Checking In On the Future, Saying Hi to the Past
In an effort to provide more expansive coverage of your Montreal Canadiens this season, from time-to-time I will be talking to folks from around the league(s) and from across the globe in an effort to get a better grasp on how the team’s prospects are developing.
This first segment will focus on the Habs Russian-born prospects, a few old - a few new, as well as a check-up on Habs property currently skating in the Motherland.
To help break down the Russian factor of the Montreal Canadiens roster,
Alessandro Seren Rosso has been kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
Here is a quick bio of Alex:
Alessandro Seren Rosso is a freelance hockey writer who serves as Russian hockey expert for sites like Hockey's Future, McKeen's Hockey and Russianprospect.com. He also collaborated with a number of media outlets such as The Hockey News.
Please remember that this a mix of an update and a scouting report. We kept it a little fun and checked in on vet, and ex-Hab, Alex Perezhogin, as well as looking into Alexei Yemelin’s future. We also discussed what Alex Avtsin and Maxim Trunev have in store as well as updates on how Karri Ramo and Brock Trotter.
It was a great pleasure to work with Alex and I highly recommend you check out his work on all his various sites.
(Alex and I are also working on a Capitals Russian prospects update, but that won’t be ready until later in the week.)
So, without further ado, here is your update on the Habs Russian prospects.
Montreal Canadiens Prospects From Russia:
Player: Alex Avtsin
Current Team: Hamilton Bulldogs, AHL
1. Alex found great success as a junior in Russia, what are some of the qualities that made him such an outstanding player?
ASR:Surely his combination of skills and size. He’s a pretty big kid, at least for Russian junior standards and thus he could dominate the board play and the slots. He also has very good puck skills and is a good scorer. If that’s not enough he got good chemistry with another intriguing junior player, Nikita Dvurechensky, who was overlooked in the past couple of years, but that might become a NHL calibre player. Dvurechensky still plays for Dynamo Moscow. Avtsin also had a good KHL season last year and he improved a lot.
2. What were the impressions of the Russian media on Avtsin’s hockey skills?
ASR: Unfortunately in Russia there isn’t much attention toward junior hockey in the same way as Canada or the US. The WJC gets the big news only when Russian wins, and lately it didn’t happen. In the latest three or four years the situation is improved, also thanks to the creation of a new junior league, but hockey in Russia – and in all other European nations – is mainly an “adult” sport. With that being said, probably last year Avtsin was the most interviewed junior player. His impressions in Russia I think are much similar to the ones in North America, he’s thought as a very promising junior player with skills and good size.
3. Who does Alex Avtsin most resemble(player comparison)?
ASR:I am not a fan of comparisons, any player is different for me. I know there were some comparisons between him and Ovechkin, but they are a bit forced and he plays a way less physical style.
4. The Canadiens draft Avtsin late in the 2009 draft(4th round, 109th overall), why was Alex such a late pick?
ASR:Two words: Russian factor. If it wasn’t for that he could have been a first round pick.
5. Making the jump to North America this summer was considered a surprising move by some, why did Avtsin choose to come to Montreal so soon?
ASR: No, I don’t think it was surprising. He played a full season in pro hockey, well, half due to an injury, but that is, so he was ready to cross the pond and play not junior hockey, but pro hockey. I am usually not a fan of early moves to North America, but in his case I fully support it as he got a spot in the AHL, and that is good for him. I think he can make the Habs roster in the next couple of seasons and I really hope it because I have to admit that Avtsin is one of my favourite prospects. His package of skills, size and desire to prove his worth in the NHL is unmatched in Russia.
Player: Maxim Trunev
Current Team: Cherepovets Severstal. KHL
1. Another late “draft-steal” by the Habs,(Trunev was chose 138th overall in 2008), what skills make Trunev stand out?
ASR: Trunev is a player with speed to burn and very good technique. He isn’t enjoying much success in Russia even if he had a good WJC last year and to some extent he’s having a disappointing season after last year’s one, which wasn’t great either. He can score highlight reel goals, but needs to add some consistency to his game.
2. Although the Canadiens drafted him in 2008, Trunev is now entering his 4th year of professional hockey, how has he handled the KHL?
