Wednesday, Traktor Chelyabinsk played their second game of the regular season, taking on Barys Astana in front of 4,900 people at Kazakhstan Sports Palace. Evgeny Kuznetsov followed up his clutch performance Monday by scoring his first KHL goal of the 2011-12 season on an unchallenged breakaway in the first period. Video of the goal is above.
Photo credit: KP.RU
The KHL officially began their new season Monday at 9am Washington time, after a five day moratorium to honor the 44 men and women who tragically died in the Lokomotiv plane accident. Atlant re-started their game against Salavat Yulaev, which was named the “Lokomotiv Cup,” and Evgeny Kuznetsov’s Traktor Chelyabinsk met their conference rivals from Metallurg Novokuznetsk in their home opener. All in all, there were 7 games on the KHL ledger.
A year after putting up one of the best years ever recorded by a 18-year-old in Russia, Capitals’ prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov hit the ice a bit out of game shape after being sidelined most of the offseason due to shoulder surgery, which he admitted after the game.
The winger was active throughout the match, despite starting on the third-line and having very limited ice time, certainly not something he’s used to. As the game wore on, Kuznetsov, was moved up in the depth chart. He had a few chances on goal but wasn’t able to score or net an assist, though he did provide some beautiful set-ups for his teammates. He also picked up two minutes for elbowing, which Metallurg capitalized on to tie the game at one early in the second.
By 12 years ago
Dima participates in a drill during the first day of Development Camp.
Photos by Chris Gordon
When Metallurg Novokuznetsk’s season ended in early February without a playoff berth, Dmitry Orlov had two options. He could finish the year in Russia again with Metallurg’s MHL affiliate, the Novokuznetsk Bears, or begin his professional career in North America. After dominating the KHL’s junior circuit and winning the Davydov trophy as the MHL Playoff MVP in 2009-10, Dima needed a new challenge. So he negotiated an agreement with his KHL club and flew over to America to sign a contract with the Washington Capitals.
On February 27th, Orlov impressed fans and media alike in his AHL debut against the Albany Devils. Not only did he register a point in his first game as a Hershey Bear, he inspired The Patriot-News’s Tim Leone to exclaim,”That’s the best first 20 minutes from a 19-year-old D I’ve ever seen in this league.” Orlov went on to score his first AHL goal — ten days later — on March 9th against the Worchester Sharks and finished the year with nine points in 19 games.
After taking a brief vacation in Turkey, the defensive prospect is back in America, and participating in his third Development Camp. So far, the reports are positive.
By Igor Kleyner 12 years ago
As reported by the Russian website Sports.ru, goalie Semyon Varlamov has signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. Previous reports out of Russia indicated SKA was offering the 23 year-old netminder up to $4 million per year but Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, who held the KHL rights to negotiate with Varlamov, was unwilling to make a trade.
By Chris Gordon 12 years ago
Photo credit: Chris Gordon (Click to enlarge. He’s got beautiful blue eyes, you know.)
Evgeny Kuznetsov has had quite a year. Not only did he win a gold medal with Team Russia in the 2011 World Junior Championship, become the youngest player to ever be in the KHL All-Star Game and get engaged, but he also had the second-most goals ever in a season for a Russian player under 19-years old (17 to be exact). But how can we measure his success compared to the NHL?
By 13 years ago
A portrait of Chris Simon taken by the KHL’s official magazine, Hot Ice
After leaving the Washington Capitals in 2002, Chris Simon played for five different NHL clubs over the following seven seasons. He received four suspensions during that time, including a 25-game ban for slashing Ryan Hollweg in the face and a 30-game sit down for tripping Jarkko Ruutu and then stomping on his leg with his skate.
In 2008, Simon opted to have a clean slate and joined the KHL. He signed with the league’s toughest team, Vityaz Chekhov. Known as the “Indian” among Vityaz fans, Simon quickly became a fan favorite and was named captain of the team. With Vityaz, he participated in the mega-brawl against Avangard Omsk, which resulted in both teams accumulating 600 PIM and a cancellation of the match. However, Simon’s scoring totals steadily grew every year in the KHL (eight goals in 2008-09, 13 in 2009-10 and 16 in 2010-11) and he was recently named to the 2011 KHL All-Star Game. Rumors that he would be traded at the deadline were circulating and finally, five days before the All-Star Game, he was traded to UHC Dynamo Moscow, who were looking to add some grit to their line-up for the playoffs. The second seed in the East, Dynamo was upset by Dinamo Riga in the first-round in a heart-breaking six-game series. Shortly after, Sport-Express spoke with the former Cap.
