The first round of the National Hockey League draft took place in the United States.
25 clubs have decided who will get the 31 best young players in the world so that in the future it will be possible to conclude full-fledged contracts with them.
For the second time in three years, four Russians were selected in the first round.
SKA goalkeeper Yaroslav Askarov left the talent fair already at number 11.
The rights to it went to the Nashville Predators.
Never before have the Russian goalkeeper been chosen so high, and only four goalkeepers of the Russian school turned out to be in the first round - before Askarov Ilya Samsonov (No. 22, Washington, 2015), Andrey Vasilevsky (No. 19, Tampa Bay "In 2012), Semyon Varlamov (No. 23," Washington "in 2006) and Evgeny Ryabchikov (No. 21," Boston "in 1994).
Everyone, except for the latter, eventually managed to gain a foothold in the NHL, and the 18-year-old native of Omsk should also have such a chance.
"Nashville" in the near future need to solve the problem with the goalkeepers.
The contracts with the team symbol Pekka Rinne and his successor Juuse Saros will end in 2021.
Both can no longer be called super-reliable goalkeepers, and 37-year-old Rinne, moreover, may soon end his career.
The Predators now only have to wait for Askarov to end an agreement with SKA, which will be in effect for another two years.
Assistant General Manager Jeff Kilty made no secret of the fact that Nashville is definitely going to give the young Russian a chance.
“I would compare this goalkeeper to Pekka Rinne or Jonathan Quick.
We believe that Askarov will become the face of our club, ”he said.
Askarov himself is ready to move overseas.
He is confident that he can win the competition in the team and become the next Russian goalkeeper in the NHL, on whom they will pin their hopes.
“Emotions overwhelm me.
This is happiness, joy.
And I still don't understand what happened.
Taking over from such good goalkeepers as Rinne and Saros is great.
I like their game.
And check out my past interviews.
I have said in many that I separately noted both Saros and Rinne.
Although when I was very young and took the first steps as a goalkeeper, my idol was Jonathan Quick <…> I have no nervousness when I think about the NHL.
There is a desire and a passion to come to Nashville.
I don't feel any excitement.
Maybe this is now so, and then the experience will appear.
But not now, ”Askarov said after the draft.
Rodion Amirov was the next Russian to be chosen at number 15.
He will be able to continue his overseas career at the Toronto Maple Leafs next season, joining Alexander Barabanov and Ilya Mikheev.
So far, Amirov continues to play in the KHL for Salavat Yulaev, where he managed to score five points in ten matches.
Over the past six years, Toronto has chosen the tenth Russian hockey player to draft.
But Amirov liked the general manager Kyle Dubas not because of his nationality, but because of his playing qualities.
“What did we like about him?
Its speed.
In our opinion, she is one of the best players in his class.
We liked how he spent last year, and we also liked his ability to find ways to influence the game at the KHL level this season.
We love his game with and without the puck.
When he is not scoring points, he can contribute with speed and also benefit from the minority and forecheck.
We were happy that he stood until our peak and was immediately taken away.
We considered a number of possible situations with an exchange, but this was not at all a discussion from the series "Amirov against someone else," Dubas noted.
The 183-centimeter Amirov may not be considered too bulky for the NHL, but already now, due to his other qualities, he looks confidently against the background of adult players.
Toronto prefers to play technical overhaul hockey, and the 19-year-old Russian will be able to maintain the team's style in the future.
New Jersey Devils spent one of their three picks in the first round of the draft on defender Shakir Mukhamadullin.
The player of Salavat Yulaev left with number 20, which went to the club from Tampa Bay Latning.
For him, such an early choice was a complete surprise.
“I didn’t expect to be chosen so high.
I was very happy, my heart almost jumped out of my chest.
I experience some positive emotions.
I am happy to be a part of the team and will do my best to help the Devils win the Stanley Cup, "the defender promised.
Mukhamadullin became the tallest player in the first round, but the Devils management should have liked him not so much for his height as for his playing practice in the KHL.
The 192-centimeter defender is already steadily out on the ice at the age of 18.
Until 2022, Mukhamadullin will remain in Russia, working out his contract with the Ufa team, and then he will be able to compete for a place in New Jersey with other young defenders like Ty Smith and Kevin Bal.
The Columbus Blue Jackets were one of the biggest sensations in the draft.
At number 21, he chose Yegor Chinakhov.
A year ago, the striker had already announced his candidacy, but was left without a team, and this time he was out of sight of scouts and analysts.
But thanks to the postponement of the draft from summer to October, Chinakhov was able to show with his statistics that he was ready to make his debut in the NHL.
In 12 appearances for Avangard, he scored five goals and became the second sniper in his team, which leads the Eastern Conference.
Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Chinakhov was one of his top 10 draft picks.
Already next season, he will be able to sign a Russian hockey player, on whom no one else has bet.
“Yegor and I are well acquainted.
The transfer of the draft allowed us to monitor his play even more closely.
In the last five matches, he scored five goals, and played against CSKA for more than 21 minutes.
Yes, we had a chance to go lower, but in 25 years in hockey, I learned that if you have one player that you rate so highly, you have to choose him.
It was in our top ten and we are very happy to receive it.
He has a good set of skills, a throw, he can beat one-on-one.
In general, Egor has many qualities that he can apply in the NHL and North America, ”said Kekalainen.