RW/C Vitalii Abramov - CSKA Moscow, KHL (2016, 65th, CBJ; traded to OTT)

[majormajor]

@majormajor : That article praising Abramov is 1.5 years old. I agree it's too early to call him a bust, but he has some things to overcome. He is shifty, very smart, really soft hands, but I think his skating has started to hold him back at the pro level. That's not a good sign given his size, but not a reason to write him off (yet). Overall I say a solid prospect with real top 6 potential, but not a blue chipper.

I don't disagree. He's definitely not as fast as that article says too.

 

[bert]

I don't disagree. He's definitely not as fast as that article says too.

Agreed watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Pretty dissapointed in the return for Duchene as I really dont see his game translating to the NHL unfortunately.

 

[Rodzilla]

Agreed watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Pretty dissapointed in the return for Duchene as I really dont see his game translating to the NHL unfortunately.

Watched him a lot in Victoriaville and seeing the same thing, he was very good but I have my doubts at the pro level.

 

[majormajor]

Agreed watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Pretty dissapointed in the return for Duchene as I really dont see his game translating to the NHL unfortunately.

I'm not sure. His AHL season has been a huge disappointment - he had 4 pts in 4 games in the AHL two years ago, so I expected more. But the wrist surgery last summer might have been a big factor. Vitali did have 4 goals last week so maybe he's finally feeling it.

 

[bert]

Watched him a lot in Victoriaville and seeing the same thing, he was very good but I have my doubts at the pro level.

Yeah great Jr player but I am skeptical about his game translating.

 

[wings5]

Yeah great Jr player but I am skeptical about his game translating.

He would have made it for sure and gotten faster if he had stayed in Russia though right?..

 

[Tube Skates]

Watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Trenin did all the work and Abramov got all the rewards. Always thought he was a 150 foot player. Columbus probably figure they have prospects that will develop better. Hope the best for him though. Ottawa may be a better chance for him.

 

[Atas2000]

No effect. He's not NHL ready until probably 2020-21.



Can you knock it off? He was traded for Matt frikkin Duchene, it doesn't mean CBJ doesn't like him.

What is this, some perverted kind of Russian nationalism or something? I can't see why you would target this one kid?



See above. Atas has some other agenda with Russian prospects who go to Canada. Like Don Cherry or something.



He's a divisive prospect. Pronman not so high on him, Wheeler loves him. Here's Wheeler's lengthy writeup on Abramov in case you have an Athletic subscription. In case you don't, I'll just leave you with this last line:

"you’ve got a player whose ceiling is among the highest in the hockey-playing prospect world — talent enough to play on an NHL’s first line someday."

LOL Can you knock it off? What is it? Some perverted NHL nationalism preventing you from accepting facts? Matt frikkin Duchene(who isn't a messiah btw and won't save Columbus) was traded for two firsts and prospects that likely will never contribute, so basically for two firsts which is a good ransom for him. This is not a trade Ottawa lost, but in this trade Abramov is the bag of pucks. When a team is trading futures like Columbus it should be even more eager to keep the right ones and send away those they have less hope for. If you sincerely believe btw that Ottawa was specifically asking for Abramov in the trade you are hopeless. So Mr.Entitled and once a top prospect becomes trade filler and is not expected to contribute until he is 22? There is a name for it.

I have an agenda. An agenda of every russian fan in his right mind. I want Russians to become russian national team assets, not career minor leaguers. That is what they become after 3 years in the CHL. This is my only "agenda". You want me to change my mind about Russians going to NA minor leagues? Maybe those minor leagues should learn to develop them right. So far they are failing at that. And as long as they do I will be against Russians playing there only to ruin their development. Prime example - Vitaly Abramov.

Then there is one other issue. Your double-think. When a guy runs away from competition and/or breaks his promises/contract and/or acts like an idiot in Russia to run off to NA you are all for it as long as he is coming over(you don't even realize how stupid that is wanting the player to come over for the lone sake of coming over out of your irrational fear he would never come(name the ones that haven't come?)). You cheer and celebrate the fact that "your" prospect will be... close... with some minor league team.

But when the same guy turns out to have the same headaches in NA it's suddenly bad and a concern and god forbid he does something he did in Russia and was cheered for or at least not reprimanded by you in North America.

What you fail to realize is that it is exactly the same guy and he is carrying his baggage of head issues with him. If he wasn't ready to earn his spurs in Russia he won't be in NA. If he wasn't a hard worker in Russia he won't be in NA.

The first major red flag with Abramov was how he left his KHL org. Unimpressive performances on the NT followed. He is being overtaken by his peers and even younger players in development. Players who were nowhere near his hype at age 17.

Vitaly Abramov's contract runs out in 2021. If he is not trying to make some KHL roster by then he will be after that and it's not a given he will make it. One thing is a given, he will never reach that potential he's had. And that's what my agenda is all about.

 

[majormajor]

LOL Can you knock it off? What is it? Some perverted NHL nationalism preventing you from accepting facts? Matt frikkin Duchene(who isn't a messiah btw and won't save Columbus) was traded for two firsts and prospects that likely will never contribute, so basically for two firsts which is a good ransom for him. This is not a trade Ottawa lost, but in this trade Abramov is the bag of pucks. When a team is trading futures like Columbus it should be even more eager to keep the right ones and send away those they have less hope for. If you sincerely believe btw that Ottawa was specifically asking for Abramov in the trade you are hopeless. So Mr.Entitled and once a top prospect becomes trade filler and is not expected to contribute until he is 22? There is a name for it.

