Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov is coming off the best season of his career, but the 25-year-old Russian will be a restricted free agent this July. The Caps control Orlov’s rights at the NHL level, but he also has suitors overseas.
Friday morning, CSKA President Igor Esmantovich announced that the Moscow-based KHL team is in talks with Orlov.
Capitals goaltending prospect Ilya Samsonov stopped 36 of 39 shots in a 3-2 loss to Vityaz Podolsk on Wednesday. Although Samsonov was outstanding — he turned away 13 shots during the first period alone — two of the three goals he gave up show areas where the 19-year-old is still vulnerable: rebound-control, positioning, and protecting the top shelf.
By Graham Dumas 3 years ago
Thursday before a KHL game between Admiral Vladivostok and Amur Khabarovsk, guitarist Denis Kim of the group Starkillers performed the Russian national anthem while wearing a black Amur jersey.
Except Kim didn’t sing, he shredded the anthem like a bad Poison guitar solo.
Capitals top goaltending prospect, Ilya Samsonov, suffered a rare loss Wednesday night as Metallurg Magnitogorsk fell to Avangard Omsk 5-2. It was only the 19-year-old’s second regulation loss in 22 KHL games this season.
But that doesn’t mean Samsonov didn’t have his moments. Such as seven minutes into the first period where Ilya made a series of insane, sprawling saves. Diving back and forth across the crease in a crazed effort to deflect shot after shot, the Metallurg Magnitogorsk goalie (and the post) turned away three quality scoring chances at the same time.
By Graham Dumas 3 years ago
Caps prospect Ilya Samsonov has been dominating the KHL this season.
The 19-year-old goaltender is undefeated, tallying wins in 9 of his first 15 appearances. The 2015 first-found pick also has a .937 save percentage and a 1.97 goals against average.
Monday night, Samsonov posted his first shutout of the season against Dynamo Moscow, making 35 saves. His most difficult stop came with 11 seconds remaining in the game.
On Friday, former Capitals forward Alex Semin, now a member of the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk, scored a spectacular goal against Amur Khabarovsk. Reminiscent of Ovechkin’s magical goal against the Phoenix Coyotes in 2006 (okay, we’re stretching things just a little bit), Semin completely befuddled Amur defensemen Jan Kolar before firing a shot past goaltender Juha Metsola while falling over.
It was brilliant.
By Chris Gordon 4 years ago
On Thursday, former Capital Wojtek Wolski suffered a serious injury in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League.
Wolski, who has five goals in 19 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, had to be stretchered off the ice after diving for a loose puck. Wolski collided with Barys’ Vladimir Markelov and crashed headfirst into the boards. Wolski laid on the ice motionless.
Metallurg had an update on Wolski’s condition Friday and it’s not good.
By Chris Cerullo 4 years ago
The Capitals future in net, which was already bright, appears to be getting brighter.
2015 first-round pick Ilya Samsonov is currently dominating the KHL right now and having his best stretch as a pro.
On Tuesday, the 19-year-old was named the KHL’s Rookie Of The Week after stopping 69 of 71 shots in consecutive victories against Avangard (3-1 win) and Medvescak (6-1 win).
Ahead of the World Cup of Hockey, the Russian national team has been practicing together in St. Petersburg. On Thursday, Alex Ovechkin participated in Knowledge Day ceremonies, welcoming children back to school. Today, in that same vein, the Russian machine joined Evgeny Kuznetsov and Evgeni Malkin out on the ice to play hockey against children during the first intermission of the SKA/Lada Togliatti game.
The Russian superstars were dressed — I’m serious — as mascots.
After he was put on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens in December, former Capitals forward Alex Semin flew home to Russia and completed the 2015-16 season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Semin scored five goals and nine assists in 20 regular season games. In the playoffs, Semin did even better, notching seven goals and eight assists in 23 playoff games. Semin and Magnitogorsk won the Gagarin Cup as league champions.
Despite spending 11 seasons and playing 650 games in North America, Semin will not test the NHL free agent market. Instead, last Tuesday, Semin agreed to terms with Magnitogorsk. Sports.ru was the first to report the news.
