New York Rangers: How was Vitali Kravtsov’s season?

Other Russians

There have been other Russian players who have had to make the transition to North American hockey.  Looking at their stats, there is reason to be optimistic.

Ivan Barbashev (St. Louis Blues)  – Ivan Barbashev made his debut in pro hockey in 2015-16 as an 18 year old with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.   A second round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues,  he had played his junior hockey in the QMJHL so he didn’t have to get acclimated to the smaller ice surface. In 65 games, he scored 10 goals and added 18 assists.   His plus/minus rating was -14 and his shooting percentage was 10.8%.

He played another season in the AHL before making it to the Blues.  Though he has never lived up to his promise as a 45 goal scorer in junior hockey it took him three seasons to become a valuable member of the Stanley Cup Champions .  He contributed 14 goals and 26 points in 80 games lastyear  and was headed towards an even better season this year.

Vlad Namestnikov (Colorado Avalanche) –  Namestnikov was a Tampa first round draft pick who came to North America to play for the London Knights of the O HL.  He made his pro debut as a 20 year old in 2012-13 with the Syracuse Crunch and in 44 games he scored seven goals and totaled 21 points.  He was a plus four and had 32 penalty minutes.

Namestnikov played parts of three seasons in Syracuse before making it to the NHL for good in March, 2014.  He topped the 20 goal mark in 2018 when he was traded to the New York Rangers.

Evgenii Dadonov (Florida Panthers) – Perhaps the greatest case for patience would be the career of Evegneii Dadanov of the Florida Panthers.  A third round draft pick in 2007, he made his debut in North American in the 2009-10 season at age 20. He played a full season with the Rochester Americans, scoring 17 goals and 40 points.  Over the next three seasons he couldn’t stick with the Panthers and ended up being traded to Carolina.  After a three goal half-season with Charlotte of the AHL, Dadonov returned to Russia to play five seasons in the KHL.

In 2017-18 he signed as a free agent with Florida and has scored 28, 28 and 25 goals in the last three season, topping out with 70 points in 2018-19.  Dadonov always had the skill, but didn’t live up to his promise as a player until he was in his mid twenties.