I have an agenda. An agenda of every russian fan in his right mind. I want Russians to become russian national team assets, not career minor leaguers. That is what they become after 3 years in the CHL. This is my only "agenda". You want me to change my mind about Russians going to NA minor leagues? Maybe those minor leagues should learn to develop them right. So far they are failing at that. And as long as they do I will be against Russians playing there only to ruin their development. Prime example - Vitaly Abramov.

Then there is one other issue. Your double-think. When a guy runs away from competition and/or breaks his promises/contract and/or acts like an idiot in Russia to run off to NA you are all for it as long as he is coming over(you don't even realize how stupid that is wanting the player to come over for the lone sake of coming over out of your irrational fear he would never come(name the ones that haven't come?)). You cheer and celebrate the fact that "your" prospect will be... close... with some minor league team.

But when the same guy turns out to have the same headaches in NA it's suddenly bad and a concern and god forbid he does something he did in Russia and was cheered for or at least not reprimanded by you in North America.

What you fail to realize is that it is exactly the same guy and he is carrying his baggage of head issues with him. If he wasn't ready to earn his spurs in Russia he won't be in NA. If he wasn't a hard worker in Russia he won't be in NA.

The first major red flag with Abramov was how he left his KHL org. Unimpressive performances on the NT followed. He is being overtaken by his peers and even younger players in development. Players who were nowhere near his hype at age 17.

Vitaly Abramov's contract runs out in 2021. If he is not trying to make some KHL roster by then he will be after that and it's not a given he will make it. One thing is a given, he will never reach that potential he's had. And that's what my agenda is all about.

I don't mind someone having an agenda. And you might have some truth on your side. But it seems a little cruel to put all of this history and baggage from other players and other leagues onto any one young man. He is his own story.

 

[Atas2000]

I don't mind someone having an agenda. And you might have some truth on your side. But it seems a little cruel to put all of this history and baggage from other players and other leagues onto any one young man. He is his own story.

He is a pretty quintessential story. He's gone out of his way to demand a KHL roster spot from his KHL team or else as a 17y.o. prospect. Now he is ripping the "benefits" of his entitlement I guess. This is his very personal and own story.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

Watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Trenin did all the work and Abramov got all the rewards. Always thought he was a 150 foot player. Columbus probably figure they have prospects that will develop better. Hope the best for him though. Ottawa may be a better chance for him.

Funny enough cause trenin has been a huge bust for us. Thought he was gonna be a future 2C behind Johansen. Guy has size but no hockey IQ

 

[Acallabeth]

Agreed watched him quite a bit in Gatineau. Pretty dissapointed in the return for Duchene as I really dont see his game translating to the NHL unfortunately.

This is not unfortunate because it was entirely predictable. Lighting up the bunch of fodder teens never prepares you to play against pros, where every player would be top 1% in that junior league. So Abramov was 5th, 2nd and 1st in scoring in his league, but did he work in a professional club system, being required to implement the aspects needed by professional teams in his style? Not really. 3 wasted years in a comfort zone he's just starting to crawl out of now, and the outcome is very unclear.

 

[Caser]

I'd like to remind everyone that there is a nice little thread for the CHL development Vs KHL development: Development of Russians in CHL v KHL

Let's stay on topic here.

 

[Byrral]

I have no idea what kind of player Abramov will turn into. He was not a top prospect. He was not drafted in the top 10 in his draft year. He was a 3rd round draft pick. How can he be labeled a bust regardless if he makes an impact in the NHL or not. He's got mad skills but he's small and needs to get stronger and improve his skating.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I have no idea what kind of player Abramov will turn into. He was not a top prospect. He was not drafted in the top 10 in his draft year. He was a 3rd round draft pick. How can he be labeled a bust regardless if he makes an impact in the NHL or not. He's got mad skills but he's small and needs to get stronger and improve his skating.

He was hyped really big in Russia, when he was 16-17 yo, and that hype looks like a joke so far.

 

[wings5]

He was hyped really big in Russia, when he was 16-17 yo, and that hype looks like a joke so far.

So was Popugaev and Sokolov among the most hyped 98s, funny how not long after their u17 dominance, people started discovering laziness and skating issues for all three prospects.

 

[blindpass]

So was Popugaev and Sokolov among the most hyped 98s, funny how not long after their u17 dominance, people started discovering laziness and skating issues for all three prospects.

Stay with the plot. They were all destined for superstardom until they made the mistake of leaving Russia.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

I feel he is going come to a point where he will be sort of not good enough to be a top6 NHLer but not good enough of a fit for the bottom6 type of player, and will leave to have a great KHL career instead.

 

[Caser]

 

[Sting]

He's a pretty electrifying player...I think he'll get a good look in the NHL next year.

 

[Caser]

 

[Caser]

 

[Sensinitis]

Excited about this kid. I think he can be an Atkinson level player with more grit... or like Arvidsson. Probably a good 2nd liner when all is said and done and that's perfect with the way Batherson is developing.

The Sens might have two top 6 RWs that they'll end up trading for scraps down the line

 

[Atas2000]

Excited about this kid. I think he can be an Atkinson level player with more grit... or like Arvidsson. Probably a good 2nd liner when all is said and done and that's perfect with the way Batherson is developing.

The Sens might have two top 6 RWs that they'll end up trading for scraps down the line

I can only hope he gets a better treatment than Khokhlachev in Boston.

 

[Caser]