Below the jump, RMNB’s Igor Kleyer has translated the rare Simon interview. The 39 year-old talks about what it was like to learn Russian, who helped him settle in with his new team and why he decided to become a “tough guy” in the first place.
By Igor Kleyner 13 years ago
When talking about the KHL player Leo Komarov, you have many different things you can describe him as: fan favorite, agitator, hitter or secondary scorer. Knowing that he was raised in Finland you understand Komarov is like Jarkko Ruutu or Sean Bergenheim. He is the type of guy you hate to play against.
Komarov, who was born in Estonia but is a duel citizen of Russia and Finland, is one of the Russian league’s brightest young stars. He racked up 26 points (including 14 goals) while registering 70 penalty minutes over 52 games in the 2010-11 KHL regular season, and also played in the Kontinental Hockey League’s All-Star Game. In the playoffs, which ended, well, earlier than expected for Dynamo, Komarov posted a remarkable four goals in just six games.
By 13 years ago
Orlov took in his first ever AHL game tonight at Giant Center. (Photo by SHOE’s Kyle M.)
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2009 draft by the Capitals Dmitri Orlov has emerged as one of the top defensive prospects in Washington’s system, spurred by his solid play across the pond. Last year after Kontinental Hockey League’s Metallurg Novokuznetsk failed to qualify for the playoffs, the club decided to send him down to the Novokuznetsk Bears of the MHL, the KHL’s developmental league. After totaling only four goals and three assists in 43 KHL games, Orlov quickly found his game in the junior circuit, leading the Bears to the MHL Finals.
Orlov’s nine goals and 10 assists in the playoffs ranked him third among all skaters. He was awarded several top honors including the Davydov trophy as the MHL Playoff MVP and was also named the best defenseman of the MHL Finals and Semifinals.
Dima — as some fans know him — followed up his successful 2009-10 with two goals and 10 assists for Metallurg in 2010-11. Orlov also won a gold medal at the 2011 World Junior Championships with the U20 Russian National Team, playing on the top defensive pairing. He was named first-team all WJC along with fellow Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov.
Since Metallurg once again failed to make the playoffs this year and finished with the KHL’s worst record, Orlov and the club reached an agreement allowing him to start his professional career in the Capitals organization earlier than expected. On Saturday, he flew to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania before taking in Sunday’s Hershey Bears game against the Charlotte Checkers at Giant Center. Orlov is expected to officially sign with the Bears of the American Hockey League on Monday.
This is not Orlov’s first stint in America. He attended the Capitals 2009 and 2010 Development Camps, winning over Caps fans with his love of cupcakes in the process.
RMNB’s resident translator Igor Kleyner translated the 19 year-old Novokuznetsk native’s final interview with Metallurg before departing for the United States. Check it out below the jump.
By Igor Kleyner 13 years ago
Caps prospect and cupake-connoisseur Evgeny Kuznetsov won this year’s KHL Breakaway Challenge by using some Ovechkin-esque moves on future NHL HOF goaltender Dominik Hasek. The video of it can be seen above. If I had to pick my own personal favorite breakaway, I’d choose Kuznetsov’s second attempt where he juggled the puck down the ice mid-air with his stick, threw it over Hasek’s head in reaction to The Dominator trying to tackle him, and then skated himself and the puck into the goal. All with only a spotlight on him! Kuzya, who also had a goal and four assists in Team Jagr’s 18-16 victory over Team Yashin, was the youngest player ever to play in the KHL All-Star Game at 18-years old. The future for this young Russian is certainly bright! The only question I have is: will Kuzya’s hot-streak ever end?
Today, the World Junior Championships are set to begin in Buffalo, New York, and RMNB’s Igor Kleyner has translated a fantastic one-on-one interview between Sport Express’s Yuriy Golyshak and Capitals 2010 First Round Pick Evgeny Kuznetsov. Warning: it’s another long one.
In the article translated below, we learn even more crucial information about Kuz including his nagging shoulder injury, his thoughts on the slash Braden Holtby delivered to him during Caps Development Camp, and his experience being drafted by Washington. On top of that, we also learn about Kuznetsov’s half a year of driving without a license, his love for McDonald’s food, and his embarrassment on never seeing Alex Ovechkin play live. Check out all of that and more below the jump.
By Igor Kleyner 13 years ago