ASR: As I said, Trunev isn’t having the best time in the KHL. You can argue that he doesn’t get much ice time, but I’d reply that if he would score more, then he’d get higher ice time. He’s trying hard and recently played some good games, but he isn’t yet having a satisfying play in the KHL. He’s going a bit up and down as his KHL teams assigns him rather often in the junior leagues and this isn’t a good sign as many other prospects are getting very good ice time, just like his team mate, Bruins’ Maxim Chudinov, who plays about twenty-two minutes a night. So far Trunev is yet to score his first goal of the season.
3. What are the impressions of the Russian media on Trunev?
ASR:As junior hockey isn’t that big in Russia Trunev isn’t the most famous player. He also doesn’t play a huge role with his KHL team and thus he’s not a very popular player among fans. This is also due to his lack of production.
4. Who does he most resemble?
ASR:He can be compared to any Russian player with speed to burn and soft hands … and lack of physical play.
5. When is Maxim’s contract up? If eligible, will he make the jump to North America next summer?
ASR:I think it’s over this year, you know, it’s not always easy to dig up such information in Russia. I’m not sure he’ll cross the pond though, he might be not ready yet and thus he could opt to play another one or two years in Russia. We’ll see.
Player: Alexei Emelin
Current Team: Kazan AK Bars, KHL
1. When Alexei was chosen in the 3rd round, 84th overall, in the 2004 draft, many felt that he would join the Canadiens and fellow Russian, Andrei Markov, yet 6 years after being drafted he is still in Russia. Why has Alexei chosen not to make the jump to North America and the NHL?
ASR:Well he said himself a number of times. He doesn’t want to play in the AHL. I think he’s right in so, he won the World Championship, he won the RSL/KHL title multiple times and last year he was even the best defenseman of the finals, sincerely I don’t know what he could do more to grab a spot with the Habs. You should also add to this that he’s one of the top players in one of the top KHL teams and thus it’s not easy to lure him to another team.
2. What were the impressions of the Russian media on Emelin’s skills?
ASR:Emelin is considered as a tough player, but reliable. Although after Alexander Svitov KOed him in a fight last season he is less a “cowboy”. He played multiple times with the Russian national team so of course he has a very good reputation in Russia.
3. Although it has been a long time, Alexei is now 24 and has 7 years of professional experience, many in Montreal still feel like he will make the jump after his contract ends this summer, what do you think the chances of Emelin coming to the NHL are?
ASR: At this point it’s hard to see Emelin crossing the pond, although, as you said, his contract will be over this year. Last year he said that he will think about the NHL one his deal is over, but he said that multiple times. I don’t know, I need he can’t win a job in the NHL right away with a 100% chance, but somewhat I also think that he’d deserve one for the reasons I said earlier. We’ll see this summer, but to be honest I’d be more surprised to see him crossing the pond rather than not crossing it.
4. Who does Emelin most resemble(player comparison)?
ASR:Many compare him to Kasparaitis. Yes, it’s not a bad comparison, although Emelin has bigger offensive skills.
5. What is something that many in North America would not know about Alexei Emelin, (the person or the player)?
ASR:I don’t know, good question. Well, once he asked and obtained an autograph to Alexei Morozov.
Player: Alex Perezhogin
Current Team: Omsk Avangard, KHL
1. Alex was a 1st round draft pick, 25th overall, of the Montreal Canadiens in 2001, why was Perezhogin picked so high?
ASR:Perezhogin was, and still is, a very talented player. I think that his pick on the draft wasn’t particularly high, he is a very skilled player and a great skater too. In his draft year he also had a good U18 WJC with team Russia. They won the gold medal that year with one of the strongest U18 team Russia editions ever, with the famous Kovalchuk – Trubachev – Grigorenko line.
2. Although Alex eventually came to the NHL, he did not stay long(2 years - 128 games with the Canadiens), why did Perezhogin have trouble playing in the NHL?
ASR: Well, Perezhogin not always had good ice time, although he played also in the team’s first line. Not all Russians adapt well in the NHL. I also think that many blamed him for being a player who gets too many unnecessary penalties, and I also think that the Habs were expecting more from him. If I don’t remember wrong, Perezhogin wasn’t satisfied by Carbonneau. Besides, many Russians unfortunately never get a second chance and sometimes they aren’t fairly considered by GMs and fans.
