2002 Russian Draftees: First Quarter Reports 2
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Sergei
Anshakov
Stats: Metallurg Magnitagorsk - 19 games 2 points (0+2)
Prior to the 2001-02 season, wasn’t considered a very strong prospect
for the NHL. However, during the 2001-02 season he shot up the rankings when
he climbed the Upper League’s scoring charts to become one of CSKA Moscow’s
top scorers and help the team return to the Super League. He also made an impact
on Russia’s U18 squad at the WJC and a couple of other tournaments. Sergei
was a perfect example who maximized his stock prior to the draft and was at
the highest point possible in the ratings. Just before he draft, he hurt his
stock a bit by not attending the ceremony and participating in fitness tests
and interviews. Still, some experts even predicted him being drafted late in
the first round or early in the second. This did not happen, but the Los Angeles
Kings pulled the trigger on the young winger and picked him up with their 50th
overall pick.
After finishing the last season on a high not and getting drafted, this summer
Sergei returned to a different CSKA Moscow than the one he played for last year.
The team now competed in the Super League and many new faces filled its ranks.
Tikhonov still held Sergei in high regards, and he started the season on CSKA’s
fourth line with Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Alexander Polushin. Sergei struggled
from the start in the Super League. The game was faster and the opponents more
physical and experienced. After several games it became increasingly clear that
he needed some time to develop and up his skills to the Super League level.
Accordingly, he began to play less and less, still skating on the third line,
but only about every other game. In mid November he became a healthy scratch
in several games in a row, but then got another opportunity when a couple of
players suffered injuries. He once again skated on the third line, but this
time with the 2003 NHL Entry Draft phenom Nikolai Zherdev. Sergei has used the
promotion well, earning an assist in late November on a very important game
tying goal against Lada Togliatti. He still appears to be held in high regards
by CSKA’s coaching staff and continues to improve. This time around, Anshakov
may be on the third line to stay.
Seargei Anshakov has also skated at the first two U20 international tournaments
with team Russia. As with CSKA Moscow, he usually skated on the team’s
third line, but earned ? promotion to the second unit after solid play at the
November’s U20 Four Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic. During that
tournament he scored two important goals for Russia – one during the 4:3
overtime victory over the hosting Czech Republic and the other against Sweden.
After performing well at the Four Nations tournament in the Czech Republic,
Sergei will likely represent Russia at the 2003 U20 WJC in Halifax. Considering
how strong Russia’s players born in ’83 are, this is quite an achievement
for Sergei. His role will be reduced on the WJC team though, as ’83 forwards
Alexander Perezhogin and Igor Grigorenkov from Russia’s senior team will
join the U20 team for the WJC.
Sergei earns a grade of “B+” for the first quarter of the season.
His struggles to produce in the Super League clearly show that he has a lot
of room to improve, though his point production is not an accurate indicator
of Sergei’s performance on the ice. Anshakov’s contributions for Russia’s
U20 squad in the international arena have been significant and he remains one
of the team’s best goal scorers outside the top Ovechkin-Trubachev-Polushin
line.
Anton
Kadeykin
Stats: Sarnia Sting - 24 games 6 points (1+5) 16 PIM, +10 (+/-)
Anton has been one of the bigger surprises of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. It’s
not often that a player not ranked by the Central Scouting Bureau gets selected
in the second round of the draft. However, it appears that New Jersey did their
homework and instead of searching for prospects at the international tournaments,
they went to Elektrostal. There the team’s scouts got a first hand look
at most of Russia’s ’84 national team playing against adults in the
Upper League, instead of their peers at international tournaments. That is where
they noticed Anton, who stood out with his size and aggressive style. Another
thing that kept him apart was his strength and durability, something New Jersey’s
management and scouting staff craved.
Anton was definitely a raw prospect. He had some skating problems, and due
to his aggressiveness, Kadeikin was prone to occasional positional errors while
on defense. However, he had excellent size, a good shot and showed determination
and poise on the ice. Kadeikin also appeared to absorb instructions while intently
listen to the coaching staff. As New Jersey’s fitness tests later confirmed,
Anton also possessed impressive endurance and strength. So, he didn’t stand
out with his skills, but he possessed the solid mental and physical foundation
from which New Jersey felt it could build a solid top four defenseman.
Hoping their research paid off, New Jersey picked Anton _ overall in the second
round. Right after the draft the team’s management signed him to a three
year contract and Anton made it back to North America on time for the New Jersey’s
training camp. He spent most of the camp with the NHL team, though on several
occasions he shuttled between New Jersey and Sarnia, the junior team that drafted
him in the second round of the import draft and which had an affiliation with
New Jersey. The most likely scenario occurred and at the start of the 2002-03
season, Anton was wearing the Sarnia Sting uniform.
Thus far this year Anton has not disappointed New Jersey’s brass. Defensively,
Kadeikin has consistently lead the Sting in the +/- category and has been adjusting
ahead of schedule to North American hockey and rink size. Anton has also begun
to shake off the reputation of being a stay at home defenseman. He has contributed
a few assists, and scored his first goal for the Sting in early November. After
a month and a half, the coaching staff has finally included him on the power
play unit. Anton’s ice time with the Sting has been around 20 minutes.
Anton gets an “B+” for the first quarter of the 2002-03 season. Kadeikin
has been playing quality hockey and adjusting well to the smaller ice surface.
His offensive production has started to pick up, but it is his attitude towards
the game in his own zone that earns Anton the high grade.