Kudryatsev takes the final step in his impressive rookie season | theahl.com
Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer
The headlines for Abbotsford Garners throughout the Calder Cup playoffs were obvious.
Artūrsšilovs,,,,, Linus Karlsson,,,,, Arshdeep Bains and Sammy Blais Everyone played the leading role.
However, working quietly in the background is the rookie defender Kirill Kudryavtsevwhich is outstanding in itself. At the age of 21, Vancouver’s seventh-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has beaten a long list of achievements this season. He insisted Abbotsford came out of training camp and quickly adapted to the new head coach Manny Malhotralineup. He ended up playing 65 games as a rookie and tied for second among team defenders with 26 (5 goals, 21 assists).
Vancouver management gave him a late-season look, bringing his performance to his first two NHL games. The sturdy 5-foot-11 and 200-pound men from the Russian Yaroslavl came to the organization to take his North American career seriously and chose to go to the Ontario Hockey League, at the age of 17. Mary, enables him to shape his own game at a very young age. Likewise, he was able to bring his English skills and comfort in life in Canada to professionals who were already under control.
“I think it helped me a lot, especially my first year of struggling,” Kudryavtsev recalled. “Knowing English can help a lot. Sometimes you can hang out with guys, you can talk to people. You’re not just one or two guys who can speak the same language.”
On the ice, Kudryavtsev has played the type of game the head coach likes. It has nothing flashy, but it is simple, reliable and composed. He can make the first tough first pass, move at speed and distribute the puck cross ice at accurate speed. Malhotra has been using him on the right side of the pair Akito Hirosegiving the Canucks a solid duo that can reliably make the Calder Cup playoffs. His comfort level with faster, more chaotic North American games is evident, and it’s another signal he played to the OHL at a young age.
Kudryavtsev can be satisfied with his season and he will admit he is happy. Work with assistant coach Jordan Smithhe has been able to fine-tune the essentials of any young defender: gap work, transitional play and consistently breaking the hockey.
“I’m trying to focus on the little things that can help me with the overall game and then look pretty good in the big picture,” Kudryavtsev said.
Saturday night will bring the next one to Karnak this season – perhaps the final challenge. This will be their 95th game since the opening night; so far, Malhotra has included Kudryavtsev in the lineup. But even with a 3-1 rise in the Calder Cup final, Kudriftsev and his teammates didn’t take it for granted.
“We have some things to do when it comes to teams,” he said.
During the fifty years in the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.
