Why doesn't Russia develop more elite defenseman?

[WarriorofTime]

It is mostly cyclical. The Russian percentage of NHL players has ranged from 3.6 % - 6.6 % since the 04/05 Lockout and then shortly thereafter the RSL was replaced by the KHL.

The type of the best player produced is going to come and go with relatively low numbers like that. At one point there were no goaltenders, then no defensemen, now no centers [although this one has a bit of an external factor, many Russian kids grow up playing Center/Wing interchangeably, and in Canada they put all the best kids as Centers, so at NHL level it makes more sense for the Russian Forwards that make it there to play Wing because there is a plethora of Canadians that played exclusively Center, compared to the Russian kid who played both].

Here are 18 Russian Defensemen that were drafted at some point in the first four rounds the last five drafts, which comes out to about 3-4 per year. It's a bit of a numbers game in terms of which and how many can turn into high level NHL D.

2024:
Anton Silayev - R1,P10
Matevi Shuravain - R3,P97
Alexander Siryatsky - R4,P124

2023:
Dmitry Simashev - R1,P6
Mikhail Gulyaev - R1,P31
Bogdan Konyushkov - R4,P110

2022:
Pavel Mintyukov - R1,P10
Artem Duda - R2,36
Daniil Orlov - R4,P110
Arseni Koromyslov - R4,P120

2021:
Daniil Chayka - R2P38
Artyom Grushnikov - R2P48
Kirill Kirsanov - R3P84
Dmitry Kostenko - R3P87
Vladislav Lukashevich - R4P120

2020:
Shakir Mukhamadullin - R1P20
Yan Kuznetsov - R2P50
Alexander Nikishin - R3P69

 

[Silky Johnson]

Those players are not very good compared to their forwards. Not a single defenseman you'd want to have as a 1D on a contending team.

Not one of those players makes team Canada, USA or evem Sweden (though maybe soon for Sweden)

 

[ViD]

Not one of those players makes team Canada, USA or evem Sweden (though maybe soon for Sweden)

All of those players are 22 and younger. Some of them will definitely make U22 team Canada / US / Sweden

 

[redwings86]

Offensive impress and goalies impress.

 

[chris kontos]

Mikkola of florida is good and underrated

 

[Nogatco Rd]

I’ve been waiting for the next Fetisov ever since I watched “Red Army” and “Russian Five”

Which did you prefer? I thought the first was outstanding, haven’t seen the 2nd yet

 

[x Tame Impala]

Which did you prefer? I thought the first was outstanding, haven’t seen the 2nd yet

No reason not to watch both, comrade!

 

[NVious]

I heard they make all their good D play goalie.

 

[Ratsreign]

Plenty of offense and very good goalies ?

We don’t need no dee fense

 

[Pablo El Perro]

Mikkola of florida is good and underrated

Isn't he a Finn?

 

[kerrabria]

What ?

Russia has been producing some very good defensive prospects as of late, we soon might be looking at

Nikishin - Mintyukov
Simashev - Silayev
Gulyaev - Mukhamadullin

That’s without all of the current NHLers like Sergachev, Provorov, Zub, Gavrikov, Romanov, Miromanov etc

I think that’s easily on par with Sweden, Finland

C'mon you guys aren't in the same stratosphere as Sweden. And you're definitely behind Finland too.

 

[ViD]

C'mon you guys aren't in the same stratosphere as Sweden. And you're definitely behind Finland too.

Not for u22 d men

 

[Mrb1p]

Sergachev, Provorov, Romanov, NIkishin, Mintyukov, Simashev, Mukhamadulin, Silayev, Zub, Gravrikov exist

 

[DingDongCharlie]

What ?

Russia has been producing some very good defensive prospects as of late, we soon might be looking at

Nikishin - Mintyukov
Simashev - Silayev
Gulyaev - Mukhamadullin

That’s without all of the current NHLers like Sergachev, Provorov, Zub, Gavrikov, Romanov, Miromanov etc

I think that’s easily on par with Sweden, Finland

Finland for sure, but Sweden has a canyon sized gap on them for established star D.

Forsling, Hedman, Dahlin, Ekholm, Brodin.

Perhaps with a bunch of high end prospects they finally have some breakout as franchise type players. Until that happens they can't be compared on par to Sweden.

 

[kerrabria]

Not for u22 d men

U22 dmen don't play in the NHL. Like 50% of blue chip dman prospects don't even grow into true Top 4 quality guys.

 

[MNRube]

Finland for sure, but Sweden has a canyon sized gap on them for established star D.

Forsling, Hedman, Dahlin, Ekholm, Brodin.

Perhaps with a bunch of high end prospects they finally have some breakout as franchise type players. Until that happens they can't be compared on par to Sweden.

Now compare the Swedish D from the last 4 drafts. Nikishin is the best player not in the NHL, Mintyukov looks like a top pair guy.

They project to have a better blueline than Sweden in the next 5 to 10 years, just a matter of when at this point. Already superior to Finland’s.

 

[Silky Johnson]

All of those players are 22 and younger. Some of them will definitely make U22 team Canada / US / Sweden

That's because it's easier to make a U22 team. Really I was including current Russian NHLers.

What current Russian defencemen make Canada, USA or Sweden - Maybe Sergachev?

Russia doesn't have a single defenceman in any top 20 list I've seen.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Sergachev, Provorov, Romanov, NIkishin, Mintyukov, Simashev, Mukhamadulin, Silayev, Zub, Gravrikov exist

That kind of proves his point. No number 1, all star caliber dmen. Maybe in the future, but it's certainly not in the present.

 

[DamonDRW]

before my time, but Makarov was really good no? Kaprizov has been on quite a run himself.

Makarov was probably the best Russian forward ever. Better than Ovechkin and Kharlamov. Can you imagine Datsyuk with exceptional speed and acceleration?

Larionov was more of a great complementary player to Makarov and Krutov. A star for sure but not exceptional for Russian hockey style of those days.

 

[BradyTkachucky]

They only know how to attack

and they're damn good at it

 

[TeamRenzo]

What ?

Russia has been producing some very good defensive prospects as of late, we soon might be looking at

Nikishin - Mintyukov
Simashev - Silayev
Gulyaev - Mukhamadullin

That’s without all of the current NHLers like Sergachev, Provorov, Zub, Gavrikov, Romanov, Miromanov etc

I think that’s easily on par with Sweden, Finland

The thread title clearly says "elite" and not "very good"

 

[mr figgles]

and they're damn good at it

Only when they have too many men.

 

[GaboriklessWild]

20 years ago people were asking why the Russians were not developing good goalkeepers, nowadays they are spamming the better and better goalkeepers. So it's only a matter of time before they do it to defensemen.