Who's the best player outside the NHL

[Kshahdoo]

U25 only.

My top5

Nikishin
Shabanov
Gritsyuk
Aimurzin
Demidov/Buchelnikov

Yeah, all are from the KHL, because the transition from the KHL to NHL usually goes the smoothest way (look at Michkov, Voronkov and Tsyplakov, who played in the "terrible KHL" and still made the big league).

 

[waitin425]

1. Demidov
2. Nikishin
3. Schaefer
4. Misa
5. Fowler

 

[Kshahdoo]

1. Demidov
2. Nikishin
3. Schaefer
4. Misa
5. Fowler

I mean right now, not in the future. I doubt Schaefer or Misa are better than a PPG+ KHLer...

 

[waitin425]

I mean right now, not in the future. I doubt Schaefer or Misa are better than a PPG+ KHLer...

Those two have the highest probability of being impactful NHLer's next year than anyone not named Nikishin or Demidov in the KHL.

I put Fowler in there, because he is quickly becoming the best goalie prospect in hockey, if he isn't already.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Those two have the highest probability of being impactful NHLer's next year than anyone not named Nikishin or Demidov in the KHL.

I put Fowler in there, because he is quickly becoming the best goalie prospect in hockey, if he isn't already.

Yeah, but it's because some of those guys won't play in the NHL next season. Otherwise I'd say Buchelnikov would have had a pretty big chance to make some noise given how bad Detroit's LW position is.

 

[waitin425]

Yeah, but it's because some of those guys won't play in the NHL next season. Otherwise I'd say Buchelnikov would have had a pretty big chance to make some noise given how bad Detroit's LW position is.

Admittedly I don't know enough about the KHL guys. Just based on what I have seen, Ill stick with my top 5.

 

[Garl]

U25 only.

My top5

Nikishin
Shabanov
Gritsyuk
Aimurzin
Demidov/Buchelnikov

Yeah, all are from the KHL, because the transition from the KHL to NHL usually goes the smoothest way (look at Michkov, Voronkov and Tsyplakov, who played in the "terrible KHL" and still made the big league).

Russian homer rating

 

[Play]

U25 only.

My top5

Nikishin
Shabanov
Gritsyuk
Aimurzin
Demidov/Buchelnikov

Yeah, all are from the KHL, because the transition from the KHL to NHL usually goes the smoothest way (look at Michkov, Voronkov and Tsyplakov, who played in the "terrible KHL" and still made the big league).

You haven’t changed one bit

 

[Fatass]

Interesting topic. Im thinking there are US college and Major Junior players that will become the best NHLers. That Russian league is pretty weak. Guys who can’t make it in the nhl are stars over there.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Interesting topic. Im thinking there are US college and Major Junior players that will become the best NHLers. That Russian league is pretty weak. Guys who can’t make it in the nhl are stars over there.

Yeah, it's pretty weak, but Nikishin and Demidov are still the best... kinda weird logic. And I named players who are almost certainly better than Demidov right now.

 

[Fatass]

Yeah, it's pretty weak, but Nikishin and Demidov are still the best... kinda weird logic. And I named players who are almost certainly better than Demidov right now.

Hard to judge guys coming out of the Russian leagues right now. Their domestic game is on a downturn. US college hockey and Major Junior are on the upswing.

 

[Remparts666]

U25 only.

My top5

Nikishin
Shabanov
Gritsyuk
Aimurzin
Demidov/Buchelnikov

Yeah, all are from the KHL, because the transition from the KHL to NHL usually goes the smoothest way (look at Michkov, Voronkov and Tsyplakov, who played in the "terrible KHL" and still made the big league).

Would you agree that shabanov at 5,8 is most likely a bust at the nhl level ? How he is different than a Vladimir tkachev that has all the skills but could not handle the physicality of the nhl ?

 

[Kshahdoo]

Would you agree that shabanov at 5,8 is most likely a bust at the nhl level ? How he is different than a Vladimir tkachev that has all the skills but could not handle the physicality of the nhl ?

Weren't there even smaller players in the league? And given Shabanov's skating, shot and IQ I'm pretty sure his chances to become a legit (at the least) NHLer are pretty good.

 

[Fyodorov]

1. Demidov
2. Nikishin
3. Schaefer
4. Misa
5. Fowler

Interesting topic. Im thinking there are US college and Major Junior players that will become the best NHLers. That Russian league is pretty weak. Guys who can’t make it in the nhl are stars over there.

Very funny to see the whole "KHL is so weak" takes still coming up after the massive L tons of posters here have taken in the Bedard vs. Michkov comparisons.

 

[mphmiles]

Ryan Leonard.

 

[deca guard]

i only pay attention to detroit prospects and watch grandrapidsgriffins , and will say that cossa has to be one of the top goalies not in nhl .
very good latteral movement at an athletic 6'7'' , makes pad saves that very few could with his long
quick legs

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Very funny to see the whole "KHL is so weak" takes still coming up after the massive L tons of posters here have taken in the Bedard vs. Michkov comparisons.

Have they taken a massive L? Bedard isn’t living up to the hype, he’s had a bad year. But the guy put up 61 points in 68 games last year on a historically bad Hawks team.

He’s still out producing Michkov this year, despite having a terrible season.

 

[Caser]

Russian homer rating

You say it like it's a bad thing.

Interesting topic. Im thinking there are US college and Major Junior players that will become the best NHLers. That Russian league is pretty weak. Guys who can’t make it in the nhl are stars over there.

Yeah, KHL is so weak that when a middle-six KHLer like Tsyplakov is moving to the NHL he becomes just a middle-six NHLer.


Seriously though, I think when answering the question in the OP Nikishin is likely the correct answer, however it might be not that easy to determine a top 5, as indeed there are interesting players not only in the KHL who might be totally NHL ready already at this point.

 

[Czechboy]

Hmm.. best U25 prospects not in NHL with country themes

Jiricek, sale, hrabal, Spacek, ASP

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

You say it like it's a bad thing.


Yeah, KHL is so weak that when a middle-six KHLer like Tsyplakov is moving to the NHL he becomes just a middle-six NHLer.


Seriously though, I think when answering the question in the OP Nikishin is likely the correct answer, however it might be not that easy to determine a top 5, as indeed there are interesting players not only in the KHL who might be totally NHL ready already at this point.

Now do Gusev. Or AHL All star Alexander Yelesin

 

[Caser]

Now do Gusev

44 points in 66 games in the season when he moved to the NHL from the KHL - sort of solid I'd say. What happened to him later is hardly KHL's fault though, it wasn't anywhere near him.

 

[ViD]

Nikishin




The rest

Now do Gusev

Both Gusev and Kuzmenko had excellent first seasons in the NHL

 

[Kshahdoo]

You say it like it's a bad thing.


Yeah, KHL is so weak that when a middle-six KHLer like Tsyplakov is moving to the NHL he becomes just a middle-six NHLer.


Seriously though, I think when answering the question in the OP Nikishin is likely the correct answer, however it might be not that easy to determine a top 5, as indeed there are interesting players not only in the KHL who might be totally NHL ready already at this point.

My logic is the same age players from other leagues are either not good enough or already NHLers. And younger players are just not there yet.

I mean look at NCAA, who's the leading scorer of the league right now? Nashville's 7th rounder Aiden Fink. If you ask hfers about him, i'm pretty sure 90% will answer "never heard of him", and such stats don't usually mean a lot anyway.

 

[Caser]

Or AHL All star Alexander Yelesin

Sure, Yelesin didn't work out like at all, but then there is Lyubushkin, who in general was worse in the KHL than Yelesin and he is a solid NHLer.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Demidov quite easily