World Junior Preview: Russia, Unpredictably Predictable

No matter what year it is, Russia’s World Junior team always seems to be a big mystery. The players themselves aren’t really, thanks to the KHL and CHL Super Series exposing the world to what the country has to offer.

But when they all mix together, that’s when it gets a bit muddy. Some years, everything clicks. The offense is firing on all cylinders, the goaltending is stealing the show and contests are fun, exciting battles each night.

Other times, the team has too many personalities trying to prove their the best, and the team suffers as a result. After losing the Summit Series in Canada in November, there were questions about which Russian team we’d be treated to in Buffalo this year.

The verdict? All signs point to another medal contender, but their path may be troubled along the way.

Goaltending: Filling Ilya Samsonov's crease this year is about to get a little tougher than expected. After the CHL-Russia Summit Series concluded, all signs pointed to undrafted prospect Vladislav Sukhachev getting the nod. Currently in his first year as a VHL starting goalie, Sukhachev has had a good season with Chelmet Chelyabinsk and played decently for Russia in the CHL series. He's been good at every level he's participated in Russia, which includes a gold medal at the 2014 U17's, a silver at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, and bronze medals at the Ivan Hlinka in 2016 and last year's World Juniors. Winnipeg Jets seventh rounder Mikhail Berdin should also get a couple of starts, with the Sioux Falls Stampede putting up strong numbers, but at this point, it’s Sukhachev’s net to lose. 

Defensemen: Oh boy. Yes, Russia always seems to stink when it comes to their defense, but good thing they have Mikhail Serga… oh, yeah, right. Trust me, that’s not changing this year. Leading the way of Russia’s effort is New Jersey Devils draft pick Egor Zaitsev, a 19-year-old playing in his first international tournament for Russia since the 2014 Under-17’s. Zaitsev has become a full-time KHLer with Dynamo Moskva this season and plays a physical game despite his smaller stature. Two-way defender Artyom Minulin will be joining him as a minute-cruncher for the Russians, with the Swift Current Broncos defenseman off to a great seaso in his third WHL campaign. He overcame an upper body injury in mid-November to get right back on track and should be a good asset for the Russians.

So what’s next? Guelph Storm defenseman Dimitri Samorukov brings speed to a defense core that simply doesn't have it. Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers this past June, Samorukov had back-to-back tremendous Under-18 tournaments and was Russia's best defense in both Super Series games he played in.

Red Deer Rebels defender and upcoming NHL Draft prospect Alexander Alexeyev won't be counted to bring the offense, but with a big frame and a good shot, he can get the puck where it needs to be. Scouts seem to have mixed views of Alexeyev, with some people expecting him to be a mid-first rounder, while others think he could fall near to near the end of the second. With Russia weak on the blue line, this is his time to show scouts he’s worth a shot.

Another big boy, Artyom Minulin, had an average Super Series tournament back in November and hasn't looked overly spectacular in previous tournaments with Russia. Still, the undrafted prospect appeared to be a mid-round draft option last year but will give the draft a second chance this year. Minulin is a creative playmaker who's good at a lot of things, but not spectacular at anything.

Forwards: Russia’s offense is always the center of attention in international play and that’s no different this year. The team will be counting on German Rubtsov to lead the charge, and with his international record looking pretty spiffy, that’s a reasonable expectation. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect didn't record a point in a limited role at last year's World Juniors, but the centerman has shown lots of poise and skill ever since. Currently with the QMJHL's Acadie-Bathurst Titan, the playmaking forward will rack up a few assists this year, likely setting up star prospect Andrei Svechnikov.

Svechnikov, of course, is expected to be one of the top picks in the upcoming draft and a good tournament could push him closer to the number one spot.  Last season alone, Svechnikov had the most points at the World Under-17 Challenge, won a bronze at the U17 and U18 level and was named the World Junior A Challenge's MVP after one of the most memorable tournament performances to date. The reigning USHL rookie of the year has made a great transition to the OHL's Barrie Colts, recently coming off of an injury to score a hat-trick before joining the Russians for their training camp. If you get him in the right spot, he’ll get your team many, many goals, and that’s something the Russians can look forward too, even if this may be his only year at the tournament.

Russia doesn't have a lot of NHL draft picks on the roster, but the few they have are rather decent. Chicago will specifically be keeping an eye on Andrei Altybarmakyan and Artur Kayumov. Altybarmakyan is the most recent draft pick, getting called 70th overall earlier in June, and with six points in nine previous games with the U20 team this year, he's off to a good season. Altybarmakyan has been up and down in the Russian hockey system this year, earning 13 games with SKA St. Petersburg, mostly in a limited role. One of Russia's best players at the recent Super Series, Altybarkmakyan has never represented the Russians in a proper international event but he has the potential to become a top six winger for the country in Buffalo.

Kayumov getting the chance to represent Russia at the World Juniors is a long time coming. The 19-year-old has always been one of the best players in his age group wherever he's played, earning him a second round spot at the 2016 draft. Kayumov was spectacular in both tournaments he represented the Russians at, the 2015 Hlinka Memorial and the World Junior A Challenge a few months later and will be expected to put up a few points as the team looks to make the finals.

Currently in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage, Klim Kostin annoys every defenseman he comes across and makes plays out of small openings. Sure, it may not seem like that with his two total points in three leagues last year, but Kostin is a player you can throw in any offensive position and make an impact. He's a good skater for a tall guy and beats guys one-on-one with quick dekes on a daily basis. The 2016 Hlinka Memorial team captain plays at a different level when he wears his nation's colours and his leadership and skill is a big asset to the team.

A Minnesota Wild seventh rounder with AHL experience already, Sudbury Wolves forward Dmitri Sokolov is hoping his solid Super Series performance against Team OHL will translate into some opportunities for some elevated roles with the junior team. He was tremendous with the U17 team a few years back and the former OHL rookie goal-scoring leader was one of Russia’s best players at the 2015 Under-18’s, so he’ll want to make his mark as a speedy forward on the talented Russian offense.

New Jersey Devils prospect Mikhail Maltsev has played in the KHL, VHL and MHL this season, putting up points in all three leagues. Getting the chance to play against men has made Maltsev a better player, and this after a great 2015 World Junior A Challenge performance where he was Russia’s most electric forward. If he gets the chance to play with SKA St. Petersburg next year, he’ll be filled with KHL all-stars that will help elevate his game to the next level. This year, the Maltsev could realistically fight for the second centerman spot on Russia, which would be huge for his development.

Projection: Projecting Russia to be one of the top teams at the World Juniors seems lazy, but it could very well come true this season. Russia always finds a way to make noise during an international event and with some great young talent with the potential to return a year from now, there’s a lot of positives to the Russians this season. They may not be the best team, but expecting them to finish in the medal round is quite reasonable.

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