fail... or fail. Some players just can't be molded. I also think that for the most part, the skill guys are the ones that tend to get noticed by scouts and pushed through. Could be a bias of the scouts, could be a bias related to this whole idea, could be a bias of styles of play make it easier to develop NA grinders.

That's one reason I really like Voro and am intrigued. He's not what I'd call skilled (though he doesn't completely lack it), but he projects nicely to a physical 3rd line role if he can latch on in the NHL. His transition might open some eyes.

About the "don't listen" I noticed that sometimes it is more like "fail to hear". If we take Toropchenko example then for like 3 first years (2 in the OHL and 1 in the AHL) he pretty much sucked, tried to do too much with his stone hands and failed predictably, but then he was loaned to KHL's Kunlun where Alexei Kovalev and Slava Kozlov were the coaches and apparently they found the right words for him to adjust his style the right way. Similar story was with Kostin and Bob Hartley. To be honest sometimes I feel that in the AHL coaches don't really try hard enough to get their ideas into the players' heads - more like "if he gets it - great, if not - get me another guy" approach.

Agree that Voronkov is intriguing in many ways. Btw, about the communication, Voronkov is also known as the guy who just speaks like if he would have some sort of a daily spoken word limit lol.

 

[Bender]

There’s a reason why wolves were almost hunted to extinction, the elk and moose don’t even bugle anymore.


But they don’t get anything for calves, lamb, Makes up for that

 

[Foppa2118]

then he was loaned to KHL's Kunlun where Alexei Kovalev and Slava Kozlov were the coaches and apparently they found the right words for him to adjust his style the right way.

Side note, how has Kovalev been as a coach? Kind of interesting that a guy notorious for frustrating his coaches, ended up being a coach himself.

 

[Caser]

Side note, how has Kovalev been as a coach? Kind of interesting that a guy notorious for frustrating his coaches, ended up being a coach himself.

As a head coach he hasn't been convincing, but seems to be decent as an assistant (although it is hard to evaluate those, but at least he is in demand).

 

[lionsDen]

View attachment 731775

 

[tigervixxxen]

Could also be because Russians aren’t seen as gritty, heart and soul lunch pail types which is what NHL teams want in their role players. At that level it’s just as much about org desire to give opportunity than anything particular the player is doing that makes him a better option than the handful of guys every team has who can do the same job. It’s just as much about optics, politics and org favor to move someone along as a bottom of the roster role player and Russians generally aren’t going to get that favor.

 

[Foppa2118]

Could also be because Russians aren’t seen as gritty, heart and soul lunch pail types which is what NHL teams want in their role players. At that level it’s just as much about org desire to give opportunity than anything particular the player is doing that makes him a better option than the handful of guys every team has who can do the same job. It’s just as much about optics, politics and org favor to move someone along as a bottom of the roster role player and Russians generally aren’t going to get that favor.

At least in terms of the Avs, I don't think they play politics that much. Especially under Bednar. It's about effectiveness. If you're not effective in your role under Bednar, you don't play.

There's certain things he wants players to do in his system to be effective, and after the success he's had at every level he's coached, he's trusted by the organization that he knows what he's doing.

If they played politics or had favoritism towards certain prospects, then Meyers wouldn't have been sent down three games into his first full season after signing as as highly touted UFA out of college.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Doesn't look like Bednar gives a shit about politics. Either you make the team better and get opportunities or don't and get sent down/to the stands.