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Prospect Info: - Nikita Novikov, D (188th overall, 2021) | Page 6 | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League
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Prospect Info: Nikita Novikov, D (188th overall, 2021)

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Kid's never had a focused lifting routine before, just broing around in the weight room. He has the frame to add 30
 
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Just note that five of his 5-on-5 assists are secondary thus far - most among any 21-year old or lower, 2nd most in the whole AHL. It's good that they are scoring on plays he's starting, it's just a cautionary thing for primary vs. secondary points for defensemen.
 
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Coach Appert stated that Novikov - Prow have graded out as the Amerks top pair the last two games.
 
Is anybody watching a lot of AHL hockey? Does the kid look as good as his basic stat line? He's 6'3" 207, and already a +11 with a goal and 12 assists. He also showed he could play in the KHL at 18. I heard his skating is suspect, but if he plays a strong D game and is smart, that goes a long way.
Seems hard to believe Buffalo could land an NHL level D man in 6th round. That's not our MO
 
theathletic.com

2024 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a new wave of prospects coming and their top six or seven are as strong as any group in the league.
theathletic.com theathletic.com

7. Nikita Novikov, LHD, 20 (Rochester Americans)
I didn’t go to the pandemic U18 worlds in Texas, so I haven’t seen Novikov live in person as much as I have most players on this list, but he impressed me in the brief world juniors in Edmonton prior to cancellation and then really grabbed my attention this fall in Buffalo at the Prospects Challenge, where he had five assists in the two games I watched and didn’t look like a rookie playing in a rookie tournament. After playing 109 games in the KHL at ages 18 and 19 (not a common thing for defensemen), he has looked the part of a good two-way defenseman as the youngest D in Rochester this season as well, contributing at both ends and playing to the best goal differential results on the team while averaging 15 minutes a night (I’d actually like to see him in second-pairing usage for an extended stretch instead of third-pairing usage to see if his strong underlying results hold up). He’s a pro-built (6-foot-3/4, about 200 pounds) defender who keeps his head up, has good feet and mobility for his size, and plays a heady and efficient game that advances and supports play offensively and defends well against the cycle and the rush defensively with a good stick, a willingness to engage and willingness to get in the way of shots. I think he sees the ice well even if his game offensively doesn’t have a ton of dimension. I expect him to play bigger minutes in the AHL next year and then eventually become a solid third-pairing D in the NHL.
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Beerz said:
They robbed us of enjoying Zadorov.. please don't take this Nikita away
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That's in the face of team that's supposed to have built in protection like little Wi-fi or beef like little Tuch or Arseneau. Nikita just plays his game and that's part of it.
 
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