3. Having returned to Russian 4 years ago, Perezhogin has found tremendous success as one of the KHL’s leading scorers since his return. Why does Alex do so well in the KHL?
ASR: KHL is a league for people with skills and skating and Perezhogin has plenty of them. Simply as that. He’s a very talented guy and the KHL is a perfect league for players like him.
4. In your opinion, do you think cases like that of Perezhogin(a skilled player who has trouble adjusting to the North American style) scare away younger Russian players from coming to North America?
ASR: No, I think it’s the opposite: GMs are scared to pick Russians up, with the result of the infamous Russian factor, which is, as I told numerous times, hyperbole. Most of top pick players in the latest 4-5 draft did report to America.
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Montreal Canadiens Prospects playing in Russia:
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Player: Brock Trotter
Current Team: Riga Dynamo, KHL
1. Although his rights are owned by the Montreal Canadiens, was it considered a success when Riga landed Trotter this summer?
ASR: Of course. Trotter is a talented player coming from North America and his signing was a loud one, also because Trotter isn’t a 35 years old veteran, but still a young player.
2. Although he is small in stature, 5’10 - 185lbs, Trotter plays a very physical game, has he adjusted well to they style of play in the KHL?
ASR: Yes he did. He is a good player in the KHL. The team appreciates his passing abilities and after some hard time on the start of the season due to the cultural differences and a much needed adaptation period he’s now a very good player for Dynamo Riga. In the KHL he isn’t showing much of his physical play as the KHL is a less physical league, but you can see that he’s used to throw the body.
3. What kind of role has Trotter earned on Riga(1st line, 2nd line? Pp/pk?)?
ASR:Trotter plays on the first line with fellow North American Mark Hartigan and Latvian Aleksandrs Nizivijs. He sees plenty of PP time, he’s good in that because he’s a very good playmaker.
4, When a Russian player makes the jump to North America many people say it’s in the players best interest as it will help the player grow. Not often does a young player(NHL RFA) decide to do the opposite. Is this move in Trotter’s best interest(does it appear that it is helping him grow his game?)?
ASR: Yes, absolutely. The KHL is a much better league than the AHL and Trotter has a very good chance to improve as a player and as a person. Spending 1-2 years in another country makes you grow a lot, as a person on the first place. And Riga is an awesome city, he’s gonna enjoy it there.
5. Do you think we will see more players like Trotter making the jump to the KHL in the near future?
ASR: It’s hard to say. If we talk about North American players I don’t think so, after all at 22-23 players have still good chances to get a spot in the NHL and thus they’d think that stay in NA would help them more. Regarding Russians and Europeans, I think yes. I think that we’ll see less European role players, but the same amount of stars, in the NHL.
Player: Karri Ramo
Current Team: Omsk Avangard, KHL
1. Acquired for goaltender Cedric Desjardins this summer, what value did the Canadiens see in Karri Ramo?
ASR: I think that Ramo can be a capable back up or number one goalie in the NHL. He’ll never be Patrick Roy, but he’s a solid goalkeeper.
2. What are the impressions of the Russian media on Ramo’s skills?
ASR: Ramo is thought as one of the top KHL goalies. He also played in the KHL All-Star game. Yes, people think he’s a very talented goalie and in Omsk they love him as he’s a very capable goalie and a good guy.
3. Karri enjoyed his 1st winning season in over 6 years last year(21-17-4), has Ramo found a home in the KHL?
ASR: Yes, I think so, but you should also consider that in Omsk he has one of the top KHL teams, while the Lightning weren’t so. And now he is also more experienced.
4. In your opinion, does Ramo have a chance of making it in the NHL? Do you think he will make the jump back to North America?
ASR: Yes, I’d reply yes to both questions. I think Ramo can play in the NHL successfully and to some extent he showed it already. His contract in Omsk will run out next April and I don’t really think that an organization like the Habs would trade for a player without knowing that he’s going to report. With that being said, I won’t be surprised if he signs back with Omsk. He’s very happy to play there.
There you have it folks. It doesn’t go into the greatest detail possible but I felt that it would be great to get a general consensus of where all of these players fit, especially from a Russian perspective.
I’d like to thanks Alessandro once again for taking the time to look into all of these players and to have provided us with the update.
Hope you enjoyed!
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Go Habs!!!!!
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