Our favourite Russian is still doing great in the VHL. Despite missing 16 games because of the Super Series and the WJC, he is still tied for 5th in scoring among defensemen right now while also being the youngest of the top 10 ... by far.
Code:
Name Team GP G A P Age
1. Pavel Voroshnin HK Lipetsk 43 4 16 20 30
2. Mikhail Rybalko HK Lipetsk 44 2 17 19 28
3. Leonid Metalnikov Kazzinc Torpedo 45 5 13 18 24
4. Alexander Ugolnikov Saryarka Karaganda 36 4 14 18 26
5. Eriks Sevcenko Saryarka Karaganda 28 6 11 17 23
6. Rushan Rafikov HK Ryazan 34 1 16 17 19
7. Vyacheslav Seluyanov Sputnik Nizhny Tagil 40 5 10 15 28
8. Alexei Lozhkin Neftyanik Almetievsk 32 3 12 15 28
9. Valeri Vasilyev Ariada Volzhsk 45 3 11 14 24
10. Pavel Doronin Toros Neftekamsk 30 1 13 14 26
HF also ranked him 2nd on their "top drafted defensemen playing in Russia" list:
Quote:
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Rafikov’s strong play at the Subway Super Series and, more recently, at the 2015 World Junior Championship garnered the Calgary Flames’ prospect the second position among drafted defensemen playing in the KHL. Actually, Rafikov is playing in the VHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s farm team, but he is having a very good season playing against men as he scored 17 points in 34 games for HK Ryazan. Rafikov is an offensive defenseman with a very good eye for the pass and good puck-moving attributes, as he showed with the U20 national team in Canada. Rafikov’s deal with Lokomotiv will run out in April, so it will be interesting to see if he’ll decide to sign again in Russia or if he’ll decide to cross the Atlantic and establish himself in Calgary.
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http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article...competing-khl/