For believers in a mannequin referred to as “NHLe,” which converts level manufacturing in numerous leagues into NHL equivalents and chances of success, Russian ahead Roman Kantserov is likely one of the Blackhawks’ most enjoyable prospects.
The 2023 second-round decide has racked up 26 factors in 31 video games thus far this season with Magnitogorsk Metallurg within the KHL. That’s an especially spectacular stat line for a 20-year-old dealing with principally older gamers of their primes.
Though Kantserov cooled off considerably in January, he nonetheless ranks nineteenth within the KHL in factors per recreation (0.87) as of Monday, making him one among solely two gamers youthful than 24 among the many prime 20.
Against this, Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov, the NHL’s fifth general decide final summer season, ranks twenty sixth at 0.84 factors per recreation. And Wild prospect Danila Yurov, a 2022 first-round decide who performs with Kantserov on Magnitogorsk, ranks 98th at 0.55 factors per recreation.
Kantserov confirmed flashes of brilliance through the KHL playoffs final spring, however then he missed your entire offseason and begin of this season recovering from shoulder surgical procedure, so this can be a shock.
“You’re seeing the offensive creativity, the imaginative and prescient and the ending,” Hawks normal supervisor Kyle Davidson mentioned just lately. “I get up each time his workforce performs early within the morning [in Central Time], and there’s extra targets and assists to look at.”
It’s laborious for the Hawks’ entrance workplace to fulfill up with Kantserov and watch him in-person in Russia, however Davidson nonetheless maintains constant communication. Kantserov’s KHL contract expires in summer season 2026, at which level the Hawks will in all probability attempt to convey him over to North America.
“We’ll textual content about watching his video games: ‘Actually like what you’re doing,’” Davidson added. “It’s good to remain in contact with him and ensure he feels that connection again to Chicago, as a result of we’re actually watching and we’re actually enthusiastic about what he’s doing.”
One other Russian
The Hawks additionally keep communication with Ilya Safonov, one other Russian ahead prospect. A sixth-round decide again in 2021 — from the Stan Bowman period, predating Davidson — Safonov created buzz again in 2022-23 with a breakout offensive season, tallying 37 factors in 64 video games for Kazan Ak-Bars whereas enjoying alongside former NHL-er Alex Radulov.
Since then, Safonov’s manufacturing has dropped to twenty factors in 67 video games final season and 17 factors in 39 video games this season, however Davidson attributes that partially to Kazan shifting him right into a extra defensive position.
At 6-4 and 224 kilos, he has a really huge physique, and he’ll flip 24 in Might. Davidson mentioned he’s on a year-by-year contract with Kazan.
“Ilya is a man we’re at all times speaking about and speaking with, seeing what his scenario is,” Davidson mentioned. “If he selected to return over to North America, it might be a better transition than you could anticipate.”
Nearer to house
Davidson and affiliate GM Norm Maciver spent just a few days in Colorado from Jan. 20-22, which sparked hypothesis about Hawks-Avalanche commerce discussions. The Hawks’ involvement within the Mikko Rantanen commerce Jan. 24 appeared to verify these suspicions.
Davidson mentioned that was purely coincidental, although. They really needed to look at two good matchups (Avs-Wild and Avs-Jets) throughout a break within the Hawks’ schedule — and in addition speak to ahead prospect Aidan Thompson on the College of Denver.
Thompson, a 2022 third-round decide, has taken an enormous step this season as a school junior. His 32 factors (in 26 video games) are tied for seventh within the NCAA. His taking pictures skill, significantly with one-timers, is a energy.
“His manufacturing has been excellent,” Davidson mentioned. “He’s getting nearer to the web and he’s getting extra into these scoring areas, which is giving himself and different gamers on his workforce higher alternatives to capitalize.”
Throughout the Hawks’ deep prospect pool, guys like Thompson are simply neglected. And certainly, the Hawks will finally need to make troublesome selections about which prospects to maintain and which to commerce, since not all will match into their future NHL roster. However for now, investing time into everybody’s improvement advantages the group it doesn’t matter what.
Over to Switzerland
American ahead Oliver Moore was by far essentially the most distinguished Hawks prospect on this planet junior championships a month in the past, however the group quietly additionally had a second participant in Czech ahead Jiri Felcman.
Felcman, a 2023 third-round decide, didn’t stand out a lot through the event, tallying two assists in seven video games as his position inside the Czech workforce decreased. He has spent most of this season enjoying within the Swiss professional league, recording 9 factors in 32 video games for the Langnau Tigers.
Davidson steered Felcman is perhaps a venture prospect on an extended timeline than most. The Hawks do like how a lot he has improved his skating since his draft 12 months.
“He’s a taller man and a bit leaner, so [that improvement] simply comes with energy,” Davidson mentioned. “When you’re 6-4 at that age, you in all probability skilled fast progress sooner or later alongside the best way, so it takes a few of that coordination a bit further time to lock in.”
