I did forget Kulikov but technically he was born in the USSR, as hockey-reference lists Russia and the USSR as two separate birthplaces. I was looking for players who came up through the KHL which roughly corresponds with the fall of the Soviet Union + 18 years. Kulikov of course spent his draft year in juniors but I don't think you were saying otherwise.
They used to, which is what makes this so odd. Zubov, Gonchar, Malakhov, Boris Mironov, Tverdovsky, Ozolinsh (I know he's Latvian) - a fair number of that first generation of Russian D in the NHL were offensive. I'm curious if somehow the KHL and the playing style demanded there has kind of ground out that sort of defenseman.
I think part of why there are so few is that the perception is that a lot of Russian guys don't want to grind it out in the AHL or be a marginal NHL defender - Rykov's a good example, he might've been able to play in the NHL, but after one unsuccessful year it appears as though he's done with North America. Yegor Zaitsev looks like he might have NHL chops, but does he want to come over and maybe spend time in the AHL first, or get inconsistent ice time in the NHL? Plus it has to be so hard to scout these guys because they're often in the MHL or VHL at 18. Better to just wait until they're 23 and try to sign them, I guess.
Rykov might have played in the NHL if he hadn’t gotten injured in Rangers training camp and didn’t return start playing in Hartford until early December. Rykov’s under contract but he has a European Assignment Clause so I don’t know that he won’t come over for Hartford. ( And don’t care enough to find out.)
It does feel like it might be harder to lure defensive defensemen over to NA compared to offensive players since the bigger paydays aren’t often there for that position. That’s why the Coyotes’ Lyubushkin is an interesting case, he’s a pretty old school defensive defenseman, but he was signed as free agent when he a top defenseman in the KHL. I have no idea if NHL types even identified him as a prospect in ~2013 though.
There are that many Russian defensemen, either from juniors or the KHL organizations, drafted each year. Some of that drop off comes from shortening the NHL draft in 2004. Obviously that meant less drafted players in general but it goes from 2000-2002 having a dozen Russian defensemen a year to a low where (I’m pretty sure) Voynov was the only Russian defenseman drafted in 2008.
And yes, there were more Russian forwards being drafted then as well, with 25-30 Russian forwards being drafted in 2000-2002 while 7 forwards went in 2007 (and 2? in 2008). This also may have do with hesitancy to deal the KHL, Russian players unwillingness come over and maybe even the lowering of the UFA age.
Then again starting in about 2012, Russian goalies have been more popular then ever, with 2-4 being drafted each year when it used to be one a year and that could skip a year. So quality still wins here.
I’ve gotten sidetracked but I will add in the last few years it has picked up with 3-6 Russian defensemen drafted (partly do to us lol) and there’s been huge surge in Russian forwards, who are back up to about 20 being drafted a year.
Also, Elite Prospects does list our scouts and their “stats”. Shero did add the Devils first Russian national scouts with Misha Manchik in 2016-17 and Andrei Plekhanov in 2018-19. Poking around other team’s roster (dear god I need to get a life) I noticed that Russian scouts are something that a bunch of teams have added for the first time in the last few years. Teams’ European scouts are traditionally Swedes, Finns and Czechs (or North American). Tampa has had a Russian scout since 1999-2000 which pretty unique, though I have not checked every team.
So maybe Russian defenders under-exploited source for potential NHL players. This scouting staff is clearly not afraid to draft two-way defensemen with less offensive upside or even a straight-up defensive defenseman. There are specific risks to drafting that style of player that probably applies to a defensive prospect from any country.
I’ve rambled enough but I do share your curiosity about our scouts’ passion for Russian defensemen.
