KHL Q&A with Alessandro Seren Rosso | Tarasenko, Lehtera and Andronov Updates
“When you do not know the answer, ask the question.”
The above quote is one of my favorite axioms to live by. I’m not afraid to ask questions to get the answers I need. Which is why from time to time I enlist the services of various media and blogging personalities to provide information all Blues fans want to hear.
In this Q&A friend of the blog Alessandro Seren Rosso, Russian hockey blogging guru, answers five questions about St. Louis Blues prospects over in the KHL.
Just keep in mind that answers are indifferent. They don’t care if you like them or not. You’ll see what I mean in the fourth question.
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BlueNoteZone: What are you early impressions of Vladimir Tarasenko’s play? Showing regression from last season in any areas? Is he growing as young players should towards fulfilling their “potential”?
Alex Seren Rosso: Tarasenko started his season very well. He already impressed in the preseason and now he’s a solid part of Sibir’s first line with Jori Lethera and Jonas Enlund and he’s now an alternate captain as well.
His stats are good (3GP, 1G, 3P, 10 SOG), but it’s not a matter of stats only, because he’s getting space on a good team’s first line in the world’s second best league and this speaks loud in about how good his development is right now. Kuznetsov doesn’t play on the first line, for example, even if we can notice that Traktor, Kuznetov’s team, has a deeper roster. Tarasenko last year played at the World Championships for Team Russia and most likely he will do it again next April, there is little doubt about it.
BNZ: How does Jori Lehtera look so far? He was skating on the same line as Tarasenko, are they still linemates? If so, how is their chemistry?
ASR: Lehtera and Tarasenko have developed an excellent chemistry. I would risk to say that such a duo could be good in the NHL, too. In the NHL they would probably need a player like Max Pacioretti of the Habs to do the dirty work for them. In the KHL there is more space, less defense, and teams can afford three offensive forwards on the same line. This allow for lines like Sibir’s first, which is skilled enough to score beautiful combination goals. But in the NHL this kind of game is doable only by teams like the Detroit Red Wings which have players not only very talented, but also experienced enough. Tarasenko and Lehtera, of course, don’t have such experience in the NHL.
BNZ: How is Sergei Andronov doing? Is his development progressing?
ASR: Andronov is having a very good season as well, he’s growing, but I somewhat doubt he’ll ever cross the pond. He never looked much interested, and also in America I don’t think there is a huge excitation about him. He can be compared – not as a player, but as a “situation” – to Nikolai Lemtyugov. A good player with a high skill level, without that extra “something” to make it through the NHL.
BNZ: Can you shed any details or clarify the situation regarding Tarasenko’s contract? Is he fully able to come to the NHL next season or are there roadblocks in his path? Should fans fear a repeat of the Evgeni Malkin saga?
ASR: Technically Tarasenko is free to sign with the Blues after this season, but I don’t think he will rush it. He might as well consider spending another year or two in Russia.
Let me talk briefly again about the Habs: we have the clear difference between two Russian prospects, Alexander Avtsin and Alexei Yemelin. Avtsin now is a candidate for a hypothetical “should-have-stayed-in-Russia” award as he more or less wasted one year of development as he crossed the pond too early. Yemelin, on the other hand, crossed the pond as a ready player. Did you read fans’ opinion about him? Some even say that he’s the Habs’ best defenseman. Well, this is hyperbole as he’s yet to play even a single NHL game, but the difference in the development paths is as clear as sunlight.
How much do you remember of Nikita Nikitin’s KHL days? The young defenseman is poised to rise up the Blues depth chart. What can you tell me about him?
ASR: Nikitin was a good KHL defenseman, even if maybe he made some mistakes in Omsk, especially in his early days. I am not surprised about his success in the NHL and I am looking forward seeing his progress in the upcominc season.
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I want to thank Alessandro again for taking the time out to answer my questions. He certainly sheds a lot of light on the KHL world for hockey fans half a world away.
Interesting take on Tarasenko possibly needing and/or wanting more time in the KHL. I really don’t want to break out the line “When they trade was announced I did say they should draft Nick Bjugstad”. Then again, if he isn’t ready, there is no need to rush him over and create Filatov v2.0.
