16 Thoughts – The Return

A 5-week month allows me more freedom

By Nick Bass

Welcome back to 16 Thoughts, a series a kin to Elliotte Friedman’s 32 Thoughts, but trimmed down to 16 because it’s solely about Canes Prospects. This week, we’re gonna talk about Ruslan Khazheyev, expiring contracts, and the Chicago Wolves.

1. If you log on to Elite Prospects right now and look at the Hurricanes’ prospects at goalie, you might wince a little. Yaniv Perets has excelled at the ECHL level, but he’s 25 and might be capped at the AHL level. Egor Velmakin hasn’t played a full game since January 12th. Jakub Vondras has flashes in the second division of Czech hockey but still finished with a .890% save percentage. Then you have Ruslan Khazheyev, the 20-year old playing his first season of North American hockey.

Looking straight at his stats, it’s not great. A .873% save percentage and a 3.46 GAA isn’t awe inspiring for someone that I’ve claimed is the number 1 goalie prospect in the system (we will touch on this in a minute). This is where the eye test comes in because in truth, Khazheyev has not been as bad as the numbers show. Yes, there have been rebound issues. Yes, there has been positioning issues. But this is a player that has never played in North America playing at the second tier of North American hockey at 20-years old. I think there is also something to be said about the Wolves having a whole new coaching staff and a whole new group of players. It takes time to implement a system. All in all, take Khazheyev’s stats with a grain of salt this year.

2. Back to the “Number 1 goalie prospect in the system” talk, he’s still number 1. Issue being, there really isn’t anyone to combat that claim. You can certainly try and make a claim that Egor Velmakin has that spot, but I’d still lean Khazheyev with age factored in, plus the fact that Velmakin doesn’t really get any game time at all. Vondras doesn’t really have a case, besides a 3rd place finish at the 2023 WJC.

3. I’ve gotten a lot of questions recently about guys that might sign their ELCs after the season and there are a few that come to mind. As always, surprises happen, but this is who I would think sign:

1. Stanislav Yarovoy

2. Simon Forsmark

3. Alexander Rykov

4. Big Fella

Smaller class this year, after the HUGE class with Nadeau, Blake, Legault, Morrow, and others. But with reports coming out that Lucas Mercuri will not sign with the Hurricanes after his season is over and me not being 100% confident of Vladimir Grudinin signing, plus the fact that a lot of guys just aren’t ready yet, it makes for a small class.

5. The reasoning behind why I think each will sign, starting with Yarovoy. There were rumors about him coming over last season that didn’t come to fruition. So, with him not signing a contract extension with Vityaz, I’d think he comes over to NA.

6. Simon Forsmark was vocal back in November about being close to signing his ELC. While that didn’t come to be then, I still think he signs his ELC and head back to Timra for the last year of his contract next season.

7. Another player vocal about signing his ELC, this time much further back in time, was Alexander Rykov. On his draft night in 2023, Rykov mentioned to the media that he was “going to sign his ELC after his contract with Traktor was up.” With his contract expiring at the end of the year, I think there’s a good chance he comes over.

8. Big Fella being Alexander Nikishin, of course. Going to stress that nothing is done until it is done, which will lead me in to my next few points.

9. Everyone will continue the phrase, “nothing is done until it’s done”, until what is attempting to get done is done. A specific example, Mason Marchment. 2022 offseason, Pierre Lebrun reported that the Canes and Mason Marchment were close to signing a contract. Nobody heard anything about it until a report from Lebrun said that Dallas had signed Marchment. Never assume something is going to happen. I’m not saying Nikishin signing isn’t happening, because all the signs point to the obvious happening, but please bear caution.

10. For anyone commenting that “Nikishin will come over and play immediately in the playoffs”, I would like to tell you something and you need to be sitting down for this. Even in the chance that SKA loses in the first round, which is a real possibility, and even in the chance that SKA allows him to leave early, another real possibility, we all just need to be patient. We’ve been patient for the past 2 years, what’s another 6 months.

11. Last point on Nikishin. Please do not assume SKA lets him leave early. I know I put out Marco D’Amico’s report about his representatives and SKA coming to an agreement to release him early, but nothing is done until it’s done. Assumptions are dangerous, so it’s better to not play into them.

12. I wonder if Jayden Perron will transfer from UND with the news of HC Brad Berry being fired. He’s been good at UND, but might find another gear in his development from trying a new system/conference. This is all my own wonder and curiosity, by the way.

13. The Wolves have been decimated by injuries. Prospect wise, Noel Gunler is on IR, Gleb! Trikozov is done for the year, and Domenick Fensore just suffered what looked to be a bad shoulder injury. Spencer Martin has been battling an injury that has been forced Khazheyev into more starts, an injury to Ty Smith has had Bryce Montgomery up with the Wolves (where he’s looked good in his limited minutes), and the forward depth has been killed.

14. Bradly Nadeau. 25 goals in his first AHL season, the first time a U20 player has hit that number since Jiri Kulich in the 2022/23 season. He’s currently on pace for 30 goals, which would tie him for 5th all time in a single season by a U20 player with Jozef Cierny. He would also be ahead of guys like JJ Peterka, Jiri Kulich, Kyle Palmieri, and old pal Mikko Rantanen. He’s been the go to goal scorer for the Wolves and for good reason. Real 40 goal scorer potential at the NHL level.

15. Scott Morrow, outside of the Kings game, has been really, really good. Pushing offense, staying afloat defensively, not making a ton of stupid mistakes. It’s nice to know that he’s NHL ready now and a playoff run with Chicago (fingers crossed they make it) will do wonders for his development.

16. The Final Thought, brought to you by nothing but watching the VHL at 6 AM in the gym while doing cardio (I have the passion, Jokke), is that Jackson Blake is also really, really good. I don’t watch a ton of NHL games (nature of the job) but anytime I watch the Canes I’m always impressed by Blake’s game. He’s beating out bigger defenseman in board battles, making great passes, driving play. His skating isn’t great, but it’s certainly not bad by NHL standards. When the shots start going in and he gets better puck luck, he’s going to be an awesome player, more so than he already is.