The Kontinental Hockey League is undoubtedly the second-best hockey league on the planet, containing several players who could be successful in the NHL.
So, if the KHL put together a team of its best players to face off against the NHL's 31 teams in the 2017-18 season, which players would make the cut, and how would they fare?
To answer this, the following parameters should be kept in mind:
- The KHL All-Stars would play in the Central Division, giving all four divisions eight teams.
- They would play their home games on a North American-sized rink in a neutral North American city. (Use your imagination. Could be Quebec City, Seattle, Milwaukee, etc.)
- They would begin training camp a month earlier than the other 31 teams in order to adjust to the smaller rink, as well as life in North America.
The team was constructed with the help of Slava Malamud, a freelance Russian hockey journalist, and Aivis Kalnins, a KHL insider and European hockey scout.
Without further ado, here's the NHL's imaginary 32nd team, the KHL All-Stars:
Forwards
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
| Line | LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilya Kovalchuk (34)* | Pavel Datsyuk (39) | Nikita Gusev (25) |
| 2 | Kirill Kaprizov (20) | Jan Kovar (27) | Sergei Mozyakin (36) |
| 3 | Nigel Dawes (32) | Mikhail Grigorenko (23) | Valeri Nichushkin (22) |
| 4 | Linus Omark (30) | Anton Lander (26) | Brandon Kozun (27) |
| Extras | Geoff Platt (32) | Petri Kontiola (32) |
*Age of player on Oct. 1
Notable omissions: Alexander Semin, Nikita Filatov, Maxim Afinogenov, Gilbert Brule, Peter Regin, Brandon Bochenski
Line 1: Kovalchuk and Datsyuk need no introduction. Gusev, who was scooped up by the Golden Knights from the Lightning in the expansion draft, had 71 points in 57 games with St. Petersburg SKA last season.
Line 2: Kaprizov, like Gusev, is an up-and-comer. He's property of the Minnesota Wild, and led the 2017 World Juniors in scoring. Putting him opposite Mozyakin, the KHL's all-time scoring leader, makes too much sense.
Malamud is skeptical of Mozyakin's inclusion. "He is a pure big-rink player. He wouldn't go well on NHL ice, and he knows it," he said.
Despite the assessment, Mozyakin set KHL single-season records with 48 goals and 85 points in just 60 games last year, so it's hard to leave him out.
Line 3: Former New York Rangers forward Nigel Dawes finished second in goals in the KHL in three consecutive seasons. He's had success playing on a line with two North Americans, so placing him on a line with two recent NHLers is a logical fit.
Line 4/Extras: Remember shootout sensation Linus Omark? The former Oiler has turned out to be a pretty productive KHLer. Kalnins notes that he's also become a capable penalty killer overseas. His fellow Swede Lander, meanwhile, recently left for the KHL after putting up 55 points in 42 games with the Oilers' AHL affiliate.
Defense
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
| Pairing | LD | RD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anton Belov (31) | Slava Voynov (27) |
| 2 | Marc-Andre Gragnani (30) | Chris Lee (36) |
| 3 | Nikita Tryamkin (23) | Nikita Nesterov (24) |
| Extra | Mat Robinson (31) |
Notable omissions: Evgeny Medvedev, Matt Gilroy, Sami Lepisto
Pairing 1: Voynov was the No. 2 defenseman on the Kings' 2014 Stanley Cup-winning team, and would probably still be in the NHL if he wasn't a criminal. Malamud considers the former Oiler Belov "a KHL star."
Pairing 2: Lee was basically the KHL's version of Erik Karlsson last season, tallying 65 points in 60 games. He and Gragnani "are the best D-men," according to Malamud.
Pairing 3/Extra: Tryamkin and Nesterov played a combined 114 games in the NHL last year. The 6-foot-7 Tryamkin brings size and physicality, while Nesterov is an adequate puck-mover. Robinson, a right-handed shot, is the definition of a journeyman, but Kalnins had this to say about him:
Robinson is among the best two-way D-men in the league, every single team in the KHL would want to have him, and seeing his game firsthand, he really impresses me with how he can play in so many different situations. He can take charge in offensive zone at the same time being the hustle-back guy. His speed is outstanding, only lacks size. A really, really impressive guy.
Goaltenders
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
| Role | G |
|---|---|
| Starter | Ilya Sorokin (22) |
| Backup | Vasily Koshechkin (34) |
Notable omissions: Ben Scrivens, Igor Shestyorkin, Ilya Samsonov
Malamud states that Vasily Koshechkin, age 34, "is still the best goalie."
However, Kalnins claims that "once (Sorokin) gets hot, he is the best guy to have in your net."
The upside of the younger Sorokin, an Islanders draft pick, earns him the starting nod in the crease. He had a 1.61 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in 39 games with CSKA Moscow last year.
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